Conference for Adventist Mission in Orthodox Cultures
26-28 November, 2024
in historic Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Join together with pastors, elders, church members, professors and students for this global conference to create greater missional awareness, build relationships across multiple countries, develop resources, and be a platform to plant new groups.
Registration
Rooms -
Single - €390, full board per person(3 meals included)
Double - €295, full board per person (3 meals included)
We are happy to inform you that registration is now open!
Registration deadline: 8 October 2024
Accommodation and Board
Hotel Imperial Plovdiv
6 Lev Tolstoy Street Plovdiv, 4017 Bulgaria.
Tel. +359 32 600730
Part of the Radisson Hotels - www.radissonhotels.com
Please book through the Conference registration portal
Spouses and Children
You are welcome to bring your spouse as we have reserved double rooms too, so please indicate your preference while registering. There are only a couple of family rooms, and you would need to contact us privately and in advance. Family members will be charged an amount per day for meals (babies excluded) and any additional costs including flight tickets, airport transfers, additional rooms, etc are your responsibility.
If you would like to bring your children, please note that unfortunately there will be no supervision provided for children.
Travel Information
The Conference starts on Tuesday morning 26th November 2024.
It is advisable that you arrive the day before, Monday 25th November.
The Conference will conclude on Thursday 28th November at 14:30.
Participants choosing to stay an extra night after the Conference conludes, Thursday night and depart Friday can do so making prior arrangements themselves with the hotel . Please note that the costs for the extra night including dinner will be the sole responsibility of the participant.
Airport shuttle buses from and to Sophia airport will be available for all participants (please discuss with your local field regarding costs).
*For departure, please allow 4 hours for transfers and airport check-in.
Conference Programme
Our Speakers
Daniel Duda
President of the Trans-European Division (TED)
Daniel DUDA was elected the Trans-European Division president on 8th June 2022 at the GC session in St Louis.
Previously he has served as the Field Secretary and the Adventist Mission Director since 2015. He has been the Education Director at the Trans-European Division in St Albans, England since 2005. Between 2005 and 2015 he was also the Ministerial Secretary of the Division.
When he left Newbold for the TED in 2005, he was a Principal Lecturer in Biblical & Systematic Theology in the Department of Theological Studies at Newbold College of Higher Education in Bracknell. His doctorate in Biblical Theology is from Andrews University.
Eugene Zaitsev
Professor of Theology, Zaoksky Adventist University in Russia (ESD)
PhD (Andrews University, Berrien Springs, MI), MD (Gorky Medical School, Russia), MPH (Loma Linda University, CA).
Professor of Theology department of Zaoksky Adventist University, Russia. Biblical Research Committee coordinator for the Euro-Asia Division. Responsible for the ESD Bible Translation Institute.
The president of Zaoksky Theological Seminary and Zaoksky Christian Institute of Humanities and Economics (Russia) in 2000 – 2009.
Author of many books (in Russian) and more than 150 articles on Theology and Church history.
Zelimir Stanic
Executive Secretary, Communications Director of the South East European Union Conference and Lecturer at Belgrade Theological Seminary (SEEUC)
During his twenty years of ministerial service, Zelimir has served in various roles across three different countries and two divisions.
The fourth generation of Adventists on his father's side and the "twentieth" generation of Orthodox Christians on his mother's side.
Married to Maria, father of Rachel and Isaac.
Mario Brito
President of the Inter-European Division (EUD)
Has served in Portugal from 1981 to 2006 as Bible teacher, church pastor, field director, and union president.
In 2006, Mario Brito transitioned to Bern to serve in the EUD as the Stewardship, Global Mission, Sabbath School, and Personal Ministries Departments director. From July 2010 until July 2015, he was the EUD Chaplaincy Director and Ministerial Association Secretary. He has served as EUD President since the GC Session in San Antonio, in 2015.
He is happily married to Maria José, with whom he has served in ministry for over 43 years. They have an adult daughter.
Sylvia Mendez
Women's Ministries Director of the Australian Union Conference (SPD)
Sylvia is a pastor currently serving as Women’s Ministries Director, and overseeing Seeds of Faith and The Worship Project for the Australian Union Conference.
She’s passionate about authentic relationships and creating safe spaces where connection and stories can be shared.
She loves God and having experienced His transforming grace in her life is inspired to see this reality in the lives of others. When she isn’t with people, you will find her writing or reading.
Božidar Mihajlović
President of the Bosnia & Herzegovina Conference (SEEUC)
My life’s mission is to expand God’s kingdom. I’ve pursued this by planting new churches that demonstrate God’s love to the world, through the volunteer environmental project "Let’s Do It".
Thousands of volunteers plant trees and clean up waste sites each year, through the "Meal of Love" soup kitchen, which provides free meals to 800 people daily, and through the social enterprise "Being Human," which collects, reuses, and recycles old clothing while employing 15 socially vulnerable individuals.
My current mission is to transform churches in Bosnia and Herzegovina into centers of influence, revealing the loving character of our Heavenly Father to the world.
