2024 Annual Council Leads to Major Restructuring
23 October 2024 |
The 2024 Annual Council occurred this October at the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s headquarters, where the Executive Committee approved significant organizational restructurings in various sectors and regions to strengthen ministry and outreach. The voted changes in regional structuring are intended to address regional needs and better allocate resources. According to accounts by the Inter-American Division, the greatest structural changes will occur in the North Philippine Union Conference, Northern Ghana Union, Togo Union Mission, Sudan, and South Central American Union Mission.
It was voted that the North Philippine Union Conference would be divided into two new unions: the North Luzon Philippine Union Mission and the South Luzon Philippine Union Mission. By dividing the union, ministry efforts will not be overwhelmed, and accessibility to both the north and south regions of Luzon will be improved. The regions will have five mission fields each; however, North Luzon will oversee six institutions and South Luzon will oversee three.
The Northern Ghana Union will be reorganized into the Greater Accra Union Conference and the North Central Ghana Union Mission, decentralizing leadership and enhancing outreach in the northern territories. The northern territories have proven to be difficult to manage due to inefficient leadership programs, leading to poor support for the local churches. The division hopes that restructuring will provide greater stability for the congregants.
Togo Union Mission has expanded due to dedicated outreach causing it to outgrow its current structure. To continue its development, the division has divided the Togo Union Mission into two separate unions: the More East Togo Union Mission and the West Central Togo Union Mission.
Sudan will experience the most drastic shift, moving from the Middle East and North Africa Union to the East-Central Africa Division. Geopolitical conflicts and upheaval in Sudan have exceeded the abilities of the current Union; however, by placing Sudan under South Sudan, the churches can receive proper care and strengthen the church.
Costa Rica and Nicaragua have achieved steady growth in church membership and missional impact, outpacing their current structure due to the influx of new congregants. The division decided to reorganize the South Central American Union Mission into the Costa Rica Union Mission and the Nicaragua Union Mission. The new model will allow for local needs to be met and continued mission outreach with greater efficiency.
Such structural changes are signs of a growing global church committed to caring for each church member with intentionality. The Seventh-day Adventist church hopes that mission work can continue to progress, making its intended impact for God’s kingdom.