By Henry R. Moncur III | ACTU Communication
It was an inspiring and spiritually enriching time in the Atlantic Caribbean Union (ATCU) as the region welcomed Erton Köhler, executive secretary of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventist, for his first official visit to the region on April 17-20,2025. Kohler visited church leaders and members across The Bahamas, the country where the union is headquartered, to share in a time of training and offer words of encouragement to members, all centered on the theme Mission Refocus.
During the 4-day Mission Refocus series, Köhler, accompanied by Dr. Leonard Johnson, executive secretary of the Inter-America Division, visited the North Bahamas and South Bahamas Conference territories. In his stops he highlighted the importance of mission, noting how “Christians are always on mission. Everything that you do is your opportunity to share the mission. Mission is important to us, and as a church, we need to keep it before our eyes every day.”
Purpose of Mission Refocus Initiative
Speaking to the importance the visit and the theme, Köhler shared that the reason for the sessions was for the members to be reminded of the church’s commitment to sharing the gospel and making disciples for Jesus.
“From time to time we need to spend time and more time to be reminded of our commitment to the mission. Why do we need 4 days of mission? Because this is the reason of existence of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Mission is part of church life and we are here to rise and shine and share the message,” he said.
According to Köhler, Mission Refocus is a movement that calls every level of the church to “reach the most isolated territories in the world, the most challenging territories in the world, where we are not present or places where we have a low presence and we need to be there. It is a call to face together the most challenging areas of the world” which he noted has been organized into the 3 mission windows — the 10/40 window (an area stretching from Western Africa to Eastern Asia, which includes the world’s most unreached populations), the post-Christian window and the urban window.
Köhler noted that the reason why the church is working with Mission Refocus, is because we believe that if God “started the work, now is the time to finish the work, because we need to see Jesus coming in the clouds of heaven. Let us unite our hands, let us work together to do something relevant to reach all the corners of the globe, trusting that God can perform miracles, and we can reach them, and Jesus can come in the clouds of heaven.”
Johnson emphasized that the concept of ‘Mission Refocus’ is a time to reignite the church’s shared purpose to teach and baptize all nations as mandated in Matthew 29:19-20.
Call to Commitment to Mission Refocus in the North Bahamas
In his first stop in Grand Bahama, Bahamas, Köhler, received a grand welcome. Pathfinders and students from Grand Bahama Academy lined the pathway with gifts, flags and salutes, while church leaders and government officials extended their warmest greetings.
During the time in Grand Bahama, Köhler addressed church Leaders in a training session and the entire church family in a joint service with deep conviction and heartfelt appeal. He used statistics and anecdotes to establish the dearth in mission, yet profoundly highlighting the possibility of achieving the mission through creative and deliberate efforts. His central message was a call to action — “a divine invitation for every believer to refocus on the mission of Jesus: to seek the lost, serve with compassion, and prepare the world for His soon return.”
Köhler admonished the congregation to refocus on the North Bahamas Conference while helping the other regions of the world, hence the call, “Mission Refocus.” “We cannot forget the needs of others around the world,” he said, while reminding the church of the prolific writer, Ellen G. White who said, “When you send your support to the world, God will bless you locally.”
Minister of Grand Bahama, Ginger Moxey, who attended the service on behalf of the Government of The Bahamas commended the church for its sterling contributions to the community in providing food, hope, and shelter. “I am truly impressed by the spirit of love by God’s people,” she said.
The visit ended with the honouring of two stalwarts who gave outstanding service to mission
in the church. Cleola Pinder who assisted in raising of congregation in Bimini and Abaco, Bahamas and Dollie Pople who served the church with fervor and conviction in sharing the gospel the western district of Grand Bahama.
Members Called to Global Mission in the South Bahamas
In his second stop on the Mission Refocus series in the capital, New Providence, Köhler visited the South Bahamas Conference and discussed the importance of mission in the Seventh-day Adventist Church and being mission-minded, and the need for active participation in outreach efforts, despite the challenges that may exist.
“Each is us can do something for God’s mission,” he said. Adding that mission cannot wait for better times, he reminded the member that “the only way to face our mission challenges today is by miracles. The same God is alive today and ready to perform new miracles. Our God can open any door, any heart, any culture, any border, any country, because the mission is a miracle. God can change things instantly, because the mission is a miracle.”
Although the mission field can be challenging, Köhler also explained that it is an opportunity to spread the gospel.
