2025 NSD Presidential Report
The Northern Asia-Pacific Division (NSD) is a territory of diverse ethnicities and religions with a long history of rich cultural heritage. Throughout its vast landscapes, 680 million people live in the countries of Japan, Korea, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Taiwan, Mongolia, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and North Korea.
New Territories of NSD
In 2019, the Chinese Union Mission, part of NSD up to that time, became directly attached to the General Conference, wherein NSD requested new territories to add to its division. On Oct. 23, 2023, at the eighth business session of the Northern Asia-Pacific Division, the territories of Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka(previously of the Southern Asia-Pacific Division), and Nepal(previously of the Southern Asia Division) joined NSD.
Since then, the division’s Muslim population grew to nearly 400 million, presenting challenges and opportunities. Added to the deeply rooted religions of Buddhism, Taoism, Shintoism, and Hinduism, these diverse but entrenched beliefs both humble and implore the Northern Asia-Pacific Division to get on its knees in prayer for the millions within its lands who need a Savior.
Challenges in New Territories
Through diverse efforts and initiatives, NSD officers and directors immediately began visiting these newly added countries. They held mission strategy meetings with each country’s union and mission officers, visited educational, medical, and mission institutions to assess the situation. And they encouraged local leaders, listened to their challenges, and discussed potential improvements.
As a result, they were able to lay the foundation for further development in mission work in these new territories.
General Conference Leaders Visit NSD
With unified awareness of the great challenges of the Northern Asia-Pacific Division, the leaders of the General Conference joined NSD last November to encourage and strengthen those who have been called to carry out this weighty mission.
President Ted N.C. Wilson, Executive Secretary Erton C. Köhler, Treasurer Paul H. Douglas, and Assistant to the President, Magdiel Pérez Schulz visited Korea and attended NSD’s yearend meeting and the 120th anniversary of the Korean Union Conference.
During this time Elder Wilson delivered encouraging messages to the division’s executive committee. He led a revival meeting at Sahmyook Central Church in Seoul, and preached God’s message for the Korean Adventist members during the 120th Anniversary, strengthening Korean believers to continue in their pursuit of mission.
With a dedicated commitment to achieving a balance between mission and spirituality during the last quinquennium, NSD actively promoted the General Conference initiatives, through programs like Global Total Member Involvement, Comprehensive Health Ministry, Biblical Creationism, Back to the Altar, and Human Sexuality.
Global Total Member Involvement
As a part of the General Conference’s emphasis on “Global TMI—Disciple Making Evangelism and Harvest 25,” the Northern Asia-Pacific Division launched the “Loud Voice 2025” project. This project has been holding simultaneous evangelistic meetings in 2,025 locations around the division with the goal of baptizing 20,250 people throughout the year 2025.
Church workers and members across NSD have been actively participating in these evangelistic efforts in the spirit of “Mission First,” dedicating their lives to God and to fulfilling Jesus’ gospel commission.
To accomplish this, NSD has established strategic and systematic mission projects designed to reach people in this constantly changing world.
Mission Refocus
Through the General Conference “Mission Refocus” strategy, NSD has chosen to concentrate evangelistic efforts on the frontlines, where the gospel is most urgently needed, developing plans to successfully share the gospel.
Pioneer Mission Movement
In 2002, NSD created the Pioneer Mission Movement to reach the frontlines of the mission field. Since then, 149 PMM missionaries have been dispatched to 26 countries. This project sends pastoral families to overseas mission fields for six years, to plant churches and share the gospel with local communities.
So far, PMM missionaries have been sent to Japan, Taiwan, Mongolia, China, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Macao, Korea, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Congo, Uganda, Russia, Tanzania, Indonesia, India, Kosovo, Türkiye, Northern Cyprus, Peru, Armenia, Vietnam, Pakistan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Cambodia. As a result, 369 churches and companies have been established, and 34,719 people have been baptized.
1000 Missionary Movement
Since 1993 the 1000 Missionary Movement has played a crucial role in frontline missions sending young people into mission fields empowering them through dedicated service. After intensive training on the 1000 MM campus in the Philippines, operated jointly by the Southern Asia-Pacific and Northern Asia-Pacific Divisions, these young people are sent two-by-two to mission fields where they devote one year for mission.
For the past 32 years, nearly 12,000 young people from 64 countries have served as missionaries. The fruits of their labor include 80,585 baptisms, 809 church buildings constructed, and 1,530 churches and companies established in 47 countries.
North Korea Mission
Among all the challenges NSD encounters in its mission work, the most difficult is reaching North Korea. Even today, 25 million North Koreans suffer from hunger, lack of freedom, and have never had the opportunity to hear about God. Under the guidance of the General Conference, NSD established the North Korea Mission department in 2021 and is actively involved in mission activities for North Korea.
To prepare for the opportunity of entering North Korea, NSD has coordinated a Prayer Campaign, engaging many dedicated people in intercessory prayer. Missionaries are now being trained through various educational programs to be ready to share the gospel when the time comes to enter this closed country. Recently, because of these efforts, North Korean defectors have accepted the Adventist faith and have been baptized.
Institutional Growth
Currently there are 233 institutions including universities and colleges, secondary and primary schools, hospitals and clinics, publishing houses and food industries serving the people of the NSD territory. Every year thousands of students accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior in these centers of academia. Each institution is an important soul-winning ministry where God’s love is practiced, and many people are meeting Jesus and being transformed.
Our gracious God has richly blessed the humble efforts of His people in the Japan Union Conference, the Korean Union Conference, the Pakistan Union Section, the Bangladesh Union Mission, the Taiwan Conference, the Mongolia Mission, the Sri Lanka Mission, and the Nepal Section as they have worked to spread in a mighty way the Three Angels’ Messages to the hundreds of millions who call our territory “home.” We praise God for the wonderful way in which he has guided our footsteps to accomplish His mission.
I Will Go in the Most Challenging Field
The Northern Asia-Pacific Division exists for the sole purpose of placing “Mission First,” to carry out the gospel commission of reaching 680 million people within the NSD territory. Following the mission given by God, we will continue to proclaim the gospel to the ends of the earth, shouting the slogan “I Will Go!” Mission is not our choice; it is our identity and our life. As Jesus’ Second Coming draws near, let us continue to move forward! Maranatha!