General Conference Spring Meetings: Notes from April 9, 2024
10 April 2024 |
On April 9th, 2024, the General Conference (GC) hosted the Spring Business Meetings in Silver Spring, MD. These meetings included a series of presentations, updates, reports, and discussions on future plans for the Adventist Church, providing key insights into the church’s strategic direction. The following are a few key notes from the meetings, adapted from articles by ANN regarding the GC Treasury Report and a presentation on human sexuality by the Inter-European Division.
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Nine Takeaways from GC Treasury Report – Presented by Treasurer, Paul H. Douglas
1. Financial Stability: As of December 31, 2023, the General Conference reported a robust financial state, with total net assets amounting to approximately $310 million, 92% of which were in cash and investments. This is attributed to divine guidance and prudent financial management, particularly in challenging global economic conditions.
2. Increased Tithes and Offerings: The GC received about $13 million more in tithe than the anticipated $78 million, totaling $91 million. Offerings for the year also exceeded expectations by $23 million compared to the budget and by $10 million relative to the previous year, totaling $97 million.
3. Expense Management: Despite inflationary pressures, the GC maintained its program expenses at $172 million. The spending was distributed across various categories, including mission strategy and support (43%), leadership development (15%), media and publications (13%), educational institutions (9%), and other expenses (20%).
4. Liquidity and Capital Management: The GC reported 13.9 months of available working capital and 11.1 months in liquid assets, exceeding the recommended minimums of 12 and 9 months, respectively. This is intended to ensure the organization can respond effectively to emergencies without disrupting mission activities.
5. Investment Performance: After a challenging 2022 with a loss in investment market value, there was a significant recovery in 2023. This rebound reflects the GC’s conservative investment strategy aimed at being responsible stewards of the resources entrusted to them.
6. Mission Impact Funds: Two specific funds were highlighted:
– The first fund supports local church mission projects, with $5 million available for allocation in 2025.
– The second fund, newly introduced, aims to support world divisions and attached fields for territory-wide evangelistic initiatives, with the GC covering up to 20% of the total program cost up to $500,000 per entity.
7. Strategic Mission Initiatives: Examples include the East-Central Africa Division’s plan to double its membership by 2025 through various evangelistic efforts and the North American Division’s Pentecost 2025 initiative, which involves 3,000 proclamation events.
8. Organizational Focus: The GC is undergoing a paradigm shift to prioritize mission over routine operations, aiming to be more intentional with its strategy and resources to maximize impact and ensure alignment with its evangelistic goals.
9. Positive Feedback and Support: Several delegates expressed their support and confirmed the positive impacts of these initiatives in their respective regions, emphasizing the alignment between mission focus and financial strategy.
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The Inter-European Division (EUD) Addresses Challenges Relating to Human Sexuality
The Inter-European Division (EUD) presented a report on the division’s recent activities, with a focus on challenges related to human sexuality. Mario Brito, president of the EUD, emphasized the importance of unity and adherence to church principles while navigating LGBTQ issues.
The discussions around same-sex intimacy have prompted the EUD to engage in extensive dialogue and consultation with church leaders and members. Brito specifically addressed the reaction to certain publications in Adventisten Heute that diverged from the church’s official positions, outlining efforts to present a more balanced view on LGBTQ+ topics by including more of the church’s official perspectives in subsequent issues.
The GC’s Human Sexuality Task Force, led by Audrey Andersson, vice president of the General Conference, has worked to create humansexuality.org as a resource for church members, providing articles, stories, videos, and Q&A sections. The initative is aimed at ensuring the church remains a primary source of guidance on issues of human sexuality.
According to ANN, “Gina Wahlen, the website’s editor, highlighted the importance of the website, stating, ‘We believe that the most compassionate approach we can take is to present God’s truth on this very important gift that God has given to us.’
Videos for the GC Meetings can be viewed on the GC website page here.
