Stewardship Leadership Visitation—SPD
On February 15, 2024, Julian Archer, Stewardship Ministries Director of the South Pacific Division (SPD) was the third Division Stewardship director to host a Stewardship Leadership Visitation (SLV). He was visited by Marcos Faiock Bomfim, GC Stewardship Ministries Director at Fulton Adventist University, Nadi, Fiji, during the 2024 “Set Apart” TPUM Missional Convention.
The South Pacific Division (SPD), with its headquarters in Sydney, Australia, is a vibrant tapestry of faith spanning 20 countries and a population of 44.423 million.
Here are some data about this division:
Population |
44 million |
Countries |
20 |
Time zones covered by the SPD |
8 |
Languages spoken only in Papua New Guinea |
800 |
Members |
626,867 |
Unions |
4 |
Local Fields |
34 |
Churches |
2,218 |
Unions with STW Director |
100% |
Fields with STW Director |
100% |
Commitment Cards distributed |
900,000 |
Generosity Index (GI) and Missionary Index
SPD |
2021 |
2022 |
|
Total Offerings GI |
4.25% |
3.28% |
The percentage of their income that, on average, church members give as offerings (considering total offerings). |
Mission Offerings GI |
0.49% |
0.54% |
The percentage of their income that, on average, church members give as mission offerings (considering total offerings). |
Missionary Index |
11.44% |
16.59% |
The percentage of total offerings given in the SPD that are sent to the missions (through the World Mission Fund, at the GC). |
* Based on the Annual Statistical Report, published by the General Conference Office of Archives, Statistics, and Research.
About two-thirds of the SPD members live in the linguistically diverse country of Papua New Guinea, which is home to about 800 distinct languages.
The SPD's reach extends across eight time zones and has the world's largest expanse of water among all world divisions. The division's finances are largely supported by the tithes and offerings contributed by the congregations in Australia and New Zealand.
Papua New Guinea stands as a testament to the division's influence, where Adventists make up 5% of the population and an impressive 40% of the Parliament. Recognizing the entrepreneurial spirit of its members, where 80% are self-employed, the SPD's STW department is dedicated to equipping them with the skills and knowledge to thrive financially through specially designed programs. Julian Archer, SPD Stewardship Ministries director, offers insights into this transformative program, which can be explored here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2qc9m5TzsNC4Inm1a3nYcz?si=FuWdObqwS5qFvT__3BjJ3A.
The division's ambitions for 2023/24 are centered on nurturing a deeper sense of faith and trust in God and the church while addressing the pervasive challenge of materialism that is especially attractive to people living in Australia and New Zealand, highly developed and affluent countries.
SPD's Stewardship Ministries is committed to fostering a culture of gratitude and generosity, evidenced by their regular Union Stewardship Advisories and the creation of the Grateful Living Series. This initiative has not only resonated within the division but has been used in the Trans-European Division (TED), among other places. One of the SPD’s main initiatives is the broad distribution of the iPromise Commitment cards. The division has already printed and distributed free of charge 900,000 (almost 1 Million!) iPromise Commitment Cards throughout its territory. The division is also responsible for the shipping cost to each Union or mission.
See the photos below.