“There is a call for every local church, local conference, union, division, general conference to help us because some parts of the world don’t have members, they don’t have churches…and if we don’t send someone to support them, they will not be able to move forward.”
As the church continues to grow in membership, Köhler cautioned those present not to lose sight of the mission.
“When we start to celebrate other achievements than the mission of the church, we are drifting away from God’s purpose for his church,” he said.
“The strength of a church is not measured by the number of members who come to the building to worship but by the number of members who leave the building to save others.”
To conclude his presentation, Köhler invited the attendees to recommit to the church’s
mission. He requested that the members seek practical ways to support mission work
by trusting in God and answering the call, by using their feet to say “I will go.”
His appeal concluded with scores responding to commit to be missionaries in the future to other parts of the world or use their resources to help the mission in other parts of the world. “You can open the work, or you can support a missionary in those areas of the world,” he said, before leading the congregation in a special dedication and time of prayer.
Minister of Social Services, Information, and Broadcasting, Myles Laroda, who represented the Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, welcomed Kohler to The Bahamas and noted that “there are friends of the Adventist church in the government.” He congratulated the church on its “Bahamian ideology that has changed the way Bahamians think about themselves, about the gospel of Jesus Christ,” and encouraged them “to continue to do a great work.”
Senator Maxine Seymour, who represented the Leader of His Majesty’s Loyal Opposition.
As a part of The Mission Refocus Series, 50 individuals were honoured for their dedication and commitment for answering the call and helping to advance the mission of the church in the region.
The visit concluded with a practical training seminar led by Johnson, targeting local church board leaders and executive committee members. The session focuses on how leaders can effectively foster a culture of active evangelism and mission within their congregations and equipped leaders with tools and insights to prioritize outreach, disciple-making, and community engagement.
Mission Refocus Series Impact on Others
Reflecting on the visit of Köhler, Peter Kerr, ATCU president, opined how it has left the church on fire for mission. “Nobody celebrates mission the way that Pastor Köhler does. He speaks it, he dreams it, he lives it, he celebrates it, he motivates for mission, he inspires for mission. God is up to something. He is anxious to complete the work, and we celebrate leaders who are passionate about completing this mission. We are thankful for Pastor Johnson who made this Mission Refocus weekend possible by his personal efforts and his influence and organization skills, to be able to have this visitor from the General Conference here with us.”
Kerr added that “from these meetings we were excited to see many soldiers come on board, making the commitment to come on board to engage in the mission and ready a people for the coming of Jesus.”
Johnson noted his appreciation for the leadership and support given for the planning of this special weekend, focusing on mission refocus. “We have had a wonderful 4 day visit in The Bahamas. God has really blessed and has reset some things as we work together to advance the kingdom of God,” he said.
While Köhler noted that it was a privilege to visit God’s people in The Bahamas and the Atlantic Caribbean Union region, his visit left an indelible impression and made a significant impact on members in the region.
“I am seeing the church in a more massive light. The information he shared revealed not only how much work the church has already done, but also how much more remains to be accomplished” noted Stewart Courtney a member from Grand Bahama.
Harvey Braithwaite, a lay leader in New Providence expressed how the weekend “was excellent and was a great initiative to reignite the passion for disciple-making within the South Bahamas
Conference and beyond.”
Craig Williams, a pastor in the conference, summarized the sentiments of many perfectly, describing the weekend as “both encouraging and motivating, setting a fresh course for the church’s mission in the years ahead.”
Members left the Mission Refocus series encouraged by the informative, clear and practical presentations, that made mission clearer, and with a commitment that they can be counted on at any time.
Atlantic Caribbean Union
The Mission Refocus series in the Atlantic Caribbean Union was a powerful reminder of the church’s divine calling. Through the visit of Köhler, God provided an opportunity for His church in the Atlantic Caribbean Union to refocus on mission. As the church presses forward in the region, it stands ready to continue the mission of making disciples and sharing the gospel through members that are rejuvenated to play a pivotal role in the advancement of mission — to prepare people for the second coming of Jesus.
The ATCU, headquartered in Nassau, New Providence, The Bahamas, comprises 27,694 members across four fields: the Cayman Islands Conference, the North Bahamas Conference, the South Bahamas Conference, and the Turks and Caicos Islands Conference. Additionally, Northern Caribbean University in Mandeville, Jamaica, is co-owned and operated by both ATCU and the Jamaica Union.
Contributors to the article: Joan Scavella | NBC Communication; and Michelle Greene | SBC Communication