"Who can be afraid when victory is certain? Who can despair when the hosts of heaven are always by our side?"

ill Knott, associate editor of the Adventist Review, challenged church leaders at the 2005 Spring Meeting's opening worship service to look by faith beyond what can be seen with ordinary vision, to what God and His angels are able and willing to do for us.

"We have become so used to using our normal vision that we only rarely use the eyes of faith," Knott added. "Our daily prayer must be 'O Lord, open our eyes that we may see.' That prayer makes us conscious of God's invincible angels, and it would be impossible for us to be afraid of anything if we only could see them clearly."

Global Mission
Following the morning's devotional message, Mark Finley, director of global evangelism, reported to the General Conference Executive Committee members attending the April 13 and 14 meetings at the Adventist Church's world headquarters that 1,071,135 people were baptized in 2004, the highest total in 15 years. More than 30,000 pastors worldwide conducted some form of evangelistic outreach last year, and almost 4 million laypeople participated in evangelistic meetings.

Nearly 600,000 youth between the ages of 15-30 were also actively involved in evangelism through the Elijah Project, a program under the leadership of the world church's youth director, Baraka Muganda, said Finley.

One notable example of church growth was reported (in writing) by Southern Asia Division president Ron Watts. According to Watts, as of December 31, 2004, the church in India had grown to 919,782 members, an increase of 162 percent-550,000 baptized-since the same time in 1999. This contrasted with the seven years it took early pioneers in that region to win one convert.

Financial Report
World church treasurer Robert Lemon and undertreasurer Steve Rose presented a detailed financial picture to the delegates. Lemon said that growth in 2004 "exceeded our projections because of better-than-expected tithe increases, the release of some blocked currencies, and improvements in the stock market."

According to Rose's report, the total tithe received in the world field was US$1.317 billion, up 9.4 percent over 2003. Total 2004 tithe income to the General Conference from the world church was US$105 million (including US$28.8 million that goes to tithe exchange), an increase of 5.6 percent over 2003, with the NAD portion being US$93.6 million. Mission offerings are also up 15.2 percent over last year.

"When we began 2004, we were very cautious in our expectations for the year-end results, because of the tithe-sharing transition arrangement in place," Rose told the Adventist Review. "But it ended up with a $9.8 million increase. The Lord really blessed."

According to Lemon, the greatest challenge in the next quinquennium is how the church addresses appropriations. "We have become more acutely aware of people in unreached areas of the world, in particular those who live in the 10/40 window," he said, referring to an area that extends between 10 degrees and 40 degrees north of the equator, stretching from west Africa to east Asia. "We can't just finish the work in one area; we have to finish it everywhere."

International Hospital Liability Insurance
To ensure that Adventist hospitals outside of the North American Division (NAD) can maintain adequate and affordable professional liability insurance, delegates voted a policy in which all non-NAD hospitals may share in the premium costs. Insurance beyond an initial $1 million primary layer will be arranged by the General Conference as group coverage, with the premiums being allocated to the divisions.

"If we act in concert we can give better coverage at a cheaper rate," said world church health ministries director Alan Handysides, who spoke to the issue. "This will ultimately empower our mission work."

Coverage updates will be discussed at GC and division treasurers committees and at annual councils to determine whether it is feasible to continue to seek group coverage for subsequent renewal periods and to evaluate whether the church is adequately protected. Delegates voted unanimously to adopt this policy.

Governor of Maryland Citation
On Wednesday afternoon John Graz, director of the Public Affairs and Religious Liberty Department for the world church, introduced Elisha Pulivarti, executive director of the Office of Asian-Pacific American Affairs for the state of Maryland. Pulivarti came to the General Conference office to extend greetings to the Adventist Church on behalf of Maryland's governor, Robert Ehrlich, and to present President Paulsen with a citation by the governor. The plaque commended the church for its positive contribution to the state of Maryland through its churches, schools, hospitals, publishing house, religious liberty advocacy, community service network, and for choosing to locate its world headquarters in the state of Maryland.

"The governor is pleased with your leadership, your commitment, your devotion, and your dedication," added Pulivarti. "What a person does for his community lives forever. May God bless you."

Ministries and Services Commission
Because of challenges presented by a fast-growing and ever-changing global church of more than 13 million baptised members (a community of 20 million) in about 200 countries, delegates to the 2004 annual council charged a commission chaired by GC vice president Harold Baptiste to review the organizational structure and delivery systems of ministries and services headquartered in the General Conference office complex. Not included in the review were those entities that are legally incorporated and governed by their own boards-Adventist Development and Relief Agency, Adventist Risk Management, Adventist World Radio, Ellen G. White Estate, and Home Study International. The purpose of the Commission was to determine whether the church is accomplishing its mission efficiently and effectively within its current organizational structure.

The Commission's report recommended to Spring Meeting delegates "to set up early in the new quinquennium a special commission to review the role and function of the General Conference and its divisions," and "initiate a detailed study of the resources, organization, and governance structure of the Church, with a view to releasing resources for the mission, rapid growth, and emerging opportunities of the Church in the future."

Commission members emphasized that no ministry or service would be eliminated, but that it should be determined whether leadership is located at the most effective and efficient level.

"It is only right and proper for a body such as ours to set up a mechanism to examine how we can do things better and more efficiently," said Paulsen. "But I want the good idea to marry the right time and move ahead on that basis."

Delegates debated the issue throughout the afternoon, pointing out both the advantages that could be gained from changes in church organization leadership levels as well as aspects of church growth and development that have occurred as a result of establishing ministry headquarters at the General Conference. One example cited was the formation of the Women's Ministries Department at the GC level, after which Adventist women throughout the world became empowered to better advance the mission of the church in a variety of roles.

In order to study the issue more fully and provide additional opportunities for input from many sources, the delegates voted to refer the Commission's report for further study to a standing committee that will be established by the full General Conference Executive Committee at its next meeting.

Finances Voted for Ellen White
Book--Distribution Plan
Delegates voted to finance and put into action a plan to distribute globally 2 million Ellen G. White books with study guides, an initiative called "Connecting With Jesus" and originally voted at Annual Council 2004. Because recent surveys indicate a decline in readership of the 10 E. G. White volumes to be distributed, church leaders cited an objective of "enhancing Adventist identity and increasing spirituality among church members."

Surveys also suggest that most church members believe that the Spirit of Prophecy is "an authority for the Adventist Church today" and that there is a relationship between a strong spiritual life/mission emphasis and members regularly reading Spirit of Prophecy books.

The books will be distributed over five years and financed by the General Conference as well as division offices. They will be sold for a small cost.

Summing It Up
Paulsen expressed appreciation to the delegates for their hard work, commitment, and traveling long distances to attend Spring Meeting, as well as for "a good spirit even when we differ." He also thanked his colleagues and others who helped to prepare for the session.