Churches Reconnect and Restore Bonds with New Strategy

DALLAS – One of the biggest challenges the Seventh-day Adventist Church faces today is retaining new disciples after an evangelistic effort. A study by the General Conference, conducted by Anthony Kent, revealed key reasons why some Seventh-day Adventist members leave and why others return. The top reasons for leaving include perceived hypocrisy, marital struggles, lack of friendships, family conflicts and personal disputes within the church. However, those who return often do so because of family, a renewed desire for God and friendships.

Recognizing this reality, the Southwest Region multilingual ministries department launched an initiative as part of our Pentecost 2025 strategy: Returning to My First Love. This outreach focuses on reconnecting with former members and inviting them back into the fold with love and care.

Our plan began on Nov. 23, 2024, when every disciple in our Hispanic churches received a prayer card to write down five names—people they would pray for over the next three months. In December 2024, pastors visited elders to pray and commit to working together, followed by the elders doing the same with church board members in January 2025. Additionally, we launched Ten Days of Prayer, seeking the outpouring of the Holy Spirit to lead us.

February marked the start of two key efforts. The first effort was performing acts of kindness for the five people on our prayer lists. Without preaching or pressuring, we simply reached out with kindness, building trust that would eventually lead to home visits, Bible studies and invitations to church. The second effort was reconnecting with former members. We personally invited them to a special Homecoming Sabbath on Feb. 22, featuring a heartfelt program and a meal to remind them they are loved, valued and always welcome.
This initiative is just the beginning of an ongoing commitment to love and care for those who once felt forgotten. Too often, we work hard to bring people to Christ but fail to nurture them afterward. Now, we humbly say, “We are sorry. We love you. Please come back to your first love—Jesus Christ.”

We are praying that the Lord blesses this effort, fills us with His Spirit, and uses us to advance His Kingdom. The evangelistic strategy for Pentecost 2025 continues with many initiatives through December 2025.

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By Vanston Archbold

Vice President for

Multilingual Ministries

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