Q: Can you share your background and journey within the Seventh-day Adventist Church?
A: I didn’t grow up as a Seventh-day Adventist. I was born and raised in Reno, Nevada, And my family attended Nazarene churches. My mom, sisters, and I were regular churchgoers, but my dad wasn't very religious. Interestingly, my dad, an attorney, formed a friendship with an Adventist pastor after doing legal work for him.
When my dad was diagnosed with cancer, he trusted the Adventist pastor to deliver his eulogy. After his passing, we connected more deeply with the Adventist church. We started attending a Bible study on the book of Revelation at the Sparks Adventist Church. Eventually, we transitioned from the Baptist and Nazarene churches to the Adventist church.
It wasn't until we moved to the Bay Area that my mom was baptized. We found a church in East Palo Alto, and eventually my entire family was baptized. I was 17 at the time. I became actively involved in church leadership, preaching at 17 and becoming an elder in my early 20s. People would tell me, "You're going to be a pastor," but I didn't see that for myself back then.
Q: What inspired you to accept the position of Executive Secretary at this time?
A: I believe God is leading me in this direction. I never saw myself as a career pastor moving from church to church. Even when I served in Madera and Chowchilla, I knew I wouldn't just keep moving around. I had a sense I might eventually do something in administration because I'm interested in organizational efficiency and integrity.
Over time, I lost that dream and wasn't as interested in working for the conference. I enjoyed pastoring and had other pursuits in mind. So, when this opportunity came up I was initially hesitant. But once the official call came, and after praying with my wife, we accepted it wholeheartedly. I see it as an assignment from God, even though it wasn't part of my original plan.
Q: What are your primary responsibilities in this role, and how do you envision fulfilling them?
A: The responsibilities are extensive and can be overwhelming when you look at the list. They include accumulating statistics, generating reports, assisting local church clerks, updating service records, processing calls for incoming pastors and department directors, handling credentials and licenses, and supporting pastors during installations. There's also a legal aspect and mentoring involved.
Beyond administrative tasks, I see myself helping with the overall vision and direction of the Central California Conference. I'll collaborate with fellow administrators, churches, and pastors, focusing on deep work, efficiency, and streamlining processes. It's important to create boundaries to avoid burnout and maintain effectiveness. I plan to be patient with myself as I learn and grow in this role.
Q: How do you plan to support the president's vision and the overall mission of the conference?
A: I'm eager to learn and understand more fully the vision moving forward. I look forward to coming alongside president-elect Ricardo Viloria and supporting his ministry. We’ll pray with our fellow administrators and seek God's guidance to create synergy.
There will be a lot of listening and humility involved. We might have different ideas, but we need to be willing to grow together. I believe in the saying, "Grow fast, built to crash; grow slow, built to last." If we want something lasting and strong, we need to grow slowly together.
We'll focus on building morale; assessing the health of our institutions, churches, and pastors; and exploring Innovative ways of doing ministry. Deep spirituality will be key, encouraging all our churches and institutions to embody it so we can fulfill God's calling.
Q: What message would you like to share with the conference members as you begin your service as executive secretary?
A: My family and I look forward to serving and connecting with all of the constituent churches. We realize there's a long and challenging journey ahead. There will be many obstacles both within the church and in the wider world as our country and culture change.
I encourage everyone not to be fearful or daunted. God's work will end with greater power than it began. I believe God intends for all His institutions to thrive and be successful. This will happen through prayer and our faithfulness to biblical principles and prophetic guidance.
We need to be strong and brave, pushing forward knowing that Jesus is leading. We already know how it's going to end, so we walk with that kind of confidence. Let's move forward together, trusting in God's plan for our conference and our lives.
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