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.

When Calls Become Baptisms
The role of media ministries in the North American Division (NAD) of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is to create a flood of interest through their programming, station placement, and their weekly offers. The main role of Adventist Information Ministry (AIM), headquartered on the campus of Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan, is to collect those interests and “upgrade” as many as they can to pass on to the local church, often for personal connection and Bible study. AIM sometimes learns what happens with those it connects to local churches. Here are a few of those stories, shared during ministry meetings in August.

NAD Women Clergy Retreat Creates Atmosphere of Affirmation and Healing
Approximately 200 pastors and chaplains participated in the 2018 NAD Women Clergy Retreat, which took place in Indian Wells, California, September 2-5. The retreat was designed to provide ample time for rejuvenation with inspirational messages, breakout sessions, community service, free sessions with a licensed counselor, a 24-hour prayer room, and even hand massages.

Washington Adventist University Receives Quarter-Million Dollar Award for Medical Instructional Equipment
Washington Adventist University has been selected by the Maryland Clinical Simulation Resource Consortium (MCSRC) to receive a 2018 Equipment & Materials Award in the amount of $248, 565.94. The award is for the acquisition of three medical simulation mannequins to be used in WAU’s nursing instruction programs. The mannequins include VICTORIA, an advanced birthing simulator.

Pacific Union College Professors and Student Blaze a New Trail
For three months of the year, two small fields in the popular Napa Valley resort town of Calistoga blossom with tiny white flowers known as the Calistoga Popcorn Flower. These two fields are the only known location of this flower in the world, which explains its presence on the list of endangered plants. “There’s a PUC alumnus in Calistoga doing a housing project, and he asked me to come take a look at this flower,” says Aimee Wyrick, chair of the department of biology at Pacific Union College. “I did, and I’ve been looking for six years now.”