Latest Free Issue of Adventist Review Article by Ted Wilson
Ted N. C. Wilson, a vice president of the Full general Conference of 7th-twenty-four hours Adventists and the son of a former church president, was today elected to serve as president of the 16.3-million member global Protestant denomination.
Wilson was appointed past the church'southward 246-member Nominating Committee and confirmed by the General Conference Session delegation, which is an international body of ii,410 appointed members and the highest governing body in the church.
Wilson replaces Jan Paulsen, who has served as president since 1999.
The appointment took place at the church'south 59th Full general Conference Session, being held at the Georgia Dome and adjacent World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia, United states of america.
"This is non merely an system, this is not just some other denomination. This is God's remnant church," Wilson said in an address to delegates after his appointment.
"I practise not know everything, but I shall seek wisdom from counselors and from the Bible and from the Spirit of Prophecy," he said, referring to the writings of church co-founder Ellen White.
"The Spirit of Prophecy is i of the bully gifts God has given to the Seventh-solar day Adventist Church," Wilson said. "Information technology applies to the past and to the future. And, nosotros are going home soon."
Wilson asked that church members ask for God'southward guidance "and pray that the Holy Spirit would bring us revival and reformation."
Wilson, lx years one-time, was elected equally a full general vice president of the Adventist Church in 2000 during the General Conference Session in Toronto. His 36 years of denominational service include authoritative and executive posts in the Mid-Atlantic United States, Africa and Russia.
Wilson began his church career as a pastor in 1974 in the church'south Greater New York Conference. He served as an banana director and then director of Metropolitan Ministries there from 1976 to 1981. He went on to serve in the church's then Africa-Indian Ocean Sectionalization, based in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire, until 1990. At that place he served as a departmental director and afterwards equally executive secretary, the second highest officer.
Following his post in West Africa, he served at the church's world headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland, U.s.a., as an acquaintance secretary for two years earlier accepting the position of president of the church's Euro-Asia Sectionalization in Moscow, Russia, from 1992 to 1996. Wilson so came dorsum to the United States to serve as president of the Review and Herald Publishing Clan in Hagerstown, Maryland, until his election as a General Conference vice president in 2000.
An ordained minister, Wilson holds a doctorate degree in religious education from New York University, a primary of divinity degree from Andrews University and a master of science degree in public wellness from Loma Linda Academy's Schoolhouse of Public Wellness.
During his address to delegates, Wilson was joined on stage by his married woman, Nancy Louise Vollmer Wilson, a physical therapist. The couple has three daughters.
"Our spouses are then important. This wonderful adult female is a spiritual backbone for me," Wilson said.
Wilson is the son of former General Conference president Neal C. Wilson, who served in the post from 1979 to 1990.
Many delegates on the floor of the Georgia Dome said Wilson's election demonstrated the church's confidence in his leadership.
Rob Vandeman, president of the church building's Chesapeake Conference in the U.S. state of Maryland — where Wilson is a member — said he was "pleased" with Wilson'southward appointment. "This vote is an expression of the world church'due south view, that they take conviction in Ted Wilson because of his extensive experience," Vandeman said.
Daniel Jackson, president of the Adventist Church in Canada said: "I think Ted Wilson has been given a clear mandate from the Nominating Committee. He needs our prayers and our support. I'k happy at the unity of our church."
Jeffrey Brownish, president of the church in Bermuda, said: "Nosotros are happy, also. He will exist a strong leader; his potent principles volition be healthy for the church."
Wilson is expected to address a printing conference this afternoon.
The Adventist Church building is a denomination that in recent decades has grown quickly in some earth regions. Roughly one-third of membership now resides in Africa, while some other one-third lives in South America and Primal America. In that location are about 1.one one thousand thousand Adventists in the United States, where the denomination was established in 1863.
The Adventist Church operates the largest Protestant network of schools and hospitals worldwide. The church also runs disaster response and development programs through the Adventist Development and Relief Agency International. It also sponsors a religious liberty forum, having established in 1893 what is now the International Religious Freedom Clan.
The General Conference Session, held every five years, is an international spiritual gathering and business session to elect leaders and vote on proposed changes to the Church Manual and Constitution. Session runs through July 3.
Source: Adventist News Network
Source: https://www.nemmadventist.org/news/gc-session-updates/ted-wilson-is-the-new-seventh-day-adventist-world-church-president