Matthew A. Bediako
Secretary

The first meeting such as this was held in 1863, with 20 delegates attending. These delegates represented the existing membership at the time: 3,500 Seventh-day Adventists. At that session the General Conference Executive Committee consisted of just three members.

At this fifty-eighth session we estimate the total number of delegates to number 2,000, with an additional 600 special guests. They represent the world church's baptized membership of 13,936,932, as of December 31, 2004. The first General Conference Executive Committee of three has grown to 292 members representing our work in 206 countries.

Since we met five years ago in Toronto, several momentous and tragic events have occurred. The terrorist attacks in New York City and in Washington, D.C., on September 11, 2001, shocked the entire world.

We have witnessed wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the human disaster in Darfur, southern Sudan, where it is estimated that more than 1 million people have lost their lives. The day after Christmas, 2004, the horrific tsunami in southern Asia affected the entire world.

Yet despite these social upheavals, God continues to do marvelous things for His church. At these times of uncertainty Seventh-day Adventists are sure of our responsibility as unveiled in the prophetic picture of Revelation 14:6-12.

Reorganization
We began this quinquennium seriously looking at the growth of the church in many parts of the world field and asking: Is the organization in place strong enough to provide leadership and nurture for new members?

Africa
At the 2002 Annual Council we voted to reorganize the work in Africa, south of the Sahara, into three divisions. As a result, the continent is now home to the West-Central Africa Division--stretching from west of the Congo River to the western tip of the continent, with headquarters in Côte d'Ivoire; the East-Central Africa Division--comprised of the lake region of Africa, with Kenya as its headquarters; and the Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division, with headquarters in Zimbabwe. The work in Nigeria was reorganized to create two unions--the Eastern Nigeria Union and the North-Western Nigeria Union Mission.

Inter-American Division
The rapid growth of the Inter-American Division also called for reorganization in the Central American Union and Mexico. The Annual Council voted and established three unions for Central America: North Central, Mid-Central, and South Central American unions. The work in Mexico was reorganized to include three unions: Inter-Oceanic Mexican, North Mexican, and South Mexican unions.

South American Division
The work in Brazil was reorganized to add an additional union--the West Central Brazil Union. In 2001 the Ecuador Attached Field achieved full union status.

Southern Asia Division
Unprecedented growth in India led to major reorganization. The division had 350,136 members at the beginning of the quinquennium. By the end of 2004 it was home to 919,782 believers, an increase of 262 percent since the last General Conference session. The division also reorganized itself to include seven unions.

Euro-Asia Division
A new union was created, bringing the existing number of unions in the division to six. We hope that in a year's time another union will be created to care for the vast western section of the territory.

South Pacific Division
In the South Pacific Division restructuring resulted in a reduction of unions, from five to four. These efforts have resulted in the creation of more conferences, missions, fields, and sections.
The worldwide Seventh-day Adventist Church now includes 13 divisions, 102 unions, and 540 conferences/missions/fields. We are beginning to witness positive outcomes from these changes. Leadership is moving closer to the local level, thereby strengthening the work.

New Initiatives
At the first Annual Council of this quinquennium, three focus issues were voted for promotion throughout the world field: growth, unity, and quality of life. Our worldwide divisions have expanded this list with their own local issues and are promoting them in their territories and churches.

Soul Winning
During this period the church voted to promote major evangelistic initiatives by establishing the Council on Evangelism and Witness. This committee has served as the powerhouse for Go One Million, Sow 1 Billion, the Elijah Project, and Global Evangelism. A detailed report of these initiatives will be given later during the session.

Supporting Independent Ministry
In the past, foreign missions and missions outside the local church came under the direct auspices of the church organization. Missionaries going overseas were all sent by the General Conference.

However, during the past two decades numerous mission initiatives have come from churches, schools, and hospitals. These initiatives have been a blessing to God's cause, for those who provide and receive these services have been equally blessed.

To coordinate strategies, share plans, resources, and foster effective communication, the General Conference appointed a committee to oversee these key objectives. The committee's goal is to encourage mission initiatives, while at the same time preserving unity, order, and financial support for the basic church structure.

World Baptism and Membership
The past five years have been the best soul-winning period in our entire history.

Church administrators, departmental leaders, and office workers throughout all levels of the church; teachers, doctors and nurses, students, literature evangelists, and our steadfast pastors; have all been galvanized to join lay members in conducting evangelistic outreach throughout the world.

With the launch of Go One Million, Sow 1 Billion, and the Elijah Project, we have witnessed a marvelous upsurge of soul-winning activities in the church.

