Erton Köhler, a pastor born in Brazil, who is known for his novel approach to the evangelization, is the newly elected president of the General Conference of the Seventh Day Adventist Church and the first to come from South America.
Köhler will act as a spiritual and administrative leader of the global movement, which claims 23 million members. He was elected in the position during a recent meeting of the General Conference, the best management committee of the denomination, in St. Louis.
The extensive geographical reach of the church as president as president only puts on one of the hurdles, especially with today’s political polarization and national loyalities, said Köhler in an interview with the Associated Press.
“If I can choose a word that is the challenge of this moment, the word” unity “,” he said. “It is not easy to keep this unit because our members who are citizens live in local society, they are influenced by it.”
The Adventist Church of the Seventh Day is a Protestant denomination that sees the Bible as the inspired Word of God and the main authority for Adventists. You are known for your beliefs that the second comes near Christ and watch the Sabbath on Saturday, the seventh weekday.
Just a few days after his fresh role, Köhler shared his hopes for the future, including his plans, technology and social media to achieve adolescent people. He also thought about how the spiritual focus of faith addresses healthy life on many today and other issues of the church.
What role does the president play?
Köhler explained his job like holding together a puzzle and compared it to the church leader recently elected with South American bonds, Pope Leo XIV, the first US Pope of the Catholic Church, who has a double Peruvian citizenship.
“I am not the Pope of the Church. I am a pastor. We have no vertical leadership that we can decide and impose something for everyone,” said Köhler and noticed the different levels of authority of the denomination of the denomination.
“We respect these voices. We receive suggestions from other levels, we discuss them; we discuss how they can be implemented together. My job is to try to hold all of this puzzle together positively.”
What are his priorities as the fresh guide?
Köhler wants to see more adolescent people in the church, more women in the lead and more investments in communication and technology to promote their mission.
He also wants to focus on spreading the range of the church, which is particularly growing in parts of Africa and Latin America.
“No. 1, I would like to see more young people who are involved in the church activities, sometimes in the lead, sometimes their opinions, their ideas, sometimes in the local community,” said Köhler.
In addition to emphasizing the church on the Sabbath, Köhler also believes that the long -time focus of Adventists can address a healthy life in younger generations.
Many members of the church are vegetarians and do without alcohol and tobacco as part of their spiritual discipline. Adventists also run a immense network of hospitals and health clinics worldwide, and many members of the church go to the medical field.
“The new generation is looking for health, beauty. They take care of their bodies,” said Köhler. “We have a message to show them that we are not only an institutionalized religion, we are also part of believers who trust the Bible with a message that can improve our lives.”
Köhler said for women that he did not open a discussion about the ordination of women, a topic that supported the then Republican presidential candidate and Adventist Ben Carson in 2015.
“It’s not the moment to do that,” said Köhler. But he recognized that adventistic women “earn more presence in leadership” and “their voice must be heard”.
Faith was influenced by the visions of Ellen White, which is considered a prophet. Their extensive religious writings have deeply influential to form the church, but not the same weight as the writing. Today, the denomination says that the management of the women on the high level of the church – in healthcare, education and administration – is present and also includes non -profit services and the management of Minister of Women.
With regard to technology and communication, Köhler said that he was a sturdy defender of both because he sees them as opportunities to reach people wherever they are.
“If our call to service is the people, we have to be where they are, especially the new generations. And the new generation is now on social media,” he said.
What are some of the religious freedom concerns with which the church is exposed?
The Church of the Seventh Day Adventist founded in Battle Creek in 1863 in Battle Creek, Michigan, prioritizes the protection of religious freedom for everyone.
“The biggest challenge for us is now freedom of expression. … We want to be protected in our right to express what we believe,” said Köhler.
“Today’s society and sometimes the media supports too much of some topics, and the religious leaders, the religious organizations, they have no voice to express what they think in a respectful way.”
Köhler partially attributes this to some Christian denominations, which are “very strong and aggressive in some affairs”. Adventists, he said, would still have to fight to protect the right to express their opinions and beliefs positively.
What is his message about those who are not familiar with the Seventh Adventist Church?
“Sometimes people present our denomination based on some elements that are strange to others and they think that we are humans from another planet,” said Köhler. “We are people. We are here to serve, we are here to love, we are here to make a difference.”
He invites people to meet members and experience the church himself.
“Come to talk to us, come to us, interact with us,” he said. “You will know who we are and you can see how we can make a difference for your current life and for your future life.”
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