Over a hundred people comprising church ministers and officials, teachers and evangelists of the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Samoa gathered at the church’s Lalovaea headquarters for a five-day spiritual revival. 

The theme for the five-day gathering which started on 20 January and concluded on Sunday was: “Seeking revival – I will go.”

Some of the guest speakers during the sessions include the Police and Prisons Commissioner, Fuiavaili'ili Egon Keil and his Deputy Commissioners who spoke on the law of the land.

Another speaker was Seiuliali'i Dr. George Tuitama, who did a presentation on mental health.

Newly appointed President of the Samoa and Tokelau Adventist Mission, Pastor Sione Ausage, he said that the gathering is part of a spiritual revival retreat. 

Pr. Ausage succeeds outgoing President, Pastor Lelei Kenneth Fuliese, who is now the appointed American Samoa Mission President. 

The 49-year-old told the Samoa Observer that this year marks the beginning of a new five year leadership within the church, which he added changes every five years. 

The father of seven shared that the purpose of the retreat is to bring all the workers together.

“From the office workers –the headquarter of the church, Adventist Development Relief Agency [A.D.R.A.] Samoa office, church ministers and their wives, mission school teachers and their spouses, literature evangelists, farm workers and janitors we all come together,” Pr. Ausage said.

Furthermore, the President of the Samoa and Tokelau Adventist Mission, explained that every five years there is a strategic plan and a vision of the church.

“There are also objectives, and identified areas where the church gives its priorities.

“It is our responsibility to share this vision with the church, that’s why we have that theme, ‘seeking revival and I will go’ meaning we need to be revived and be renewed first because you cannot go if that experience is not happening to you.

“These plans need to be carried out through our education system, ministry of the church, in the lives of the members so that we all sing one song. 

“And the second one is fellowship, and have one heart in the ministry.”

His mission as the president of the church for the next five years is to focus on the spiritual life of the church.

“We have other commitments, services, ministries of the church – I base my own understanding from Acts 1:8: Jesus said to the disciples, don’t go, you wait for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit so that the spirit come upon you so that you will have power and you will be my witness in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and all parts of the world.

“So with these four dimensions of life, we have the physical, mental, and social, I believe that in terms of churches, when you feel spiritual people will see a spiritual leader, spiritual pastors, spiritual teachers.

“We are being attacked by the devil so many times and no matter what happens, you will find solutions, it’s all to do with your spiritual life.”

One of the outcomes he hopes will be achieved through the gathering is having positive influence by the participants on the church and their families.

He also spoke about climate change and natural disasters and how it continues to be one of the popular topics being discussed today.

“We have been taught by the pioneers of the churches in the past [when] talking about the days of the end or the terms they used ‘the end days’ but I believe that we are living in those days, the prophesized days.

“[According to the bible] in Mathew chapter 24, it talks about the signs of what would happen in the end days, such as illnesses and diseases. [However] the COVID-19 where the [borders] of countries for the first time have closed and many events postponed and cancelled, what does this tell us.

“In the book of Luke, it talks about, when these things happen, you have to lift up your heads because your redemption is near - meaning there should not be any mucking around today, you and I have to prepare for the soon return of Jesus which is why we had this so our workers can be prepared.”