Rick Remmers Elected General Conference Vice President

Rick Remmers was elected a general vice president of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists on Sunday, October 11, during the 2026 Annual Council. The General Conference (GC) Executive Committee voted to elect Remmers, and he will take on his new responsibilities immediately.

Remmers brings more than three decades of pastoral ministry and administrative leadership to the role, having served the Seventh-day Adventist Church at the local church, conference, union, and division levels. Most recently, he has served since January 1, 2022, as assistant to the president of the North American Division (NAD). 

“He is a trustworthy leader who has worked well in every environment where he has served,” shared Erton Köhler, GC president. “I believe his balance, wisdom, and spirit of integration will help us move forward as a united Church, always focused on our mission.”

Leadership Across the Church

As assistant to the NAD president, Remmers has carried responsibilities spanning administration, leadership development, media ministry, and mission initiatives. He currently serves as president of Adventist Media Ministries and chairs the executive committees of Faith for Today, It Is Written, Voice of Prophecy, LifeTalk Radio, and Jesus 101. Remmers additionally serves as adviser for NAD Native Ministries, which supports and coordinates ministry among Indigenous peoples throughout the division. He has also helped coordinate Pentecost 2025 and OneVoice27/All Things New and has provided orientation and professional development for newly elected conference presidents. 

“I have had the privilege and joy of working with Elder Rick Remmers for the past five years. He has made an indelible impact in our division,” reflected G. Alexander Bryant, NAD president. “He is truly a wise and spirit-led leader in God’s Church. I believe God has uniquely shaped him for his new assignment. While he will be a tremendous blessing to the global church, he will be greatly missed in the North American Division. Our prayers go with him as he transitions to his new role.”

A Ministry Rooted in Pastoral Service

Remmers entered pastoral ministry in 1989 in the Ohio Conference, where he served six congregations across three pastoral districts. He later served as senior pastor of the Atholton and Hagerstown Seventh-day Adventist churches and held administrative responsibilities in both the Illinois and Chesapeake conferences. 

In 2011 Remmers was elected president of the Chesapeake Conference, a position he held for nine years. During his tenure, he provided leadership for more than 16,000 members across 99 congregations, along with its pastoral team, schools, educators, and other ministries. His administration also emphasized mission through church planting, evangelistic initiatives, and international mission trips. 

In 2021 Remmers became executive secretary and ministerial director of the Columbia Union Conference, where he worked with the union’s eight conferences and served on several institutional boards. His responsibilities included governance and constitutional work as well as service with Kettering Health, Adventist HealthCare, and Washington Adventist University. 

His experience has also included service on the NAD Executive Committee, GC Executive Committee, Columbia Union Conference Executive Committee, Faith and Science Council, and International Religious Liberty Association, as well as numerous education, healthcare, and media ministry boards. 

“I’ve devoted my life to God’s mission,” Remmers said. “I am honored to continue that calling in service to the world church. I look forward to working alongside church leaders around the world as we remain united in our mission of sharing Jesus.”

Remmers holds a Doctor of Ministry degree from United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio, a Master of Divinity degree from the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary at Andrews University, and a bachelor’s degree in religion from Andrews University, with a minor in business administration. 

He is married to Shayne Remmers, and they have two adult children, Andrew and Kari. 

As a general vice president, Remmers will help lead the worldwide Seventh-day Adventist Church, working alongside GC officers and leaders across the Church’s global regions and institutions to advance its mission.