wfn.org | Adventist World Church President Re-elected

[APD <APD_Info_Schweiz@compuserve.com>]

July 1, 2000
Adventist Press Service (APD)
Christian B. Schäffler, Editor-in-chief
CH-4003 Basel, Switzerland 
Fax +41-61-261 61 18
APD@stanet.ch
www.stanet.ch/APD/2000/GK 

Adventist World Church President Re-elected for 
Five Year Term

Toronto, Canada.     Pastor Jan Paulsen, world 
president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, was 
re-elected on June 30 for a five year term. 

The president's election by the 2,000-strong 
delegation came after his name was put forward by 
the Session's Nominating Committee, composed of 
174 members representing a wide range of different 
parts of the world. 
	
Paulsen, a Norwegian, has served the Church in 
this role for the past sixteen months and has 
extensive pastoral and administrative experience 
as a missionary, teacher, college principal, and 
church administrator at the highest levels.
	
"It is both a privilege and honour to serve the 
Church and our Lord," commented Paulsen in his 
acceptance speech.  "God is the one who calls and 
sustains us. Were it not for that conviction I 
would run a long way away. But I am reassured by 
the long-held conviction my wife Kari and I share 
that God gives guidance to us. We will do our best 
to discharge the duties you have placed on our 
shoulders. We will try to do something wonderful 
for the Church and our Lord. It gives us strength 
to know that you remember us in your prayers."	 
	
Paulsen's re-election comes as the first vote of 
the Adventist World Session on leadership matters. 
The Session, held every five years, conducts the 
business of the Adventist Church, including 
electing leaders, developing policies and 
programs, reviewing all areas of Church 
activities, and voting position statements on 
matters of concern.
	
Before his current leadership role, Paulsen served 
as vice-president of the World Church from 1995-
99. Prior assignments have included president of 
the Church's Trans-European Division based in St. 
Albans, United Kingdom, college lecturer and 
principal in the U.K., and missionary in Ghana and 
Nigeria. He is married to Kari Trykkerud Paulsen 
and has one daughter and two sons.
	
When asked about the major challenges facing the 
Adventist Church, Paulsen points to the rapid 
membership growth.
	
"Accommodating dramatic church growth is a major 
task," he comments. "With a million new members 
joining in just the past year or so is a real 
challenge for the Church" in terms of providing 
spiritual nurture, pastoral leadership, and places 
of worship. Added to that is the need to maintain 
the togetherness of this family of faith around 
the world, with all its cultural diversity brought 
together in the unity of spiritual development."
	
In exclusive comments to the Adventist News 
Network (ANN) after his election, Paulsen stressed 
the importance of the Church maintaining its 
mission and identity.
	
"The Church must never forget its mission of 
spreading the gospel and confronting individuals 
with God's offer of salvation," he said. "We also 
need to look at ourselves, and make sure that the 
Church is a place to feel at home--a warm and 
friendly community of faith. It's critical that we 
cultivate the elements that unite us and work to 
uphold life-giving, not bureaucratic structures."
	
Paulsen concluded by saying he looked forward to 
the future with confidence. "As a Church, our 
beliefs have a strong future component, and we 
look forward with confidence as we place all our 
plans and proposals in the hands of God, who leads 
this Church." [Editor Jonathan Gallagher for 
ANN/APD]