When my great-grandfather fled the genocide of the Armenians, he never dreamed that the fledgling Sabbath-keeping faith he carried with him was part of a growing worldwide movement. Earlier, Movses Boursalian had spotted a piece of discarded literature by the road that declared, “The Seventh-day is the Sabbath of the Lord.” He compared that claim with the Bible and became convinced of the Sabbath. In his own quiet, unassuming way, he shared his faith with customers while selling combs made of wood and camel bone. After finding refuge on the island of Cyprus, Boursalian continued his outreach efforts. Sadly, he died in 1931, but the following year when missionaries Elder and Mrs. R. S. Greaves arrived in Cyprus, they were happy to find Sabbath-keeping Christians already worshipping there. And these local believers rejoiced to learn that their Bible-based faith was shared by Seventh-day Adventists around the world.
c. 1912: Movses Boursalian, missionary to Cyprus.
c. 1912:Today: Delmar, Naty and three-year old Clara, volunteer missionaries to Albania
Today the Office of Adventist Mission at the General Conference is still engaging members with the call of mission by providing a clearer picture of what mission looks like in the twenty-first century. Thanks to your ongoing support, God’s message of love is still transforming hearts around the world. Through your faithful support, your church equips and trains cross-cultural missionaries and provides them with resources to reach out through wholistic ministry in schools, hospitals, clinics, and media.
STAYING UP-TO-DATE
Help members in your congregation stay up-to-date with the adventures and challenges Adventist missionaries face around the world. Here are just a few ways:
- SHARE heartwarming stories in Sabbath School by accessing the Youth and Adult Mission Quarterly and Children’s Mission Quarterly at adventistmission.org/mission-quarterlies.
- TEACH children the value of giving to mission by helping them make their own Thirteenth Sabbath Offering bank. Download the latest printable bank at adventistmission.org/mission-offering-bank.
- BROWSE the Adventist Mission website for stories, pictures, and mission videos at adventistmission.org.
- SIGN UP for the Mission Spotlight email newsletter to view and download mission videos to watch at home or show at church by visiting missionspotlight.org/subscribe.
- SUBSCRIBE to our free quarterly Mission 360° magazine at adventistmission.org/signup to read highlights of mission stories around the world.
- WATCH mission stories in action on Mission 360° TV. Available at m360.tv or on 3ABN and Hope Channel.
- FOLLOW Adventist Mission on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
I WILL GO
Objective 1 of the “I Will Go” strategic plan is “to revive the concept of worldwide mission and sacrifice for mission as a way of life involving not only pastors but every church member, young and old, in the joy of witnessing for Christ and making disciples.” While this is a call to reach out to your local community, it’s also a call to prayerfully and financially support the Church’s worldwide mission work, and to encourage your members to do the same.
Thanks to your offerings, the Seventh-day Adventist Church is one of the world’s fastest-growing denominations, and in 2019 a new church was organized every 3.62 hours. Yet we still have a challenge: 66% of all people in the world are not Christians.
GIVING TO THE WORLD MISSION FUND
For divisions following the Calendar of Offerings Plan, Sabbath, July 10, will benefit the World Mission Fund (called the World Mission Budget by NAD). Adventist Mission provides resources to help you promote this offering on that date. You can find these resources at adventistmission.org/mission-offering. But your members can give to mission at any time by visiting giving.adventistmission.org, and selecting “My donation is for” and then “World Mission Offerings.”
If your division follows the Combined Offering Plan, a portion of your members’ weekly systematic tithes and offerings in your local church supports the World Mission Fund. This helps cross-cultural missionaries, doctors, nurses, and teachers to reach others for Jesus.