On August 28-29, 2026, thousands all clicked the same link. In an instant, 3,546 people joined the Sabbath School ALIVE! Virtual Conference.
This North American Division conference gave pastors, Sabbath School teachers, and congregants a chance to enhance the impact of weekly study by getting to the heart of Sabbath School. Gladys S. Guerrero, the Office of Volunteer Ministries tutoring and mentoring coordinator, and Michael W. Campbell, the North American Division (NAD) director of Archives, Statistics & Research, hosted the event and engaged with the other program leaders.
Dwain Esmond, an associate director from the Ellen G. White Estate, opened the Sabbath on Friday evening by exploring the Four Pillars of Sabbath School DNA: Study of the Word, Fellowship, Community Outreach, and World Mission Emphasis. Esmond revisited the origins and evolution of Sabbath School. He noted its importance, stating, “If more pastors allowed Sabbath School to travel from the classroom to the pulpit, we might have a different church.” Esmond urged attendees to remember that Sabbath School’s purpose was to reach the community, and if it failed to do so, it was merely a club.
Community application added a new dimension for the virtual conference, now in its fifth year. In addition to panel regulars NAD Youth and Young Adult (YYA) Ministries director Tracy Leon Wood and Sabbath School and NAD Personal Ministries director Andre Bill Watson-Payne, representing Adult Sabbath School; Vandon Griffin, YYA Ministries associate director, representing Youth Sabbath School, and Sherri Uhrig, NAD Children’s Ministries director, representing Children’s Sabbath School; and new panel member Colette Newer, associate director of NAD Adventist Community Services, also joined, representing the outreach track.
The outreach track fit well within the well-known workshop tracks of Adult Sabbath School, Youth Sabbath School, Children’s Sabbath School, and Spanish language workshops. Over the weekend, attendees could attend the virtual sessions and foster dialogue with fellow teachers. Pastor Deni Reis, from Kentucky-Tennessee Conference, introduced his new multilingual app, Re:fresh Sabbath School, in his Friday workshop. The app is designed as a spiritual “Swiss Army knife” for new methods of study and comprehension. Cleveland Houser, the Prison Ministries coordinator and trainer for the North American Division, also opened on Friday, offering practical advice on how to welcome those returning to society after prison, based on his experience with as executive director of the non-profit Don’t Follow Me. Saturday held the bulk of the workshops, with three time slots available for each collection of sessions, allowing attendees to explore every avenue of teaching. Additionally, a panel of young adults dove into thoughtful questions to help reevaluate the priorities of Sabbath School small groups, and new curricula from babies to middle school were given for the Children’s Sabbath School.
Throughout the weekend, those in the live chat were tested on their memory, with the promise of a giveaway box containing a mug, a T-shirt, teaching resources, and a James White or Joseph Bates bobblehead, to those who could answer questions about the opening sermon.
Ultimately, each session highlighted ways for Sabbath School to become a practical tool for church regulars and for the broader community. Adventist Community Service’s presence at the event and through the workshops added a missional dimension to the lessons.
“Sabbath Schools are the built-in small groups of the church. They are the natural starting point to connect, share, and put the gospel into action,” said Newer. “It is inspiring to see so many people joining the discussion about how to bring Sabbath Schools to life and make them a thriving and welcoming part of every church. Sabbath School Alive attendees were engaged and lit up the chat with their thoughts and reactions. It was a joy for Adventist Community Services to be a part of this event.”
The attendees were challenged to share ways they were applying their lessons through outreach. Through the chat, attendees shared about blood drives, food banks, and upcoming efforts to help their neighbors. Pastors and teachers alike left on fire to apply their new insights and get back to the DNA of Sabbath School.
Bill Watson-Payne, director of Sabbath School and Personal Ministries for the NAD, reflected, “Sabbath School is the heart of the church, but the heartbeat might be a bit weak. What are you doing to get the heart beating at full capacity? Out of the heart flows: Bible study, fellowship, community, spiritual growth, community outreach, missions — locally and globally. Sabbath School ALIVE! is vital to revitalizing Sabbath School.”
— Nicole Dominguez is a freelance writer.
