Erton C. Köhler Delivers First Sermon as New General Conference President

Story by Lauren Davis

Erton Köhler, newly elected president of the General Conference (GC), delivered his first sermon in the role to thousands of listeners at the 62nd GC Session, held at the America's Center in St. Louis, Missouri.

Köhler had been scheduled to preach for months in his role as secretary of the GC and stated at the beginning of the sermon that though his position had shifted less than 24 hours earlier, his message would remain unchanged. 

The title of his message was “Boldness in Mission” and touched on the identity of being a Seventh-day Adventist firmly rooted in the Bible. 

“We preach the book, we teach the book, and by God’s grace, we live according to the book,” Kohler said. 

He emphasized times in the Bible when God called upon His people to take a bold stand for Him. Examples included stories of men from the beginning of the Bible such as Noah, who was called by God to offer salvation to the world. 

Köhler stressed, however, that the most relevant story of boldness is the story of Jesus Christ and the way His life impacted the world. 

The theme of this year’s GC Session is “I Will Go,” prompting Kohler to remind listeners that the work did not finish with Jesus on the cross. It was after the ministry and death of Jesus that He gave the Great Commission to His disciples, described in Matthew 28, to go and make disciples. 

Making reference to the book of Acts, he shared how the Holy Spirit worked through the small group of believers in the early Christian church. 

“The same spirit that opened the doors of expansion for the primitive church will keep the work open for us, the remnant church,” Köhler said. 

Köhler concluded his message by calling every person in the room and watching online to go forward boldly in mission.

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