Inter-American Division President Pastor Elie Henry prays with executive committee members on Nov. 1, 2022, at the close of the annual Year-end meetings held in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, since Oct. 30. Leaders prayed together for protection, guidance and providence across the territory in the weeks, months and year ahead which will seek revival, soul winning and discipleship programs in efforts to conserve members across thousands of congregations. Photo: Libna Stevens/IAD]

November 9, 2022 | Punta Cana, Dominican Republic | Libna Stevens, Inter-American Division News

Top church administrators and leaders from throughout the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Inter-America Division (IAD), ended their annual business meetings on bended knees pleading for God’s protection, guidance, and providence across the territory in the weeks, months, and year ahead.  The prayer session, held in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic on Nov. 1, 2022, sealed the three-day annual Year-End Executive Committee meetings with sights set on the sole mission of reaching the unreached with the gospel message and guiding the membership to remain focused on Jesus.

“We are here to ask for more unity in purpose, to let our communities where we live know and feel that we are a praying people of God, a believing people that trusts in God above all else,” said Pastor Elie Henry, president of the IAD as he addressed the more than 160 administrators and leaders gathered.  Pastor Henry pointed to seeking a greater outpouring of the Holy Spirit, a clearer vision to offer hope to so many families, young people and different people groups, that Jesus is coming soon for the world is living its lasts moments of history now.

A committee member joins during prayer session on Nov. 1, 2022. [Photo: Libna Stevens/IAD]
Leaders prayed for parts of the IAD which are experiencing danger and difficulties like in Haiti, Venezuela and Cuba, as well as financial resources to continue advancing the mission in every corner of the Division territory.

Committee members voted a document entitled “God’s Promised Gift: an urgent appeal for revival, reformation, discipleship and evangelism” vowing to carry it throughout their respective territory.

The document included placing priority on seeking God for spiritual revival and outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the latter rain power in their own lives, families and ministries, individually set a side significant amounts of time daily to fellowship with Christ through  prayer and the study of God’s word.

Pastor Samuel Telemaque, Sabbath school director for the IAD, speaks on the “Back to the Altar” initiative to encourage daily, habitual  practice of morning and evening worship in the lives of Seventh-day Adventists across Inter-America.[Photo: Libna Stevens/IAD]
Also, the document encourages the ministries of the church to spend time praying studying God’s Word and seeking Gods’ heart to understand His plans for His Church, and for each organization to set aside time for administrators, pastors, healthcare, workers, publishing house workers, educators, students and all employees to seek Jesus, as well as use every available media outlet, conference and workshop to appeal to church members to seek deeper relationship with Jesus for the promised revival and reformation, and more.

In addition, committee members voted to approve and implement an initiative coined as “Back to the Altar,” to encourage the daily, habitual practice of morning and evening worship in the lives of Seventh-day Adventist individuals and families for personal revival and reformation and outreach. The initiative “seeks to safeguard the spiritual lives of members and others from the negative effects of digital media by promoting good digital hygiene and sharing healthy ways to use media for fellowship and evangelism.”

Executive Committee members vote initiative and activities during day three of year-end meetings. [Photo: Libna Stevens/IAD]
The initiative has a goal of sustaining a culture of daily morning and evening worship among children, youth, adults and families to spur an inside-out revolution in the IAD during the 2022-2027, and beyond, said Pastor Samuel Telemaque, Sabbath school director for the IAD overseeing the initiative. “The ‘Back to the Altar’ initiative requires collaboration of all the ministries and institutions for effective implementation,” he said.

Part of the spiritual revival initiatives voted will strengthen the church as it engages in what leaders voted to make 2023 the Year of Conservation and Soul winning across the IAD.  Each ministry and department of the church will execute initiatives designed to both conserve the members of the church and lead persons to accept Christ as their personal savior, following a schedule of the conservation development plan including discipleship programs.

Administrators from the South Colombia Union follow up agenda items during the year-end meetings in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. [Photo: Libna Stevens/IAD]
Leaders also went over strategic initiatives for next year, including building healthy communities, increasing discipleship programs across churches and congregations, the expansion of radio stations under the Hope Channel Inter-America network, make available resources to fund mission projects in the territory, and more.

A prayer session also took place among executive members for the 3 million copies of the Great Controversy Book by Adventist co-founder Ellen G. White, which is scheduled to be distributed next year throughout Inter-America.

Three mission fields were upgraded to conference status, including the Alpine Mission and the Central Veracruz Mission in the Inter-Oceanic Mexican Union, as well as the Campeche mission in the Southeast Mexican Union.

Group photo of the Year-End Executive Committee Members during the end of the three-day meetings on Nov. 1, 2022, in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. [Photo: Daniel Gallardo/IAD]
Authorized meetings and events were voted, among others, as follows:

  • Ministerial Family Week of Prayer, January 30 to February 3, in Miami
  • Festival of Interpreters for the Deaf, Feb. 3-5, online
  • IAD Leadership Congress Event, February 12-17, in Cancun, Mexico
  • Vacation Bible Experience Workshop, Feb. 23, in Miami
  • Missionary Book Distribution, March 18, throughout the IAD
  • IAD Pathfinder Camporee, April 4-8, in Montego Bay, Jamaica
  • SeLD Conference July 24-27, in Miami

Inter-American Division’s next annual executive committee meetings will be held May 1-4, 2023, in Miami, Florida, United States.

To learn more about Inter-America’s initiatives, events and activities, visit us at interamerica.org