Adventist World Church Votes New Leaders at Annual Council 2025

On October 12 the General Conference (GC) Executive Committee voted in new leaders to several key Seventh-day Adventist Church roles during Annual Council 2025. The leaders will fill the following positions: director of Sabbath School and Personal Ministries (SSPM), General Counsel, associate director for Public Affairs and Religious Liberty (PARL), associate director at the Biblical Research Institute (BRI), and associate director for Publishing Ministries.

Daniel Ebenezer

Daniel Ebenezer was elected SSPM director after serving as the department’s associate director since October 2023. Born and educated in India, Ebenezer later served as a Bible instructor, pastor, and Personal Ministries director in the United Kingdom, shaping a ministry philosophy centered on making “every member a disciple-maker.” His teenage journey to the Adventist faith convinced him of the power of personal labor in soul winning, a conviction he has carried into training local churches to equip members for evangelism and small-group discipleship. 

As SSPM director, he will oversee the development of Sabbath School Bible study resources for all ages and training initiatives that strengthen the four core aims of Sabbath School—Bible study and prayer, fellowship, local mission, and global mission—while resourcing local churches to share their faith.

Todd McFarland

Todd R. McFarland was voted general counsel for the Office of General Counsel of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. McFarland, who earned a B.A. in history from Southern Adventist University (1997) and a law degree from the University of Illinois College of Law (2000), practiced for more than five years with a civil litigation firm in the St. Louis, Missouri, area before joining the denomination’s legal team, where he has served since 2006 in roles focused on church-state relations, religious liberty, and litigation. 

As general counsel, he will lead a practice that advises denominational entities on nonprofit and corporate law, employment, intellectual property, real estate, transactions, and preventive legal guidance across the world field.

Andy Im

Andy Im was elected as an associate director of PARL. Im currently directs PARL for the Michigan Conference in Michigan, United States, and previously served as cochair of the Religion Department at Weimar College, as well as a pastor in New Jersey and Michigan. He holds a political science degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a master’s in religion from Southern Adventist University. 

In his new assignment Im will help represent the Adventist Church to governments, diplomats, faith leaders, and civil society; advocate for freedom of conscience for all people; and support the IRLA and other coalitions advancing religious liberty, while providing resources and training to the global field. 

Keldie Paroschi

Keldie Paroschi was elected associate director of the BRI. Paroschi joined BRI as assistant director in October 2024 and brings international experience from study and service in South America, Europe, and the United States. She is fluent in Portuguese, English, and German, with competence in the biblical languages; holds a B.A. in theology from Brazil’s Adventist University of São Paulo and an M.A. in religion from Andrews University. She holds a Ph.D. in New Testament from Asbury Theological Seminary. Her scholarly work includes peer-reviewed publications, teaching, chaplaincy, and editorial contributions to BRI book projects. 

At BRI, Paroschi will help lead research, resource development, and service to the world field on matters of biblical interpretation, doctrine, and church trends.

William Krick

William (“Bill”) Krick was elected as an associate director of Publishing Ministries. Since 2018 Krick has led Literature Ministries for the Pacific Union Conference after 19 years directing the work in the Central California Conference, where initiatives such as California Youth Rush, GLOW, and CROSS Training were nurtured. He also served as student program director at Pacific Press (1997-1998) and has written for Adventist Review, Adventist World, and Ministry magazines.

In his new role Krick will help strengthen global literature ministry by partnering with divisions, publishing houses, Adventist Book Centers, and Literature Ministry Seminaries to support policy, strategy, evaluation, recruitment, and training of literature evangelists, and to encourage spiritual reading among members.

Gustav Appiagyei

Gustav Appiagyei was voted General Conference Auditing Service (GCAS) auditor for the Trans Euro-Asia region, bringing more than 15 years of GCAS experience to the role. Appiagyei has served as regional manager (2022-present), audit specialist for training (2019-2022), audit manager (2016-2019), and audit staff/senior (2010-2016), after earlier finance roles in the United Kingdom and Ghana. He holds Fellow of the Chartered Certified Account (FCCA) credentials from the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (U.K.) and a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Valley View University in Accra, Ghana. 

As division auditor he will conduct and supervise financial and compliance audits of church entities in the region, strengthen internal controls, mentor finance teams, and help ensure adherence to denominational policies and professional standards in support of mission.

The original version of this story was posted on Adventist News Network.