In the spirit of Total Member Involvement, the Northern Asia-Pacific Division (NSD) Education Department held its advisory meeting from June 13 to 16, 2016, with the theme “Discipling Students.”
School students do not automatically become disciples. Therefore, the Great Commission of making disciples (Matthew 28:19, 20) applies also to students of Adventist schools at all levels. It is the aim of Adventist education in the NSD to make all students disciples of Christ.
For this focus, all presentations were somehow connected to disciple-making in our schools. Coming from the General Conference was Dr. John Wesley Taylor V, associate director of the Education Department, who discussed “the Challenges and Opportunities in Adventist Education,”
“Ellen White and Essentials in Adventist Education,” and “the Role of Adventist Education in Fulfilling the Strategic Plan of the World Church.” He also emphasized the importance of service learning, in which service should not simply be an added value but an integrated value in education.
The NSD education director, Dr. Richard Sabuin, presented on the “Biblical Foundations of Adventist Education,” and “the Significance of a Spiritual Master Plan.” He highlighted the idea that since Adventist education is offered at the end time, it is part of the mission of the remnant church.
The participants were also blessed by other topics, including “Campus as Center of Influence” by Pastor Kim SiYoung, NSD Adventist Mission director; “Strengthening the Financial Aspect of the Institutions” by German Lust, NSD treasurer; and “How to Reach Postmodern Young People”by Dr. Kim IlMok, head chaplain of Sahmyook University.
In between the presentations, Education Department directors from the unions and conferences had the opportunity to give reports about the educational work in the different unions within the NSD: Korean Union Conference (Pastor Kang SukWoo), Japan Union Conference (Mr. Shiro Onoue), ChineseUnion Mission (Dr. Barbara Choi), Mongolia Mission (Pastor Myagmar Nyamsuren), and Taiwan Conference (Dr. Cyrus Shen).
In addition to the union reports, the presidents of the five tertiary educational institutions in the NSD also presented some highlights about the spiritual activities in these institutions: Sahmyook University (Dr. Kim SungIk), Sahmyook Health University (Dr. Park DooHan), Saniku Gakuin College (Dr. Katsumi Higashide), Taiwan Adventist College (Dr. Alice Magarang), and Hong Kong Adventist College (Dr. Dan Cheung).
The participants had the privilege of visiting Sahmyook University, Sahmyook Health University, and Seoul English Science Edu-Center campuses in Seoul, Korea, to see how these institutions integrate spiritual activities and service in the overall strategic plans.
The leaders of the institutions warmly welcomed the participants, seeing them as partners in Adventist education. The group enjoyed the Korean hospitality of the institutions including bountiful meals.
As the climax of the advisory meeting, in a commitment and award ceremony, all participants recommitted their lives to God asking Him to continue to be with them in their respective responsibilities. Pastor Yutaka Inada, NSD executive secretary, delivered a short message. Everyone received a service pin according to their years of service.
Students are to be made Christ’s disciples, and this is the commitment of the education leaders of NSD. Just before the commitment prayer was offered, in unity everyone sang the song with the lyrics: “We are one in the spirit; We are one in the Lord . . .”
Richard Apelles Sabuin, PhD
NSD Education Director