Seventh-day Adventist Leaders Gather in Columbia, Maryland, for 2023 Summit on Developing Effective Teams

The North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists (NAD) held its 2023 Leadership Summit at its headquarters in Columbia, Maryland, on November 12. The day-long event was themed “Developing Effective Teams.” Debbie Rivera, associate pastor of the Elliott City Seventh-day Adventist Church in Maryland, and John Rengifo, Ministerial Association director for the Chesapeake Conference, served as cohosts.

Rengifo described the division’s mission as reaching North America and the world with “the Christ-centered, distinctive Seventh-day Adventist message of hope and wholeness,” and said part of that work is growing people’s leadership skills. He and Rivera indicated that people from more than 80 nations registered for the hybrid program.

Paulo Macena, director for leadership for the NAD, said about 200 people attended in person and about 700 attended virtually. More than 1,500 viewers have since watched the event on platforms such as Facebook and YouTube. Macena gave a brief history of the summit’s local beginnings in 2013, when he served as Youth Ministries director for the New Jersey Conference. This year marks the first summit held at the division level. He said that attending a leadership summit is crucial for leaders to learn, network, and gain inspiration. Macena also highlighted the upcoming NAD Leadership Certification Program, set to launch in 2024.

G. Alexander Bryant, NAD president, followed with a presentation titled “The Right Use of Power in Team Building.” He stressed the importance of following Christ’s example, citing Mark 10:42-45 as a model for servant leadership. Bryant said, “The leader is to be the greatest servant on the team. … The leader doesn’t accumulate power but gives it away.”

Other morning presenters included Barry Black, chaplain of the United States Senate, who discussed “The Importance of Team Building,” and Novella Smith, pastor of the Beacon Light Seventh-day Adventist Church in Annapolis, Maryland, who discussed “Mobilizing Teams for Service — Cultivating a Service-Oriented Culture.”

After intermission, Alayne Thorpe, dean of the College of Education & International Services at Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan, spoke on “Common Causes and Strategies for Resolving Conflict.” A basic premise of her presentation was that “the study of history is the study of power struggles; it’s the study of conflict.” She argued that the foundation of effective conflict resolution is a spiritual perspective, seeing people the way God sees them. She also quoted Martin Luther King Jr.: “Man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love.”

Other afternoon presenters included Mike Speegle, senior pastor of the New Hope Seventh-day Adventist Church in Fulton, Maryland, who discussed “Building Team Trust,” and Celeste Ryan Blyden, executive secretary of the Columbia Union, who discussed “How Effective Teams Deal with Crisis.”

Viewers described the content that set the foundation for the summit as “substantive and relevant.” Periods of message reflection and small group discussions offered time for networking and fellowship. Music was woven throughout the program, and ice breakers opened both the morning and afternoon sessions.

Those wishing to learn more, including the full list of presenters, can visit the 2023 NAD Leadership Summit website, and the sessions are available on the division’s YouTube channel. Prospective attendees can mark November 17, 2024, on their calendars for the next summit.

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