News

Erton C. Köhler Elected as General Conference President
Erton C. Köhler was elected to the office of the president of the General Conference (GC) on July 4, 2025, during the 62nd GC Session in St. Louis, Missouri. Köhler’s election marks the beginning of his first term as the spiritual and administrative leader of a worldwide movement that spans more than 200 countries and includes more than 23 million members.

Rooted in the Word: Scripture Comes Alive at the 2025 NAD Pathfinder Bible Experience
From April 25 to 26, more than 3,000 Pathfinders, supporters, and volunteers packed the arena in historic Battle Creek, Michigan, for a weekend of worship, Bible knowledge testing, and celebration. And on Sabbath, April 26, 185 teams — the second highest number ever — gathered in person from across North America and beyond. Four teams joined virtually.

Lessons for the Living
I have a confession to make. I have a habit, some might call it a morbid one, but wherever I go, whatever city I’m visiting, I will find myself in the oldest cemetery in town, walking among the dead. I can go to a cemetery, and stay for two hours, three hours, and I walk up and down reading the tombstones. I like to ponder: Who was this person? What was their life?

Help Provided in St. Louis After Tornado Strike
On May 16, 2025, a powerful EF-3 tornado tore through St. Louis, Missouri, and continued into Madison County, Illinois, reaching wind speeds of up to 152 mph and spanning 22.8 miles. NAD Adventist Community Services (ACS) is partnering with the Mid-America Union Conference, local churches, civic leaders, and other Adventist entities to provide ongoing disaster relief.

Southern Adventist University Social Work Students Assist Anti-Poverty Program
Always on the lookout for impactful experiences for her students, Candy Dolcy, an assistant professor in the School of Social Work at Southern Adventist University, found the perfect fit in a partnership with the Chattanooga Purpose Center at the Orchard Park Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Bread and Better Life Café to Launch Summer 2025
In late March, the Southwestern Union hosted preview events in anticipation of the launch of a new community outreach initiative, the Bread and Better Life Café. The development of Bread and Better Life Café has been spearheaded by Southwestern Union Health Ministries director Randall Phillips, along with leaders from the union and a partnership with the North American Division.

Washington Adventist University Recognized as an “Opportunity University” in New Carnegie Classification
Washington Adventist University has been officially recognized as an Opportunity College and University (OCU) in the latest Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, a distinction awarded to only 16 percent of more than 3,000 colleges and universities nationwide.

Adventist Connect Dedicates Walla Walla University Office Space in College Place
North American Division church leaders, Adventist Connect staff, and Walla Walla University administrators and students gathered on April 16, 2025, on the campus of the university to dedicate a new office space for the West Coast hub of the NAD’s ministry-driven contact center. The event, preceded by Adventist Connect’s board meeting, was marked by words of gratitude, prayer, and spiritual reflection, celebrating both the physical space and the people who serve within it.