2022 NSD Ministerial Advisory

The Northern Asia-Pacific Division (NSD) held a one-day ministerial advisory on May 9, 2022, for Japan Union Conference, Taiwan Conference, and Mongolia Mission via Zoom, and then on May 16, a face-to-face meeting was possible for the Korea Union Conference. These meetings provided a great opportunity for instruction, training, fellowship, and for the participants to be acquainted with the new NSD ministerial secretary.

Ministerial secretary has an important role in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. It includes a variety of responsibilities, such as:

  • Following up the academic preparation of the future pastors who are attending the seminary.
  • Following up, training, and evaluating intern pastors before ordination.
  • Following up, equipping, and evaluating ordained pastors in ministry.
  • Following up, support, and care for retirees.

In other words, this important ministry in the Adventist Church exists to help, support, train, encourage, motivate, evaluate, partner, and be the voice of pastors and be their representant before the church administrators.

During the advisory, all participants had the opportunity to revisit the major activities and roles of a ministerial secretary. It emphasized the importance of training, equipping and caring for the pastors and their families. It also highlighted the ministry of the local church elders, deacons and deaconesses. Many training resources were presented and offered to the participants to make their ministry more effective as ministerial secretaries.

Another topic emphasized was the responsibility of each ministerial secretary to teach, promote and do evangelism, with the understanding that evangelism is not a department of the church, but a church lifestyle.

Important time was also dedicated to discussing the church program and initiatives, like “Reach the World” and “Total Member Involvement,” which are about involving every Seventh-day Adventist member in God’s last day message—from speaking the word to living the word, everyone can be a soul winner.

The NSD Ministerial Spouse Association, under the coordination of Raquel Arrais, also presented a variety of resources available online to support and motivate pastors’ spouses in their roles and their spiritual growth.

And plenty of time was dedicated to discussing the issues that challenge pastoral families today. All the discussion and interaction had also the purpose of providing alignment in the ministerial procedures of the NSD territory.

The advisory was enriched by the participation of NSD’s three officers: Dr. Kim Si Young, Dr. Richard Sabuin, and Elder Joel Tompkins. Our deepest gratitude to each ministerial secretary in the NSD territory for your great support and commitment to the pastoral ministry in your field: Eisaku Morita (Japan Union Conference), Clark Ke (Taiwan Conference), Myagmar Nyamsuren (Mongolia Mission), Huh ChangSoo (Korean Union Conferenc), Jung GeunTae (East Central Korean Conference), Jung WonSik (West Central Korean Conference), Kim SamBae (Middlewest Korean Conference), Nam SiChang (South East Korean Conference), Jang WonKwan (South West Korean Conference).

Article by Jonas Arrais, NSD Ministerial Secretary