n other business the North American Division (NAD) Executive Committee heard reports from:
NAD secretary Harold Baptiste, who announced that 36,594 persons new members joined NAD churches in 2000 by baptism and profession of faith. This figure was down from the record 41,095 accessions in 1999.
Last year church membership in North America reached 933,935, an increase of 2.12 percent over the previous year. As of June 30, 2001 division membership totaled 941,887.
Jose Rojas, who earlier this year was elected director of the Adventist Volunteer Ministries Network (or YouthNet).
Launched in 1995, YouthNet's objective is to create opportunities for youth and young adults in volunteer ministries. Starting with 2,000 volunteers in 1996, more than 45,000 volunteers participated in 2000 total projects last year, Rojas reported. He noted that an increasing number of older adults are participating in outreach ministries today.
Adventist attorney Phil Hiroshima from Sacramento, California, who admonished church leaders to beware of religious scams throughout North America. Hiroshima warned that many Adventist members had lost considerable sums of money in speculative investment schemes that were marketed with a spiritual slant.
Hiroshima noted that in some cases, Adventist leaders have held conflicts of interest by actively promoting such schemes to church members. It was vital, he said, that such individuals be dealt with in a decisive manner to protect the church's credibility.
n other business the North American Division (NAD) Executive Committee heard reports from:
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