“There is no greater and higher honour in the ministry than to be a church pastor.” This beautiful reminder echoed through the Basilea Conventional Center during the morning devotional presented by Pr. Ramon Canal, Ministerial Secretary of the General Conference.
Speaking to 3,200 pastors and leaders during the Southern Asia-Pacific Division-Wide Ministerial Convention and Stewardship Summit, Pr. Ramon reflected on his experience of pastoring alongside his wife, Mrs. Aurora Canals, Associate Ministerial Secretary for Pastoral Families. He shared personal testimonies from their years of ministry and discipleship, offering compelling evidence of God’s presence and power in their lives and service.
The four-day event, which began on July 28, concluded on a high note on August 1 with Pr. Samuel Saw, the Vice President of the General Conference, delivering yet another inspiring message during the commitment service. In his opening, Pr. Samuel defined ‘commitment’ as a personal act of humbling oneself before God rather than merely a word or declaration. He reminded the pastors and leaders that true commitment requires action, as many may speak of commitment but never take the necessary steps to fully surrender themselves to God.
The gathering centered on the theme “Building Up His People,” underscoring beautiful messages and powerful reminders from the world church leaders on faithfulness and commitment to serving the Lord. Among the esteemed speakers was Pr. Anthony Kent, the Associate Ministerial Secretary of the General Conference. He presented a thought-provoking session titled ‘The Pastor’s Heart,’ in which he emphasised what should occupy a pastor’s heart to become an effective church minister. Building on this call for spiritual renewal, Pr. Marcos Bomfim, Stewardship Director of the General Conference, offered words of encouragement to pastors, urging them to reflect on God’s promises to restore all things through Christ Jesus as motivation to revive and rekindle their commitment to God’s Mission.
The high point of the event was the energetic sermon by Pr. Paul Douglas, Treasurer of the General Conference on Sabbath. Anchoring his message in the book of Revelation 14:6-7, he cast the pastors’ role as messengers proclaiming the gospel to the whole world. He brought in three main ideas: The messenger must live the redemption, the reverence, and the relationship that has been proclaimed. The sermon was more than a call to ministry; it served to reignite the passion to serve our living God as we prepare for the second coming of Christ.
Indeed, the inspiring presentations throughout the sessions created an atmosphere of spiritual rejuvenation and renewed eagerness among pastors. Reflecting on his experience, Pr. Frenky Bilu from Sabah Mission, recalled the importance of being a smart and faithful steward and serving with integrity. Meanwhile, Pr. Terry Simon from Sarawak Mission emphasised the shared responsibility of every believer in advancing the gospel and stewardship. “The involvement of everyone to spread the gospel and stewardship is our personal commitment to God,” he said.
Similarly, Pr. Jacob John from the Peninsular Malaysia Mission expressed his sincere appreciation for the opportunity to be part of this event. “It’s a blessing to be here with fellow pastors from the Southern Asia-Pacific Division, listening to various encouraging messages from the world leadership,” he shared.
As the event drew to a close, Pr. Abner Dizon and Pr. Jibil Simbah, leaders from the division headquarters, also weighed in their hopes and prayers for a revival among the Malaysia Union Mission leaders and the field pastors following the convention. Pr. Dizon explained, “While the work is hard and challenging, everyone has a part in the ministry.”
Adding to this, Pr. Jibil expressed his optimism that the pastors would return to their respective fields with renewed faith and a stronger commitment to strengthened church members, encouraging them to remain faithful loyal stewards of God and unite as one body. Likewise, Malaysia Union Mission President, Pr. Abel Bana anticipates ‘a spiritual uplift’ among the pastors as they return to their fields. He envisions them serving as agents of transformation in their local church while carrying with them the OneVoice27 message.
The Ministerial Convention and Stewardship Summit certainly offered our leaders and pastors far more than a simple reminder. It was a united and collective desire to be renewed, revived, and reinspired to be faithful servants of the Lord, with the hope that this renewed spirit would be contagious among all church members, inspiring them to proclaim and share the gospel message. After all, Matthew 24:14, Jesus himself says, “And this gospel of the Kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come”.
Reported by Farrel Millard Gara, Director, Communication Department, MAUM
10, August 2026, Monday.