Inaugural running event in Kenya engages pastors and church leaders
Eldoret, Kenya
The health department of the West Kenya Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, under the leadership of Daniel Tirop, hosted a running event at the University of Eldoret, Kenya, on October 6, 2024. This inaugural event attracted 882 participants from various regions, united in their commitment to promoting health and well-being through running and thus highlighting the essential role of physical activity in achieving a balanced lifestyle.
The event featured a variety of races, including 10K, 6K, 2K, and 500-meter events. The excitement peaked with lively relays, including the 4×400, where male pastors challenged presidents and female pastors competed against women serving at the union office. A spirited tug of war added to the festive atmosphere, captivating both participants and spectators while showcasing the joyful side of fitness.
The presence of Tecla Chemabwai, a trailblazing former Olympic athlete who was the first Kenyan woman to compete in the Olympics, was a significant highlight. Her involvement in organizing the races honored her remarkable achievements and inspired attendees to pursue their own health and fitness goals.
Another notable participant was West Kenya Union President Samuel Misiani, who competed in the 10K race. His commitment to health and fitness resonated deeply with the community’s values, embodying the principle of leading by example. The event attracted leaders from various conferences who joined in the celebration, emphasizing themes of unity and community spirit.
Christopher Kiprotich Misoi, president of the Greater Rift Valley Conference and host of the event, expressed heartfelt gratitude to the West Kenya Union for organizing this landmark event. It set a strong precedent for future health initiatives. All participants received certificates celebrating their achievements and commitment to health, emphasizing a wellness-focused lifestyle rather than mere competition.
The atmosphere at the university pavilion was electric as children and adults came together to celebrate wellness and holistic living, principles deeply embedded in the Adventist Church's educational values of physical, mental, and spiritual health. By participating, individuals were inspired to make proactive choices for a healthier future, creating a positive ripple effect throughout the community. [Maureen Were, West Kenya Union Conference, and Adventist Review]
Church in Mexico achieves record digital impact
Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, Mexico
For the fourth consecutive year, the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Mexico held a live evangelistic series across digital platforms, television, and radio networks, both nationally and internationally. The eight-day event, themed “Jesus Is Enough,” took place in Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, and marked the culmination of extensive mission initiatives that had been ongoing throughout the year.
The series was the centerpiece of months of outreach driven by committed church leaders and members, including young people, who shared messages of hope both in person and through digital channels, said Pastor Ignacio Navarro, president of the Chiapas Mexican Union and the church’s administrative office in Mexico.
Each night, Pastor Luis Orozco, Youth Ministries director of the North Mexican Union and keynote speaker, addressed a variety of spiritual topics, including identity in Jesus, guilt, the Ten Commandments, spiritual blindness, traps of the enemy, and the sufficiency of Jesus in our lives. More than 300 church members and friends attended in person at the Chiapas Mexican Union auditorium. At the same time, thousands gathered in homes, town squares, parks, and community centers—dubbed “Houses of Hope”—across the country to watch the program.
In addition to the Houses of Hope, the series was broadcast in schools, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and other venues. Church leaders reported that the campaign reached its highest digital engagement yet, with over 27,000 devices connected live via Facebook and YouTube, surpassing the numbers from previous years. Thousands more watched the series after its original broadcast, and many celebrated baptisms across the country as a result of the campaign.
In addition to the digital platforms, the series was aired on 20 radio stations throughout Mexico, as well as on Hope Channel Inter-America and 3ABN Latino.
The combined efforts of church leaders and members led to the baptism of over 12,000 new members across the five Mexican unions—Central, Chiapas, Inter-Oceanic, North, and Southeast—since July, culminating during the campaign week.
Among those baptized during the week in Chiapas was Marien Alejandra Román, president of the Emiliano Zapata Municipal District. Román recalled how she grew up attending Adventist churches and schools but left the church at 15 to explore the world.
“I never thought I would return, but after attending the series, I made the decision to get baptized,” Román said.
She also shared her newfound faith with her colleagues and friends, vowing to lead her district by example.