The Lord, through the Holy Spirit, has blessed His workers with a marvelous harvest. During this quinquennium 5,049,157 people have been added to the Seventh-day Adventist Church--an increase of 1,015,179 over the previous quinquennium. World membership grew from 10,939,182 to 13,936,932, and every division has contributed to these encouraging gains. In some divisions thousands have been baptized in a day.

Facts and Figures
About 33 percent of the Seventh-day Adventist membership lives on the continent of Africa.

The Inter-American Division continues to be the largest division, closely followed by the South American and East-Central Africa divisions. These three divisions make up 50 percent of our total world membership.

I am happy to report that by the end of December 31, 2004, the North American Division crossed the 1 million-member mark, and the Southern Asia Division has also reached the
million-member mark.

A Tribute
This morning I stand to recognize my dedicated and committed colleagues in leadership throughout all levels of the church.

Permit me to pay special tribute to God's workers who do not share the limelight on occasions like this, for often we hear very little about them. These amazing people are the local pastors and evangelists; workers in our educational and health institutions; the thousands of dedicated lay members, who--at the root of it all--face their daily tasks with tremendous courage. These people, under the power of the Holy Spirit, are responsible for much of the progress of the church.

And let me express my appreciation and gratitude to the "silver-haired" fathers and mothers in Israel who have laid the solid foundation we have built upon during these five years. To the thousands of retirees around the world who have played their parts so well, thank you, and God bless you.

Mission Cross-Fertilization
More fields around the world are now able to assume a greater share of responsibility at home and throughout the world. More and more, our workers are proceeding from all divisions to all divisions, from unions to unions.

These interdivision and intradivision workers provide a steady cross-fertilization of ideas and methods that enrich our outreach programs. They work with members and leaders of the church in the countries or regions to which they are assigned--not always in supervisory positions, but as workers together for God.

In addition to the regular missionaries, we have a large number of short-term missionaries called Adventist Volunteers. These workers fill an important gap in the church's overall mission program.

We are happy about and proud of the contribution that student missionaries make to the world missionary program. Last year I visited many of these students in their places of work, and it is gratifying to note that many of today's regular missionaries were student missionaries at one time. We are so grateful to our colleges and universities for promoting this program. Without these student missionaries and volunteers several English language schools and high schools in Asia would certainly cease to exist.

Our summary of missionary departures during the quinquennium shows the following:

Appointees 737
Furloughees/OAL 1,992
Adventist Volunteers 8,199
Total 10,928

Conclusion
Delegates at this fifty-eighth session, you represent the organizational forces that have made the success of this quinquennium possible. Thank you.

On behalf of the church's leadership, I invite you to assume with us the weighty responsibility of sharing God's message in these last days. While we keep preaching and witnessing in areas that have brought great success, we must, with even greater zeal and vigor, dedicate ourselves to the area in which 60 percent of the world's population lives--an area in which less than 18 percent know Jesus. The challenges of megacities, the secular mind, and the materialistic world are yours and mine.

The task and the challenge are immense, and the logistics are staggering. However, the immensity of the task is not the chief problem. The problem is the measure of our faith, our spiritual vision, and our experience. The challenge of taking the good news to all people requires faith and sacrifice and a personal experience with the Lord.

Relevant activities need to be brought into focus for the finishing of God's work. Tried and honored plans must be further developed. God has a thousand ways in reserve to proclaim the gospel in all the earth, but these are yet to be discovered and prayerfully adopted. Specialized leaders must be called and sent into the 10/40 window and the megacities. Members of all age groups must be mobilized to serve as volunteers and "tentmakers" throughout the world.

This movement is not, and cannot be, static. It must be expanded into new territories. The church must ever work to enlarge our sphere of labor. We must lift our sights and see the immense task in a correct perspective. Then we will recognize that God is in charge of the evangelization of the world. The ultimate success and achievement of our endeavors are His.

Our greatest need is to identify ourselves with God. The must-have goal of the Adventist movement must be to fall in step with God and advance with Him to the ends of the earth.

I appeal to you, fellow delegates to this fifty-eighth General Conference session, let us go from St. Louis with earnest determination to join hands, and, under the power of His Spirit,
finish this work of evangelization.

Let me finish with a call from Ellen G. White, a servant of the Lord. She wrote: "Wake up, brethren and sisters, wake up. Sleep no longer. 'Why stand ye here all the day idle?' Jesus calls you, saying, 'Go work today in My vineyard.' Whoever has received the Holy Spirit will make it manifest; for all His powers will be employed in the most active service. All who actually receive Christ by faith, work. They feel the burden of souls. God now calls upon everyone who has a knowledge of the truth, who is a depositary of sacred truth, to arise and impart the light of heaven to others" (Christian Service, p. 80).

She wrote also: "Wake up, brethren; for your own soul's sake, wake up. Without the grace of Christ you can do nothing. Work while you can" (ibid.).