Leaders of the Seventh-day Adventist Church across the Southern Asia-Pacific region concluded a five-day Leadership Summit on March 7, 2026, with a renewed commitment to mission, unity, and spiritual leadership. The summit, held at the Berkeley Hotel Pratunam in Bangkok, gathered administrators, institutional leaders, and ministry directors from across the region to prepare for the new five-year term of leadership.
Organized by the Southern Asia-Pacific Division (SSD), the summit aimed to strengthen leadership capacity, clarify mission priorities, and encourage spiritual reflection among leaders tasked with guiding the church’s work in a region marked by cultural diversity and expanding mission opportunities.
Throughout the week, participants engaged in group discussions, presentations from seasoned church leaders, and moments of prayer that framed the gathering with a strong spiritual emphasis. Leaders from the General Conference, the administrative headquarters of the Adventist Church, also attended the summit, offering biblical insights and encouragement as church administrators prepare for the growing responsibilities of leadership in their respective fields.
From March 3 to 6, the summit featured a series of presentations addressing key areas of leadership and ministry. Topics included decision-making in church administration, servant leadership, church policy development, organizing major church initiatives, and the increasing role of information technology in church operations. The discussions aimed to equip leaders with practical strategies while reinforcing the spiritual foundation required for effective leadership.
The final day of the summit coincided with Sabbath, March 7, and began with a special ordination service for two ministers serving within the Southern Asia-Pacific Division. Pastor Anukul Ritchil, Pathfinder coordinator for the Southern Asia-Pacific region, and Pastor Muzzel Bonn Abdulmajid, chaplain of the SSD headquarters, were ordained to the gospel ministry.
Pastor Erton C. Köhler, president of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, delivered the ordination message, reminding the newly ordained ministers of the central role of Scripture in their calling. Drawing from Revelation 10:9–10, Köhler emphasized the importance of faithfully proclaiming God’s Word despite the challenges that often accompany ministry.
“So I went to the angel and said to him, ‘Give me the little book.’ And he said to me, ‘Take and eat it; and it will make your stomach bitter, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth,’” the passage reads. Köhler explained that while God’s message brings joy and hope, those who carry it must also be prepared to endure hardship for the sake of the gospel.
Surrounded by their families and fellow ministers, Ritchil and Abdulmajid were dedicated through prayer and formally welcomed into the ordained ministry by church leaders serving across the Southern Asia-Pacific region.
During the Sabbath worship service that followed, Köhler continued to encourage leaders through a message centered on Isaiah 37:31, highlighting the importance of setting the right priorities in leadership.
The biblical principle drawn from the passage underscores the need to establish deep spiritual roots before expecting visible growth. Using the imagery of roots and fruit, Köhler reminded leaders that lasting impact comes from faithfulness, dependence on God, and alignment with His purposes. For church administrators, he said, prioritizing spiritual depth, obedience, and trust in God must take precedence over the pursuit of quick results or outward success.
“When leaders establish the right priorities,” he emphasized, “growth that honors God will naturally follow.”
Pastor Rudi Situmorang, president of the newly established union, Central Indonesia Union Mission (CIUM), highlighted the importance of prioritizing mission above financial concerns. “Mission first, money will follow,” Situmorang said. He encouraged leaders not to hesitate in dreaming and planning for initiatives that advance God’s work, even when resources appear limited. When leaders focus on fulfilling God’s mission with faith and commitment, he said, God provides the necessary resources to accomplish the task..
The afternoon session shifted focus to a global initiative of the Adventist Church known as OneVoice27, a movement designed to unite church members and leaders in proclaiming the gospel through digital platforms around the world.
OneVoice27 seeks to harness emerging technologies and media channels to share the message of Christ more effectively across cultures, languages, and geographic boundaries. The initiative calls for the church to communicate with “one voice” in mission, using modern digital spaces as avenues for witnessing and evangelism.
Pastor Alexander Ott, associate secretary of the General Conference, led an immersive presentation explaining how churches, institutions, and media ministries can collaborate through coordinated communication strategies. Ott encouraged leaders to maximize the potential of digital media, emphasizing that technology provides unprecedented opportunities to reach people who may never encounter the gospel through traditional methods.
In response to the initiative, ministry and service directors from the Southern Asia-Pacific Division presented an object lesson illustrating the importance of collaboration. Using interlocking gears as a visual metaphor, the presentation showed how different departments and ministries—though varied in function and scope—can work together to advance the church’s mission.
Just as gears of different sizes and shapes contribute to the movement of a machine, leaders explained, each department within the church plays a unique role. When integrated effectively, these efforts create synergy that enables the church to function more efficiently in sharing the gospel.
During the summit’s closing commitment service, Köhler returned to the theme of unity in mission, referencing the “loud voice” described in the book of Revelation. He challenged leaders to stand together with one voice in proclaiming the everlasting gospel in the final days of earth’s history.
Following the message, a group from the division office presented a symbolic illustration through a collaborative painting, representing the importance of unity and cooperation in fulfilling the church’s mission. The visual demonstration highlighted how individual contributions, when combined, create a greater picture of God’s work in the world.
Participants described the summit as both spiritually refreshing and strategically important for the next phase of the church’s mission in the region.
“I have attended leadership summits in the past, but this summit has been especially impactful and mission-focused,” said Pastor Abel Bana, president of the Malaysia Union Mission. “It has helped me prioritize and gain clearer direction for the Lord’s work in Malaysia.”
As the summit concluded, leaders departed Bangkok with a renewed sense of responsibility and commitment to guide the church with faithfulness, collaboration, and a clear focus on mission in the years ahead.
