Executive leaders from the Seventh-day Adventist Church and AdventHealth convened for three days at AdventHealth’s annual Conference on Mission to explore two vital topics: sacred rest and integrating faith into the workplace.
During the first day’s keynote address, Dr. David Miller, director of the Princeton University Faith & Work Initiative, inspired attendees to view their workplaces as arenas for sacred opportunities. He challenged them to reflect on innovative ways to incorporate their faith into their professional lives.
“We are called by God, just like those who are ordained. The secular places in which we work are an arena for the sacred.”
With this foundation in mind, Jeffrey Bromme, Esq., executive vice president and chief legal officer at AdventHealth, opened a thought-provoking conversation on the sacredness of Sabbath rest. He identified three key components of the Sabbath: relationship, remembering and reflecting.
In discussing relationship, Bromme emphasized that the Sabbath is fundamentally a day of feasting – filled with music, worship, food, love and friendships. He suggested that this feast is something many in the world may not even realize they crave. “If we tasted just a crumb of Sabbath, would we want more?” he asked.
Regarding remembering, Bromme highlighted that the Sabbath invites us to celebrate the gift of remembrance. “We remember that God has given us all of our days – He has redeemed us,” he said.
In the realm of reflecting, Bromme noted that the Sabbath rest encourages introspection. “The heart of Christ’s healing ministry was soul healing,” he explained. “Physical healings validated His audacious claim of power to heal souls.”
“What does this suggest about AdventHealth’s work?” he asked. “Can our work be more than physical healing? Can our facilities be imbued with the stirring possibility of soul healing? Might it be argued that the Sabbath experience is indispensable to soul healing? And if it is, we must somehow connect Sabbath to our holy work if that work is to be made complete.”
Olesea Azevedo, executive vice president and chief administrative officer at AdventHealth, led the group in a thought-provoking message centered on the essence of stewardship. “A Christian steward is entrusted with what is God’s. He takes up God’s work,” said Azevedo. For those at AdventHealth, she explained, we are stewards of Christ’s healing ministry.
Azevedo acknowledged that the world’s needs can often feel overwhelming. However, we do not have to solve it all. “Jesus didn’t try to be everywhere and everything,” she said. “He focused on being exactly where His father wanted Him to be.”
“At AdventHealth, we are stewards by design. We stand in the perfect heart of Christ and by God’s grace, our imperfection is enough. We ask Christ every day to work in our hearts as we help people feel whole. We often fall short but by God’s grace we also succeed. We were made for this.”
Azevedo challenged the attendees to reflect: How does a glimpse of the perfect heart of Christ call you to do what you aren’t currently doing? And what risks are we willing to take for the world and the people in it by adopting the mindset of constantly looking for the stewardship of moments?
In response to Azevedo and Bromme’s insights, Terry Shaw, president and CEO of AdventHealth, remarked: “If we allow Sabbath and stewardship to be the lens through which we understand and practice leadership, we position ourselves to help people feel whole.”
The conference concluded on Sabbath morning with a beautiful church service that featured uplifting music, inspirational stories from across the AdventHealth system and a moving message from Dr. Ron Smith, DMin, president of the Southern Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.
The musical worship was led by the AdventHealth Orchestra comprised of AdventHealth team members, alongside Take 6, the acclaimed 10-time Grammy-winning vocal group which was formed in 1980 in what is now Oakwood University. In addition to well-known worship music, both groups performed original pieces featured on the newly released AdventHealth album.
In his message, Dr. Smith outlined four pillars of restoration based on the story of Samson from the book of Judges. He emphasized that, just as pillars are central to architecture, these four principles can help us stay focused during challenging times.
The first pillar asserts that each person’s existence is intentional, not accidental. The second pillar highlights that God has a mission for His people. The third pillar explains how God desires His people to function, while the fourth pillar assures us that God is always present with His people.
He concluded by stating that Christ’s healing ministry is fundamentally about restoration. “God can use any willing leaders to restore broken people,” Smith said. “When you lose your commitment to the mission, your heart aches to feel those pillars once more. Don’t lean on the wrong pillars. Lean on Jesus. He is the ultimate restorative pillar.”
