Caribbean Union Secretary Calls Church to Measure Growth by Discipleship
Pastor Johnson Frederick challenged the Church to measure growth beyond baptisms and membership figures. His report emphasized discipleship, member engagement, and intentional pastoral care, reminding delegates that every statistic represents a life to be known, loved, and spiritually nurtured.
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MARACAS VALLEY, Trinidad — The true measure of church growth is not found solely in baptisms or membership records, but in lives transformed through discipleship and active participation in the mission of the Church. That message formed the heart of the quinquennial report presented by Caribbean Union Conference Executive Secretary Pastor Johnson Frederick during the Union's 18th Session.
Presenting an overview of the Secretariat's work from 2021 to 2025, Pastor Frederick challenged delegates to look beyond numerical growth and embrace a deeper understanding of mission.
"Growth must not be measured solely by baptisms or reported membership, but by sustained engagement, disciple formation, and active participation in the life and mission of the Church."
That philosophy guided one of the most significant initiatives undertaken during the quinquennium—a comprehensive membership reconciliation and audit across the Caribbean Union. Designed to strengthen the integrity of membership records, the initiative sought to determine not only who appears on church records, but also who is actively engaged in the life of the Church, who has transferred, who is unable to attend, and whose whereabouts remain unknown.
Of the Union's membership of 231,312, approximately 74,190 members have been assessed through the audit process. The findings revealed that 34,364 members, or 46 percent, are actively engaged, while 39,826, or 54 percent, are not. The audit also identified 1,647 shut-in members requiring intentional pastoral care and 13,602 members whose whereabouts could not be confirmed.
"Each number represents a person who must be known, loved, and spiritually nurtured by the Church," Frederick emphasized, describing the findings as an opportunity to strengthen pastoral care, member retention, and discipleship throughout the Caribbean Union.
The report also celebrated continued evangelistic growth during the quinquennium. Between 2021 and 2025, the Caribbean Union recorded 19,424 baptisms, including 18,918 first-time baptisms and 506 re-baptisms. The South Caribbean Conference and Guyana Conference together contributed nearly 40 percent of all baptisms recorded during the period, while the East Caribbean Conference, St. Lucia Mission, Tobago Conference, South Leeward Conference, North Caribbean Conference, Grenada Conference, St. Vincent and the Grenadines Mission, and Suriname Mission all recorded encouraging evangelistic gains.
At the end of 2025, the Caribbean Union recorded 231,312 members worshipping in 738 congregations—681 organized churches and 57 companies—representing a net increase of 33 congregations during the reporting period. Across a population of approximately 4.1 million people, the Union now maintains approximately one Seventh-day Adventist member for every 19 residents.
Among the notable organizational developments highlighted in the report was the organization of the Tobago Mission into conference status on November 20, 2023. Pastor Vishnu Persad was elected the first president of the newly organized Tobago Conference, with Pastor Martin Cunningham as secretary and Sister Kerene Horsford-Nero as treasurer.
Pastor Frederick also highlighted the Caribbean Union's strong institutional presence through its network of 39 primary schools and 14 secondary schools, serving more than 9,500 students across the territory. The report further celebrated the Secretariat's achievement of an "Approved with Excellence" rating following a comprehensive evaluation by the General Conference and Inter-American Division Secretariat Offices, while the Union's Records Center received accreditation for exceeding established standards.
Executive secretaries and administrative assistants from across the Union were recognized at the close of the presentation for achieving key administrative milestones during the quinquennium.
Concluding his report, Pastor Frederick reminded delegates that the Church's mission extends beyond maintaining records or celebrating growth. Every baptism, every congregation, and every statistic ultimately represents lives entrusted to God's care. He challenged the Church to continue building communities of faithful disciples, ensuring that growth is measured not only by those who enter the Church but also by those who remain engaged in its life and mission.