Elsewhere in Chiapas, 38 young people chose baptism after watching the series. They had been ministered to by Edgar Angel Zuñiga, a former addict who now shares his story and leads others to faith, including young people struggling with addiction. Zuñiga was able to use an adjacent room to minister to young people and project the recent online evangelistic series.
In northern Mexico, church leaders decided to broadcast the series in the central square as the community was celebrating its seventy-fifth an-niversary. Loudspeakers drew residents from their homes and farms to hear the message of hope.
The Southeast Mexican Union saw a significant increase in baptisms, reported Felipe Domínguez, personal ministries and Sabbath school director for the Southeast Mexican Union.
“Over the past four years, we have seen the church adopt a new strategy with greater reach,” Domínguez said. “We can reach places and people that traditional methods could never touch, thanks to digital platforms.”
This year’s success was driven by numerous outreach activities, including food distribution, concerts, health initiatives, youth marches, and the distribution of new Bible study materials. Hundreds of Adventist influencers and young people, known as Creative Disciples, amplified the campaign on social media using the hashtag #JesusEsSuficiente.
For the first time, the church also invested in targeted advertising on such platforms as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Spotify, and TikTok, reaching over 6.5 million people.
Plans are already underway for the next national online evangelism campaign, which the North Mexican Union will host September 6–13, 2025. [Yannina García, Victor Martínez, Gaby Chagolla, Helena Corona, Cristel Romero, and Libna Stevens, Inter-American Division News]
Local pastors address mental health crises in their communities
North America
Seeking to reach people outside their walls, more than 200 Seventh-day Adventist churches across North America recently hosted the short mental health series MindFit.
The Voice of Prophecy (VOP) media ministry produced the series to empower churches to be practical and spiritual resources for their communities in battling a continent-wide mental health crisis.
“On a global scale, one in eight people struggle daily with mental illness—one in five in North America. The implication is clear: It is nearly impossible to live on this earth and not be affected by mental illness,” VOP associate speaker Alex Rodriguez said.
Each session of MindFit, a four-part event, commences with audiences watching a 30-minute episode of a docuseries hosted by Rodriguez, who traveled across North America to speak with mental health professionals and patients. The series sheds light on the history and prevalence of mental health challenges. It emphasizes that effective treatments are available and amplified by biblical principles. After each episode, a local church leader guides the audience through a provided study and discussion.
Sheila Hinton, who led MindFit at the Shelbyville Seventh-day Adventist Church in Shelbyville, Indiana, was thrilled to witness the series draw in community members.
“It’s hard for our small church to attract people,” Hinton said, “but eight came for the event, and three continued studying with ‘Peace Is an Inside Job.’ ”
Peace Is an Inside Job is a VOP-created Bible study series that churches can use as a follow-up to MindFit. At the Shelbyville church, community interest extended beyond even these study sessions. One MindFit guest who recently lost his parents to dementia has continued coming to Saturday (Sabbath) afternoon Bible studies. Another attendee has expressed interest in spreading the valuable knowledge he gained from the event.
Hinton believes it was MindFit’s relevant nature that helped her church build high-quality relationships with community members.
Similarly, Dale Barnhurst, who led MindFit at the Oakhill Seventh-day Adventist Church in Caseyville, Illinois, believes the series is pointed and necessary.
“Ever since COVID-19, we’ve been in trouble,” he said. “We’ve needed something to help people decipher what they are feeling.”
Barnhurst and other church leaders were stunned by their MindFit audience’s engagement. A community attendee who was a licensed counselor stepped up to perform a Q&A session. One young woman impressed many with her vulnerability, sharing details of her mental health struggles.
For churches interested in hosting the event and receiving an advertising boost to draw in more community members, VOP will conduct a continent-wide MindFit campaign that will run January 2–4, 2025. In the weeks leading up to these dates, host churches will benefit from a mass social media campaign promoting the series.
“With approximately 6,500 Adventist churches dotting the landscape of North America, our denomination is uniquely positioned to be a center of healing for those who are struggling,” Rodriguez said. “We filmed MindFit to place churches at the forefront of the mental health conversation. May the love of Jesus be reflected through us as we cooperate with the Holy Spirit in bringing physical and spiritual healing to a world perishing in hopelessness.” [Amanda Blake, Voice of Prophecy]
