Four words sum up my description of God’s work in the Pacific Union over the last five years: “Exciting Times with Challenges.” I could list hundreds of things that make up that summary, but let me mention just a few that stand out in my mind.

Invigorating

Some things in life leave you filled with energy and enthusiasm. On my list are:

Prophecy assures the final outcome of the conflicting agendas of this world. “You will do well to pay close attention to everything they (the prophets) have written, for, like lights shining into dark corners, their words help us to understand many things that otherwise would be dark and difficult” (2 Peter 1:19 TLB).

God is in charge even when things in life seem out of control. “In the great closing work we shall meet with perplexities that we know not how to deal with, but let us not forget that the three great powers of heaven are working, that a divine hand is on the wheel, and that God will bring His purposes to pass” (Evangelism, p. 65).

Plans were made in 2001 and accomplished over the last five years (see page 31).

Major New Initiatives

In addition to what God is doing on a daily basis through His Spirit working in faithful members and church leaders, there are several new initiatives we saw develop in the last few years.

Souls West – This evangelism training school for youth located in Phoenix, Ariz., gives them special skills: The ability to make door-to-door contacts, give Bible studies and provide leadership in the MagaBook program. Graduates from this two-year program are in high demand by our churches.

Campus Development – Land development is creating an endowment fund for La Sierra University and providing for significant enhancements on campus. In addition, a new science building has just been completed. Pacific Union College hopes to develop an endowment from unused land in the near future, as well.

Western Adventist Foundation – A professional management company set up to assist our members in their estate plans. Under the direction of the Union Executive Committee, this organization now administers more than $120 million in assets for conferences, ministries and individuals.

Challenges Remain

Some of the main areas of church life that need attention in the years ahead are:

Education Funding – How we make our schools available to our youth while still maintaining quality is an ongoing problem with no easy answers. Every possible option must continue to be explored.

Consolidated Financial Management – The complexity and expense of every organization’s financial management could be greatly reduced if plans now being developed are implemented. One center could handle many functions for all schools and conferences.

Mission Focus – No other church in the world is communicating the last call of God to the world found in Revelation 14 and 18. That is the unique mission of Seventh-day Adventists. Many things come along to distract us, but this is still our primary mission.

Intentional Evangelism Strategy – Too many of our churches have no specific evangelistic plans to reach their communities. They spend most of their time, money, and energy on member nurture. Nurture is good, but it’s not our primary reason for existence as a church. The culture of evangelism often seems lost. Elson Floyd, an educator, put it this way: "Culture will eat strategy every time. No matter how good an implementation strategy is, it will fail unless you have a culture that is willing to accept the strategy.”

Much has been accomplished for God during this quinquenium, but so much more remains to be done. May God continue to bless us as we put the work of the kingdom first in our thinking.