Inter-American Division Summit Urges Members to Volunteer for Cross-Cultural Mission

The Inter-American Division (IAD) is aiming to recruit 2,000 volunteers by 2030. Seventh-day Adventist leaders and mission organizers gathered for the Intercultural Mission Church Planting Summit, held May 27–30 at the University of Southern Caribbean in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, to encourage members to take up cross-cultural service as part of the church’s mission. The summit brought together pastors, young adults, professionals, educators and lay members to discuss volunteer mission service, church planting and intercultural ministry across the division and beyond.

Pastor Samuel Telemaque, Adventist Mission director of the IAD and the main organizer of the summit, said the volunteer initiative is part of a wider effort to strengthen missionary engagement across the territory and to prepare more members to serve beyond their local churches and communities. According to organizers, the summit marked a strategic shift in how mission is understood. Speakers challenged delegates to see every church member as a missionary, equipped to serve through their professions, community involvement and willingness to cross cultural, linguistic and geographic boundaries, rather than viewing mission mainly as the work of pastors and church employees.

Fylvia Kline, manager of VividFaith at the General Conference (GC), said, “We cannot leave mission to a few people. God has called every believer to participate in His mission.” She described VividFaith as the church’s official mission recruitment platform for connecting willing members with service opportunities around the world. The platform supports the GC’s Mission Refocus initiative, which seeks to align church resources and membership with areas of greatest mission need. Kline said VividFaith records show the IAD ranked among the top five territories sending missionaries for service in 2025, with 59 missionaries deployed during the year, and that 15 missionaries from outside the division are currently serving within the IAD.

A central focus of the summit was expanding access to missionary service through VividFaith. Participants received hands-on training in posting mission opportunities, recruiting volunteers and connecting qualified candidates with mission needs worldwide. Kline also distributed copies of a GC missionary handbook, which offers practical guidance on mission preparation, cultural adaptation, expectations and field service for volunteers.

Janelle Scantlebury-Smith, associate secretary of the IAD and former Adventist Volunteer Service coordinator, said, “Volunteering has always formed part of the fabric of mission work.” She said volunteers provide much-needed human resources in Adventist institutions, often at significantly reduced costs, which allows ministries to expand their impact. She explained that Mission Refocus has increased the need for volunteers willing to serve in the 10/40 Window, unentered territories and major urban centers. Scantlebury-Smith added, “Because spreading the gospel through missionary work will accelerate our Lord’s return, we urgently need more willing volunteers to answer the call.”

Scantlebury-Smith noted that many church members remain unaware of available avenues for service, or hesitate because of concerns about employment, finances or long-term commitment. She encouraged professionals, retirees, university students and lay members to consider how their skills and experience could advance the church’s global mission. Volunteers who take up such work, she said, are doing what Colossians 3:23 describes as work done for the Lord rather than for people.

Telemaque challenged delegates to view young adults as a vital force for advancing mission in the region and beyond. “Our young people enrolled in school can take a year off to serve in places like Costa Rica, Panama, or even Haiti,” he said. “There are opportunities for teachers, church planters, healthcare workers, and many others who are willing to answer God’s call.”

Telemaque added, “This training is about creating a culture of mission where volunteering becomes a natural expression of discipleship. We want every church, school, and institution to become a launching point for service.”

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