Giannis Samaras
Pastor of Thessaloniki church and two churches in the region of Macedonia (Katerini and Nigrita) in Northern Greece (GM)
I studied at the New York College in Greece making my foundation preparation for Newbold College where I studied Humanities (Psychology, History, Sociology and Islam).
I accomplished my BA in Theology at Newbold College where I continued my MA studies in Systematic Theology. I am now in the process of finishing my MA Thesis.
My academic interest is in Theology, History, Psychology and Philosophy.
I love to work in the ministry especially by discovering new and fresh information and ideas and to share it with my fellow believers.
I am married to Geraldine and we have two daughters.
Daniel Popa
I am a pastor in Romania in the Radovanu district for three churches and two groups in Călărași and Giurgiu Counties (EUD)
I studied in Bucharest at the Orthodox Theological Institute and then at the Adventist Theological Institute. I have a master's degree in education from the University of Montemorelos, Mexico.
After converting to the Adventist Church, I wanted to bring the truth to the surface in such a way that Orthodox Christians would also understand the difference between truth and untruth.
I am married to Eleonora and we have two children, a boy and a girl. I can happily say that the boy, Emanuel serves as a pastor in the Adventist Church here in Romania.
Bogdan Andrei
Pastor in Romania (EUD)
He was born in an Orthodox family in Romania. His natural inclination together with his childhood context guided him to a priestly career in the Orthodox Church.
He graduated from the Orthodox Secondary school for future priests and then the Faculty of Orthodox Theology in Bucharest. In 2001, he was ordained a priest and served in this position until 2005. In 2007, he first encountered the Adventist message and converted in 2011.
He started his Theology studies from scratch at the Adventist Theology Faculty in Cernica, graduating in 2019. At the same time, he also completed a master's degree in history at the University of Bucharest and a master's degree in theology at Andrews University.
He is currently a doctoral student in Theology at the University of Bucharest.
He is married and the father of two wonderful boys.
Laurentiu Nistor
Laurentiu Gabriel Nistor is a pastor and a lecturer in Romania (EUD)
He has been lecturing at Adventus University in Cernica, Romania, where he teaches Missiology, Church Growth, Missionary Methods and Homiletics since 2006.
He is passionate about the Christian mission to its frontiers and, having many educators in his family, he upholds that the Great Comission focuses on education as the primary means of discipling.
He has been leading the Eastern Christianity Study Center at Adventus University since its inception, in 2011, at Adventus University, with the support of the General Conference and Inter-European Division.
Through practical research, field studies, and mission, the work of Laurentiu at this center has contributed to the contextualization of the Advent Message in the Christian East in spreading the Gospel both at home in Christian lands, but also to the ends of the earth.
Mitko Dimitrov
Mitko Dimitrov has been a church pastor for over 35 years in Bulgaria (EUD)
He holds a Doctorate degree in Christian Ethics from St. Cyril and Methodius University of Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria. His academic interests include Theology and Literature.
He is the author of 5 books and co-author of 150th Anniversary of the First Translation of the Bible in Contemporary Bulgarian Project.
He is married to Dimitrinka, and has two daughters, Elena and Stanislava.
Paulo Macedo
Communications and PARL Departmental Director (EUD)
He has a degree in International Relations, Diplomacy, and a Masters in Strategic Communication.
He served in the Portuguese Union as editor and director of the publishing house, radio information editor, and director of the Education and Religious Freedom and Public Affairs Departments.
From 2006 to 2021 he served as the Secretary General of the Portuguese section of the International Association for the Defense of Religious Liberty and participated for eight years in the Working Group for Interreligious Dialogue in Portugal.
Since 2021, in addition to being Departmental Director at the EUD, he has also been the Secretary General of the AIDLR and the Association's representative at the United Nations, the European Union and the Council of Europe. He is the editor of the magazine “Conscience and Liberty”.
Milen Georgiev
President of the Bulgarian Union of churches (EUD)
Milen Georgiev is a pastor and has served in ministry since 1997. In 2010 he became the Union secretary and in 2021 the Union president.
He has an MA in "Religion and Education" (Orthodox education) from Sofia Universtiy.
His passion is encouraging people to turn to God and serve Him. Motivating churches for consecration and organized ministry is what brings him a great sense of achievement.
He is married to Rositsa and has one daughter.
Book
“Adventism Meets Eastern Orthodoxy: Historical, Theological, and Missional Bridges”
Purpose of the Book:
A forthcoming resource with contributors from multiple countries co-edited by Tihomir Lazic and Anthony WagenerSmith. This publication will explore the historical, cultural, and theological bridges between Adventism and Eastern Orthodoxy for developing missiological approaches in Orthodoxy majority cultures and diaspora groups.
This resource positions Adventism theologically and practically in relation to over 300 million Eastern Orthodox believers, highlighting both obstacles and opportunities in fostering a meaningful and fruitful missional engagement.
Research
The Institute of Church Ministry at Andrews University, with the support of the Office of Adventist Mission, will be launching a first-of-its-kind research project together with church fields to evaluate the experiences of Adventist believers in Orthodoxy contexts.
More information to follow.....