Eternity in Our Sight
This special issue of The Journal of Adventist Education® (JAE) is part of a long-standing tradition. Each quinquennium,1 a special General Conference issue featuring education reports from each division of the Seventh-day Adventist world church is produced to inform, inspire, and engender general support for the work of Adventist education.
Pressing Forward, Together
Education was placed in the driver’s seat during the 2015-2020 quinquennium. The annual 2016 LEAD conference led the way with the theme of “Educating for Eternity.” Education, viewed in the context of the great conflict between good and evil, is a ministry involving the home, church, and school. In the highest sense, the work of education and redemption are one.
Rapid Growth and Expanding Education Opportunities to Reach the World
East-Central Africa Division
Between 2015 and 2020, the East-Central African Division of Seventh-day Adventists (ECD) experienced phenomenal growth in membership because of major Total Member Involvement (TMI) evangelistic campaigns. The current church membership in the division is more than 4.4 million, making ECD the largest division in the Adventist world church. The ECD runs the largest network of Adventist schools in the global church.
Adventist Education:
A Life-transforming Experience for Students, Parents, Educators, and Church Members in the Euro-Asia Division
The Euro-Asia Division (ESD) territory comprises what many perceive to be post-Soviet countries. These nations encompass many cultures with complicated pasts. Opening and supporting schools in ESD is the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s best opportunity to tell people about God’s love.
Refreshing News From the “Old Continent”
Inter-European Division
During the 2015-2020 quinquennium, Adventist education in the EUD achieved significant progress in concept and image—even if quantifiable results are still a work in progress. EUD schools continue to develop conceptually, train wholistically, grow numerically and significantly impact the general population.
In Inter-America, Adventist Education Is a Priority
Adventist education fulfills an important mission as part of the redemptive ministry of the Seventh-day Adventist Church—our children’s and young people’s salvation. In the Inter-American Division (IAD), this mission is fulfilled by offering Christian education in 959 schools with 150,046 students under the care of 9,856 teachers.
Transforming Lives for Time and Eternity
North American Division
Adventist education provides a strong foundation for students academically, spiritually, physically, and socially. However, what matters is to lead children to the feet of Jesus. Through the curriculum, professional development, and technology resources, the North American Division equips teachers at all levels to impact learning and help students grow to love and embrace Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.
Discipling Students:
The Great Commission for Northern Asia-Pacific
Teachers in the Northern Asia-Pacific Division (NSD) are trained in the integration of faith and learning (IFL). This is important for all students, including the 70 percent of about 21,000 students in our schools who are not Adventists. These students are the responsibility of nearly 1,200 teachers of 58 schools in NSD.
Strengthening Communion, Building Relationships, and Reaching the World With Mission
South American Division
Communion. Relationship. Mission. These three approaches guided the Department of Education of the South American Division (SAD) during the 2015-2020 quinquennium.
Remembering the Past While Forging Toward the Future
South Africa-Indian Ocean Division
Adventist education in the Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division (SID) started in 1893 with the opening of the first Adventist college outside the United States, Claremont Union College in Cape Town, South Africa. As of 2019, the SID has 481 educational institutions, among which are seven universities and two nursing and midwifery mid-level colleges (one- to three-year certificate/diploma programs), serving 150,560 students and employing approximately 5,560 teachers, an increase of 71 schools and 2,476 students over the 2010-2015 period.
Adventist Education and Its Impact: Educating for Eternity
Southern Asia Division
The Southern Asia Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church (SUD) comprises the countries of India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Maldives. In the SUD, Adventist education inspires students to see and understand the current world through the perspective of God’s truth.
Plenteous Harvest, Few Laborers: Involving Adventist Schools to Bridge the Gap
Southern Asia-Pacific Division
As of December 31, 2019, the total number of students studying in Adventist schools in the SSD was130,318. This is an increase of 26 percent over the previous quinquennium (2010-2015). However, the great challenge is that most of them (73,906 students or 56.7 percent) come from non-Adventist families. The strong emphasis on character development makes our church’s schools attractive to non-Adventist parents.
Mission-driven Adventist Education in the South Pacific Division 2015-2020
Adventist education is an integral part of the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s mission in the South Pacific Division (SPD). The SPD comprises Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and the islands throughout the South Pacific Ocean. For more than 120 years, Adventist schools have led mission initiatives and opened new areas to the gospel in SPD.
Inspiring News From Challenging Places
Trans-European Division
During this past quinquennium (2015-2020), Seventh-day Adventist education in the Trans-European Division (TED) achieved modest but inspiring progress in spite of numerous demanding challenges.
Adventist Education: Training Ground for God’s End-time Army
West-Central Africa Division
It is recorded in the Gospel of Luke that Jesus asked the following questions: “‘Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish? Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion?’” (Luke 11:11, 12, NRSV). These rhetorical questions found in the Scriptures implicitly underscore wholistic education and have inspired the West-Central Africa Division (WAD) to center its educational activities on strengthening Adventist identity.
