Strategic plan
I WILL GO
REACH THE WORLD
Strategic Plan of the Inter-European Division for 2020-2025
Our Vision
We envision the completion of God’s plan to restore all His creation to its intended glory and purpose. Seventh-day Adventist believers will illustrate this restoration as followers of Jesus, building a community/family of faith from people of all nations, languages, and cultures in our territory. This community lives and shares the love, joy, hope, and faith of the Gospel, and looks forward to the return of Jesus Christ.
Our Mission
Our mission is to bring glory to God, to pattern our lives upon the teaching and ministry of Jesus Christ; to live in light of His return; to proclaim His Gospel, including the Seventh-day Adventist understanding of end-time events and prophecies; and to invite all people to be His disciples (Matthew 5:14; 24:14; 28:18-20; Colossians 3:23-24; Revelation 14:6-12).
Our Method
Guided by the Bible and the Holy Spirit, we engage in our mission through Christ-like living, worshipping, serving, communicating, teaching, healing, and discipling.
Our Core Values
1. Spiritual
The Bible as the normative authority for Christian life and belief
The life and teaching of Jesus as the pattern for conduct and relationships
A worldview based on divine creation of life and all physical reality
Following a wholistic and healthy living
Spiritual practices of Bible study, prayer, worship, and witnessing
2. Ethical
Respect for the dignity and equality of human life by virtue of creation in the image of God
Respect for all else in creation
Accountability to God and to each other manifested in biblical morality, integrity, honesty, and responsibility
3. Relational
Love, compassion, and affirmation of worth towards others
The building of trust in all relationships
Respect for individuality, giftedness, creativity, and diversity
Investment in the development and empowerment of others
Commitment to a life of service
Willing engagement in teamwork, collaboration, and collective decision making
Our Strategic Focus Areas and Objectives
The strategic plan of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists groups its main objectives in four major areas defined as “Reach Up to God,” “Reach In with God,” “Reach Out with God,” and "Reach Beyond with God." These four expressions capture well the four key areas of Christian life, God’s call for each believer.
“Reach Up to God” expresses the importance of the encounter, the knowledge and the personal experience with the Lord of life. Reach Up is searching for God because we know that by nature, we are separated from Him; we are not automatically with Him; due to our sinful nature we are drawn away from Him. Reaching Up is wanting His presence; it’s wanting to dwell in Him. The Bible affirms this truth. Jesus said: “This is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent” (John 17:3). We Reach Up to God through personal and corporate spiritual practices taught in the Word of God, including reading, meditating on, studying, and sharing the Bible.
“Reach In with God” means caring for each other as His family. It is the pursuit of brotherhood, of unity with our brothers, of acceptance, of communion, and of brotherly love. It means offering forgiveness, shelter, and affection. It means offering a home to those who are lost and alone, for those who have fallen away. By reaching in, we are intentional in fostering discipleship and in building up the Church in comfort, mutual listening, sympathy, and love. Jesus said: “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
“Reach Out with God” captures the mission dimension of Christian life. We would like to reach out to others, starting with those who are closest to us, and continuing with those far away, by sharing love for and faith in God. As we reach out, we take seriously the mission mandate given to the Church and express our concern for the salvation of others, following the method of Christ.
“Reach Beyond with God” refers to the need for growing leaders under God’s leadership. Those who have accepted the call to serve and follow Jesus Christ as our Supreme Leader will themselves lead by example and will support others to do the same. The deeper the willingness to learn from Jesus and to share His teachings and example, the bigger the impact of their life on those around them.
1. GROWTH IN THE SPIRIT (REACH UP TO GOD)
Objective 1: Encourage personal, family, and public practices of regular Bible study, prayer, and worship
KPIs
Increased participation of church members and friends in regular praying, studying the Bible, using the Sabbath School Bible Study Guides, reading the writings of Ellen White, and engaging in other personal devotions.
Increased attendance by church members, unbaptized children and youth of Sabbath School and divine service.
Worship services are relevant for each age, language, and culture group constituting the local church.
Increased family spiritual activities, integrating children and youth.
Increased participation by church members and their non-Adventist friends in church activities and meetings.
Objective 2: Make available and produce, according to needs, materials that foster a deeper understanding and practice of the Bible, its principles, and the Fundamental Beliefs of the Seventh-day Adventists.
