Fourth of July in France: Educating for Mission

France is an unusual place to be celebrating America’s Independence Day. And yet on July 4, the Collonges Adventist University (Campus Adventiste du Salève) dining room was decked out in Stars and Stripes, serving hot dogs and veggie burgers.

G. Alexander Bryant, president of the North American Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, gave the blessing as educators from across the NAD, Trans-European Division, Inter-European Division, Middle East University, and the Ukrainian Union Conference gathered for the 2024 Higher Education Council “Educating for Mission” Conference. Following in the steps of John N. Andrews, educators listened to presentations on Adventist education’s history, financial models, resources, and mission.

Another highlight included the Ukrainian Union presentation on “Educating in a Crisis,” delivered by the Ukrainian Adventist Center of Higher Education president and union education director, who had traveled three days in uncertain conditions to attend the conference. Leisa Standish, NAD Adventist Education director for Elementary and Curriculum, and Paola Oudri, associate director of the Adventist Learning Community, gave presentations on distinctly Adventist digital resources and curriculum developed by the NAD that is available for free to the global Adventist education system.

“These resources are greatly valued because in many areas our educators don’t have the resources to create uniquely Adventist course materials,” Standish explained. “In the past, these were only available in expensive textbooks that were difficult to update and distribute, but now the NAD is making them available globally through a digital format. It is one of the ways the NAD supports the global Adventist education ministry,” she added.

Collonges Adventist University coordinated the event and hosted the educators, providing tours of Reformation sites and early Adventist pioneers; stylish accommodations in the dorms overlooking Lake Geneva; convention rooms; and meals that seemed to be enjoyed by all.

University president Jean Philippe Lehmann gave tours of the interactive museum full of fascinating artifacts and the history of the university, including the Nazi occupation and French resistance. The General Conference Office of Adventist Education, led by Lisa Beardsley-Hardy, organized the conference, which was highly praised by attendees.

Bryant, who challenged attendees to continue the vision through his devotional on the primacy of education, which is the distinctive mission inspired by Adventist forebearers, shared his thoughts about the conference: “I was deeply inspired by what God is doing through our higher educational system around the world. From listening to the consistency of purpose and objectives, it is abundantly evident that a divine hand is leading this church in providing a system to prepare our students to reach the world for Jesus.”

The original version of this story was posted on the North American Division news site.