Advancing the Mission Together

Jesus said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations…” (Matt. 28:19). As Seventh-day Adventists, we understand that commission in the light of Revelation 14, where God calls His people to proclaim the everlasting gospel “to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people.” Ours is a movement with a message of hope, grace, truth, and the soon return of Jesus. Everything we do as a conference exists to support that mission.

Here in Michigan, we often summarize that vision with two simple words: Grow Michigan. While growth certainly includes numbers, it is first about people. Every person who comes to know Jesus, every member who discovers their spiritual gifts, every church that embraces its mission, and every baptism represents another life being prepared for Christ’s kingdom. Grow Michigan is ultimately a call to make disciples who make disciples.

As we pursue that mission together, we’ve invited every church and every member to embrace four commitments. They are not simply goals to measure our progress—they are practical expressions of our shared mission.

Those four commitments remind us that disciple-making doesn’t begin at the conference office. It begins in our local churches, in our homes, and in our daily interactions with the people God places around us. As I look across Michigan today, I am encouraged by what I see God doing.

Every Church Needs a Plan

Healthy churches don’t grow by accident. They grow because they are intentional about making disciples.

That is why one of our commitments is for every congregation to develop a thoughtful discipleship plan. While many of these conversations naturally take place toward the end of the year, this isn’t simply a report submitted to the conference office or a document prepared by the pastor. It is an opportunity for every church family to prayerfully ask, “How is God calling us to reach our community?”

Discipleship planning works best when it belongs to the whole church. God has placed different gifts, experiences, and perspectives within every congregation, and each member has something valuable to contribute. Whether you have served for decades or have recently joined the church, your voice matters.

We have asked that each pastor submit their church’s discipleship plan by December. Between now and then is an opportunity for every congregation to think strategically about the mission before them and for every member to help shape the direction their church will take in reaching its community.

As your church begins these conversations, I encourage you to be part of them. Pray with your leaders, attend the planning meetings, share ideas, and volunteer your gifts. The most effective discipleship plans are embraced by an entire church family united around God’s mission.

But a plan by itself doesn’t change lives. Plans become reality when God’s people step forward to participate in God’s mission.

Every Member Has a Purpose

Jesus didn’t simply ask His followers to gain knowledge—He invited them to make disciples. Throughout the Gospels and the book of Acts, lives were transformed as believers opened God’s Word, prayed with one another, and shared the hope they had found in Christ.

That same work is happening across Michigan today. Every month, churches throughout our conference report hundreds of active Bible study contacts through personal Bible studies, small groups, discipleship studies, and literature ministry. These are not merely numbers on a report—they represent conversations, friendships, prayers, and lives being impacted by the gospel.

My encouragement is simple: don’t underestimate what God can do through one faithful conversation. You don’t need to have all the answers to begin sharing your faith. Invite a neighbor to read the Bible with you. Join a small group. Pray with someone who is searching for hope. Offer a book that has made a difference in your own walk with Christ.

The Great Commission belongs to every believer. As churches become intentional and members become engaged, communities begin to experience the love of Christ. That is where we begin to see the fruit of disciple-making.

Every Community Needs to Hear the Gospel

One of our prayers is that every congregation in Michigan will experience the joy of seeing someone publicly commit their life to Christ through baptism.

Every community needs the opportunity to hear the everlasting gospel. Whether a church is large or small, urban or rural, every congregation has been placed by God in its community for a reason. We are His witnesses, called to reflect His character and proclaim His message until He comes.

Already this year, 57 churches across Michigan have celebrated at least one baptism, and 164 precious lives have publicly committed themselves to Jesus through baptism.

Every one of those numbers represents far more than a statistic. Each one tells the story of a heart transformed by God’s grace, a family touched by His love, and another disciple preparing for Christ’s soon return.

We praise God for what He has already done while continuing to pray for the churches that are still anticipating their first baptism this year. May the Lord continue to open doors, prepare hearts, and bless every congregation as they faithfully share His love.

Each baptism reminds us that behind every number is a person, behind every statistic is a story, and every life matters to God.

Every Life Matters to God

Today our conference family numbers 27,208 members. We have shared a prayerful vision of growing to 28,000 members over the next two years. That means welcoming 792 more people into God’s family.

Our desire has never been to reach a number—it has always been to reach people. Every one of those 792 people has a name, a family, a story, and a future that God longs to redeem.

Growth is not something we manufacture. It is something God accomplishes as His people faithfully partner with Him. When churches develop intentional plans, members embrace their calling, and communities hear the everlasting gospel, God transforms lives.

As I travel throughout Michigan, I am filled with hope. I see churches embracing their communities with renewed purpose, members discovering the joy of sharing their faith, pastors equipping their congregations for ministry, and baptisms changing lives. Most importantly, I see God faithfully building His church.

Thank you for your faithfulness, your prayers, your generosity, and your willingness to serve wherever God calls you. The mission before us has never belonged to pastors alone. It belongs to every believer.

As we seek the Lord together, trust the leading of His Spirit, and remain faithful to His calling, I believe He will continue to do what only He can do. Together, let’s continue sharing the everlasting gospel, preparing people for the soon return of Jesus, and trusting God to build His church.

By His grace, let’s continue to Grow Michigan—one disciple, one church, and one transformed life at a time.

Jim Micheff serves as the president of the Michigan Conference.