Visitors to the North American Division exhibit at the General Conference Session found practical resources aimed at meeting the needs of local churches. From grief support to financial literacy, and from Sabbath School curriculum to evangelistic campaign planning, ministries showcased tools designed to equip leaders and members to share biblical principles in their communities.

AdventSource

Brad Forbes, president of AdventSource, described their booth as a place for church leaders to find the help they need. “Whether you are an elder, women’s ministries director, Pathfinder Club or religious liberty pastor, we have resources for you,” he said. 

Along with books, pamphlets and videos, AdventSource offers downloadable media and audio materials. “We want resources to be positioned depending on your need, not just for your local congregation but also to connect with your community,” Forbes said.

One new program is Seasons, a grief recovery kit that helps churches host support groups for both members and neighbors. “Everything is included,” said Forbes. “You have materials to plan the meetings, a facilitator’s guide and a participant’s guide where people can journal. It runs for 10 weeks.” Seasons was developed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, noted Forbes, where “there was loss and grief all around us.”

Forbes also highlighted The Blueprint, a resource to guide members and guests toward financial health. “It covers budgeting, getting out of debt and using credit cards responsibly, all from a biblical perspective,” he said. “It is field tested, not only for church members but also as a huge opportunity to reach young adults who are starting their lives, many of them heavily in debt.”

He is especially enthusiastic about the Alive in Jesus Sabbath School curriculum, launched this year by the General Conference, with support materials from AdventSource. “Alive in Jesus curriculum gives parents tools they can use on a daily basis,” explained Forbes. “It’s not just reading through the lesson but seeing how can you tie that week’s lesson in with daily life.”

Pacific Press produces the lesson quarterlies while AdventSource provides kits with memory verse cards, game cards and materials for children each week. “Research tells us kids start picking things up even before they can talk,” Forbes said. “Once they are toddlers, the world opens. Alive in Jesus helps parents and grandparents point out spiritual things as they go through life, not just during a short Sabbath School window.”

More resources are available at AdventSource.org.

Seminars Unlimited

Also at the exhibit was Seminars Unlimited, which helps churches with public evangelism campaigns. Forbes, who was filling in for director Carl Johnston, described the organization as a trusted partner. 

“They give advice on when to mail, what to mail, create the postcards or flyers, print and mail them so you can focus on people who respond instead of worrying about logistics,” he said. “They do a great job of helping you use your budget to reach the maximum number of people.”

Churches can learn more by visiting SeminarsUnlimited.org.

Adventist Learning Community

Paola Franco-Oudri, associate director of the North American Division’s Adventist Learning Community, said the platform offers hundreds of courses and thousands of resources for pastors, teachers and members. “It is all about continuous learning, how to become better at your ministry,” she said. “For pastors, we have courses and different frameworks. For teachers, curriculum and how to become a better teacher. For members, it is how to become better at your ministry, whether that is children’s ministries, women’s ministries or anything else.”

Users can create a free account, sign up for training and even earn continuing education credits. “We also host resources from NAD events and conferences,” Franco-Oudri said. “If you could not attend, you can still watch the breakouts. It is all Adventist worldview content by Adventist experts, so you know you are getting solid training.”

She added that the platform is available worldwide, with options for translation into dozens of languages. “We are moving to systems that will allow automatic subtitles or even audio tracks in many languages. It opens up these resources for people who do not speak English,” she said.

Heather Moor, project manager for the Adventist Learning Community, described how they support churches through a growing list of podcasts.

Moor said podcasts have become an important tool for sparking conversations. “They are a great way to bring people into topics they might not have access to otherwise,” she said. “Even if you do not know the hosts, you feel like you are sitting on a couch and part of the conversation.”

Podcasts range from education-focused shows to episodes on church life, mental health and Adventist history. One series, How the Church Works, explores topics like where tithe money goes and why churches typically meet at 11. “Even people who work for the church sometimes do not know how these decisions happen,” Moor said.

A list of all their podcasts can be found at ALCpodcasts.com.

-Debbie Michel is the director of communication at the Lake Union Herold