The Iowa-Missouri Conference and the Central States Conference have united in spirit and mission to have a major community and evangelistic impact in the city of St. Louis in 2025 and beyond. One of the major catalysts for this renewed fervor and energy is that the General Conference, North American Division, and Mid-America Union are all providing extra funding to implement these initiatives because of the upcoming General Conference Session that will be held in St. Louis, Missouri, July 3-12, 2025.
One of the initiatives that will impact the city will be Pathway To Health. This spring the St. Louis Convention Center, former home of the St. Louis Rams NFL team, will be transformed into a hospital from May 4-9. Volunteers from the St. Louis churches, the community, and Seventh-day Adventists from around the country will come together there to provide healthcare and other services to the people of St. Louis. There will be dental services, vision services, and general medical services provided for anyone who needs it–all without cost.
St. Louis, like any major urban center, has thousands who are underserved and under-privileged especially when it comes to their health. So this will impact thousands of people who may not have health insurance and have never been able to get the proper medical, dental and vision services. In addition, Pathway to Health chairperson Kathy Proffitt and the executive director Vinette Dye are clear that the ultimate goal is to bring the good news of the saving power of Jesus Christ to the city.
Therefore, all the St. Louis Seventh-day Adventist churches will have the opportunity to be Health Information Centers, where follow-up from this powerful week will take place. For those who need medical follow-up or nutrition classes, for those who need to pick up their free prescription glasses that were ordered during that week, for those who desired to have grief counseling or support groups, for those who also had a desire to deepen their relationship with God through Bible studies—the local churches will provide those services. In addition, the two major evangelistic series that will take place in June by Breath of Life Ministries and the General Conference will be a tremendous blessing to those who want to give their hearts to God, after being blessed in the other areas of their lives. The intent and goal of Jesus was never to simply heal the body, but to heal the soul, to forgive sins, and bring salvation to all.
An appeal is needed for 1,000 total volunteers from both the Central States and Iowa-Missouri conferences to provide care and guidance during that week. Because it will take approximately 3-4 hours for an attendee to go through this temporary hospital in the Convention Center, that individual will be connected many times with various volunteers along their journey. Our prayer is that the impact on the lives and welfare of the participants will be so great, and that they will be so richly blessed, that their responses will be, “What must I do to be saved?” And the plan is for us to be ready to lead them to a saving and deep relationship with Jesus.
There are other major initiatives, if funded by the North American Division, that will have a lasting impact for God in the city of St. Louis. Some such as Project Renovate will focus on restoring homes in the city for people who do not have the financial means to do it themselves. The School of Evangelism will be for those who are willing to be volunteer Bible workers in the city and continue witnessing after all the General Conference programs are finished. And a Mobile Medical Clinic for the greater St. Louis metro area, will continue to serve the community long term after the Pathway to Health one-week event has concluded.
To win the city of St. Louis for Jesus, all of the pastors, members and conference leaders will have times of earnest corporate prayer and devotions to ready themselves for the task at hand. One person said many years ago—His name was Jesus—that we need to work now while it is day, because the night is coming when no man or woman will be able to work. By God’s grace, not by our might nor our power, but by His Spirit, let’s take the city of St. Louis for Jesus in 2025.
Cryston Josiah is vice president of administration for the Central States Conference.
To learn about other initiatives in St. Louis watch this video from Adventist Mission:
