Much can be accomplished when Christ's followers collaborate on the common mission, when they embrace a set of shared priorities and values in answer to His call.
The North Pacific Union Conference (NPUC) is taking steps toward a collaborative approach to mission, priorities, core values and strategy.
Step 1: An Aligned Mission Statement
At their regularly scheduled meeting in May, the NPUC executive committee members approved a revised mission statement. The new wording is adapted to align with the REACH component of the North American Division statement and with the mission of the world church.
Our mission: “To reach the North Pacific Union Conference, North America and the world with the distinctive, Christ-centered, Seventh-day Adventist message of Hope and Wholeness.”
An expanded version of this mission adds the following words that further resonate with the world church mission: “This mission statement is a concise expression of the mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, which is — ‘to make disciples of all people, communicating the everlasting gospel in the context of the Three Angels’ Messages of Rev. 14:6–12, leading them to accept Jesus as their personal Savior and unite with His remnant church, discipling them to serve Him as Lord, and preparing them for His soon return.’”
Step 2: Recognition of Top Priorities
The executive committee also affirmed three priorities the NPUC and each local conference will use to guide more detailed strategic planning. These priorities embrace not only scriptural mandates but also world church efforts and regional Northwest concerns.
Priority 1: Young Adult Engagement
We believe active young adult partnerships in the life and gospel mission of the church are critical to our present and future mission. And because there has been such a hemorrhage of collegiate and post-collegiate ages from church engagement, this must become a specific area of study, prayer and action.
Priority 2: Unity in Christ
We believe that when we are centered in Christ and in the daily work of lifting Him up, our human opinions no longer divide us. In the context of our unique Seventh-day Adventist calling, we are free to mirror the priority of Jesus from John 17:22–23, that “they may be one as we are one — I in them and you in me — so that they may be brought to complete unity.”
Priority 3: Total Member Involvement
We believe in our world church focus on members in ministry and Ellen White’s exhortation that “the work of God in this earth can never be finished until the men and women comprising our church membership rally to the work and unite their effort with those of ministers and church officers.” All are called, all are needed, all are welcome to engage with the mission.
Step 3 and Onward …
Core values and strategies to accomplish mission and address these top priorities will be prayerfully developed throughout the summer and fall. More information will be shared in the months ahead through the Gleaner channels and within each conference.
Read: Moving Forward Together
