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United 'Christ
133rd Annual Statistical Report 1995
General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists 12501 Old Columbia Pike • Silver Spring, Maryland 20904-6600 Compiled by Office of Archives and Statistics • R. William Cash, Director STATISTICAL REPORT of Seventh-day Adventist Conferences, Missions, and Institutions Throughout the World for the Year Ending December 31, 1995
A WORD ABOUT THIS REPORT
Evangelism Brings Growth.—The Seventh-day Adventist Church hundreds of these offices is crucial and deeply appreciated. We give a continued to grow during 1995, culminating with a membership total of heartfelt "Thank You" to each of you who contributed to this report of the nearly 9 million. The number of organized churches surpassed 40,000 as Lord's work. more than 1,400 new congregations were organized. Other signs of growth may be seen in these pages. A Standard List of Countries.—At the end of World War If the Church's leaders recognized the need of a standard fist of geographical A New Look.—For the first time in many years, the "Annual Statistical and political divisions of the world for the purposes of reporting growth Report" has a new appearance. The new size (8 1/2 x 11 inches), which statistically. The 1946 General Conference Session approved the list makes it easier to file or transport, was achieved without reducing type appearing in the World Almanac and The Statemen's Yearbook. Then on size. Another new feature this year is the Table of Contents also appearing August 31, 1955, the General Conference Committee voted to use the on this page. We hope you find this report easier to use. The logo used on United Nations list of countries and areas of the world with the the cover this year commemorates the 1995 General Conference Session. understanding that because the SDA Church does not involve itself in Another change which is not as obvious is the change made in the political affairs, the reader would attach no special significance to the reference authority for the languages reported in the "Annual Statistical presence of certain names in the list or the absence of others. The United Report." Beginning in 1995, the languages listed are based on Ethnologue, Nations list has been used ever since. which is updated every four years, replacing Peopiesfile Index, whose last publication in 1986 was the final edition. Special Situations.—Each year special circumstances cause The reorganization and transfer of the Middle East Union from an irregularities in church statistics. Examples are: attached status into the Euro-Africa and Trans-European Divisions, • Severe devaluations in Mexico, Venezuela, and several other approved by the General Conference Session in Utrecht, Netherlands, is countries reduced the value of financial statistics when expressed in reflected in this report. Other changes which were effective as of January US dollars. 1, 1996 will be reflected in the 1996 report. • A change in the manner in which certain funds (i.e., Ingathering or A clarification in the status of the Union of Churches was made in 1995, Retirement Fund Contributions) are reported by various fields results with the result that they are included with the Local Conferences and in significant increases or decreases from the report of the previous Missions rather than with the Union Conferences and Missions when year. categorized for the General Survey of Organizations (page 4) and • Historically several unions and local fields in the Trans-European Summary of Seventh-day Adventist World Statistics (page 52). These Division have not reported offerings to Other General Conference tables have been corrected historically in order to be consistent with this Funds (pages 28-31, column 11); the funds reported in this category change. by these organizations in 1995 were received as "Hands Across the World" offering only. The Product of Many.--A report of this magnitude is the product of a • The transfer of the Middle East Union from an attached union status vast team effort. We pay tribute to the thousands of local church clerks to inclusion within the Euro-Africa and Trans-European Divisions and treasurers whose work is the basis for these statistics. Their reports accounts for some of the growth seen in these divisions. are compiled and augmented at the local field and again at the union and division levels. The efforts of the secretariat and treasury staffs in R. William Cash
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Sessions of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists 3 Health-Care Institutions 7 Scheduled Meetings 3 Publishing 7 Officers of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists 3 Denominational Workers Classified by Credentials Carried 1996 7 Accessions 4 General Statistics by Divisions for 1995 8 4 Church Membership by World Divisions Institutional Statistics for 1995 32 General Survey of Organizations 4 Section I—Educational Institutions 32 General and Institutional Workers 4 Summary of Institutions 4 Section II—Food industries 36 Regular New Workers Accepting Calls Outside the Home Division 4 Section III---Healt-Care Institutions 36 lithe and Offerings 5 Section 1V—Publishing Houses 42 Tithe and Offerings 1995 5 Adventist Development and Relief Agency international (ADRA) 43 Food Industries 5 Global Mission 45 Denominational Assets and Net Worth 1994 5 The Church's Presence, Outreach, and Mission 45 5 Denominational Assets Table 1—ConfjMiss Where Each Church Serves More Than One Million Persons .. 45 Women's Ministries 1995 5 Countries and Areas Where SDA Work is Not Currently Established 46 Sabbath School/Personal Ministries 6 Table 2—Countries and Areas of the World 47 Education 6 Denominational Workers Classified by Type of Employment 1995 6 Languages and Dialects in which SDA Publications Are Now in Print 50 Youth 7 Summary of Seventh-day Adventist World Statistics 52 Children's Ministries 7 A General Survey of Statistical and Financial Summaries Over A Period of Years .... 53 Broadcast and Bible School Ministries 7 Total lithe and Offerings from Date of Organization to the Present Time 54