KPIs
Significant increase in the understanding and acceptance of the Church’s distinctive Fundamental Beliefs.
Evidence of better understanding of the prophetic role of Ellen White and the process of inspiration.
Objective 3: Help members put God first by practicing Biblical principles of life and resource management in all aspects of personal and organizational life (stewardship).
KPIs
Church members manage their wealth, time, health, talents, etc. in order to support God’s mission.
Leaders of the Church use/manage the financial resources of the Church efficiently, effectively, and transparently.
2. GROWTH IN RELATIONSHIPS (REACH IN WITH GOD)
Objective 1: Create a church atmosphere that fosters lifelong commitment to the Church, healthy interpersonal relationships, and spiritual gifts-based service.
KPIs
Unity and mutual submission among individuals and people groups.
Cross-cultural and cross-generational understanding and respect.
Evidence of greater unity and community among church members, of reduced conflict in local churches, and of an active commitment to zero tolerance of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse.
Objective 2: Implement a comprehensive discipleship program that aims at involving all church members.
KPIs
Evidence of new members being nurtured through active discipleship programs.
Majority of church members are structured in active small groups.
Increased accession, retention, reclamation, and participation of all members with a special emphasis on children, youth, and young adults.
3. GROWTH IN SERVICE AND MISSION (REACH OUT WITH GOD)
Objective 1: Revive the concept of Mission as a way of life in every leader and member of the Church.
KPIs
Church members are trained in effective personal engagement for sharing the biblical message of salvation for our time.
Increased training of church members in “Christ’s method alone” missional approach.
Increased awareness among church leaders and members of our shared responsibility to enhance mission beyond the borders of our division.
Objective 2: Increased implementation of the comprehensive Health Ministry approach to mission
KPI
Emphasize wholeness by addressing physical, social, mental, and spiritual health.
Objective 3: Share and produce, as needed, relevant resources for mission.
KPI
Mission-focused social media content, Bible studies, and mobile applications are designed and widely used.
Objective 4: Encourage our believers to be involved in the life of the communities they are part of in order to serve and be a blessing.
KPIs
The unions and conferences develop and implement strategies for witnessing, church growth, and nurturing of new members.
Church members build bridges of confidence through service to people in their environment, including immigrants, and share their hope in Christ.
Objective 5: Enhance Adventist outreach and presence in large urban areas throughout the Division
KPIs
Each conference chooses to focus on 2-3 major urban areas and establish a new center of influence and a company/church.
Existing educational institutions of the Church are centers of influence for the surrounding communities.
Objective 6: Ensure that local churches and church entities are involving the majority of their young people in the development of and participation in wholistic mission initiatives
KPIs
An increasing number of young people are involved in mission projects of the local church.
An increasing number of young people are involved in mission projects such as One Year 4 Jesus, One Year in Mission, and ADRA projects.
All church entities will prioritize the opening of front line mission volunteer positions for young people.
Objective 7: Provide access to Adventist education with an emphasis on primary through secondary levels
KPI
Each conference has a five-year plan to increase the number and/or to strengthen the existing Adventist kindergartens, elementary and secondary schools near densely populated areas.
Objective 8: Develop foreign mission projects outside the territory of our Division in collaboration with other Divisions and in partnership with unions and institutions in the EUD.
KPIs
Each Union of the EUD is engaged in at least one foreign mission project per term.
Increased number of volunteers from the EUD territory are involved in mission projects outside the division.
4. GROWTH IN LEADERSHIP (REACH BEYOND WITH GOD)
Objective 1: Strengthen mission-focused leadership education and training for pastors.
KPIs
Existing theological training and pastoral education programs will have a stronger emphasis on preparing pastors to be mission-focused.
All pastors engage in continuing education that nurtures their sense of calling and commitment to mission.
All newly-elected leaders complete leadership training, conducted by a higher level of organization.
An orientation process for officers and executive committee members of all units of denominational structure is developed and widely implemented.
Encourage and enhance the theological training of women across the division.
Objective 2: Offer continuing leadership training to local church leaders
KPIs
Church leaders will be able to involve the church in finding creative responses to the post-modern, post-Christian challenge.
More women will be trained and involved in the leadership of the church.
More young people are trained for, engaged in, and mentored for the leadership of the church.