St. Louis GC Session 2025, Day 2: Treasurer’s Report & Nominating Committee
by Loren Seibold | 4 July 2025 |
This afternoon kicked off with the report from General Conference (GC) treasurer Paul Douglas.
Short version: the church is making good money.
Slightly longer version, courtesy of Bjorn: World tithe is up about 16% over the last five years. World tithe is over $3 billion annually. Douglas says the financial position of the General Conference at the end of the last five-year period is strong.
You money-heads: you’ll have to watch the report for yourself.
Financial reports make my insides shrivel up, but I think Paul is doing the right kind of report. It sounds completely transparent. It’s detailed enough to please those who want details, but more important, he’s emphasizing that the money is spent on mission. I think people often think of the GC as just supporting the officers somehow, which of course is nonsense.
He’s emphasizing innovation: a digital strategy for mission. I thought this was a good series of questions about saving money:
- How can we reduce/eliminate duplication of effort arising from all our media brands now operating in this new media space?
- How can we build strategic partnerships between our media brands to synergize our common message?
- How can we create an ecosystem for our media brands that supports the journey from contact to conversion, and from decision to discipleship?
- How can traditional and new media be effectively and efficiently blended to achieve positive and measurable outcomes?
Observation: as long as the church gets first dibs on the tithe money, it is going to spend a lot of money, and nothing can stop it.
A few questions from the floor, but mostly I think people are pleased with the report.
Nominating committee:
Erton Köhler has been nominated and voted to be the next GC president: 1,721 for to 188 against. (What does it mean that so many didn’t vote?) 
I, for one, am not surprised—but Erton says he is.
“I am speechless now. I had minutes and seconds to try to organize something I could express to you. But before any other words, I would like to tell you I move forward, renewing my confidence in the Lord and his church.… This is not an easy decision, and we hesitated before we gave a response.
“My word to those of you who have a different opinion; you are part of our family as well…. Let us move forward, not highlighting our differences, but let us move forward.…”
I wish him well.
Auditor’s report:
They’ve done well. The auditors approve. I’m not the guy to give you more information on it, though.
Loren Seibold is the Executive Editor of Adventist Today.
