The 2014 Global Leadership Summit sponsored by the General Conference was held in Avondale College, Australia from Jan 27 to 30, 2014. Some 40 leaders from 13 different Divisions and a few of academic institutions gathered to discuss the development of leadership development and curriculum, reporting each Division activities, presenting academic perspectives of leadership, and dealing with some current issues in terms of leadership.
The Global Leadership Summit that is held annually and each Division takes turns hosting it aims for reinforcing the leader’s spirituality and resulting in the revival and reformation of the worldwide remnant church. This year SPD (The South Pacific Division) hosted Leadership Summit atAvondale College, the place of inspiration. Prompted by the Holy Spirit in her dream, Ellen G. White gave church leaders a counsel to buy some 500 yards in Cooranbong and it became Avondale College later.
The presence of the GC three officers at the meeting tells the significance of this meeting. In the opening address, Elder Ted N. C. Wilson GC President put much emphasis on the spirituality of leaders and the exemplary life. The leader plays the keynote role to steer the direction of the church or institution according to his decision and will. Unless leaders try their best to bring the revival and reformation to congregation, the church will remain lukewarm as the Laodicean church.
From the Northern Asia-Pacific Division, Dr. Jairyong Lee Division President and Dr. Minho Joo attended this meeting as representatives. In time of Division report, Dr. Minho Joo reported what NSD had done last year in terms of leadership training. He presented CLAP program which was mainly purposed to provide the English training for potential leaders. At present, 34 pastors and institution leaders as the 3rd batch of CLAP program are under training.
NSD leadership training center under construction in Jeju island, Korea is another project NSD has planned for leaders in NSD territories, especially Japan and China. One of outstanding projects NSD has for China is theological seminaries in four regions in China.
Before wrapping up the Global Leadership Summit, Dr. Michael Ryan, the vice president evaluated the advanced progress of leadership training and curriculum in each Division and institutions and encouraged to develop and work out the effective trainings for leaders continuously. Next year 2014, the 8th Global Leadership Summit will be held in MENA (Middle East & North Africa) territories.
Before the Global Leadership Summit was over, leaders toured to Sunnyside, the home of Ellen G. White from 1896 to 1900. That is the historic place the series of the Great Controversy between Christ and Satan were written. Looking around and seeing Ellen G. White’s home and remains, leaders recollected the faithful and exemplary leader of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.