Updated – 2022.
The Seventh Day Adventist Church runs a democratic system of government which means decisions are made by elected committees through the vote of church members led by the Holy Spirit.
The organization structure of the church:
- General Conference
- Division
- Union Conference/Mission
- Conference/Mission
- District
- Local Church
A President is elected at the General Conference Session every 5 years and presides over the Executive Committee.
Full list of G.C Presidents from 1863 till date with their respective pictures.
1. John Byington
He was the first president of the Seventh Day Adventist Church.
Country: United States
Duration: 1863-1865
2. James Springer White: He was also known as Elder J White and the husband of an Adventist pioneer, Author and prophetess – E.G White
Country: United State
Duration: 1865-1867
3. John N. Andrews -He was elected as the third president of the General Conference in 1867, following John Byington and James White.
Country: United States
Duration: 1867-1869
4. James Springer White– He was re-elected as the president of Seventh Day Adventist church in 1869
Country: United States
Duration: 1869-1871
5. George I Butler- He replaced James White as president of the general conference in 1871
Country:United States
Duration: 1871-1874
6. James Springer White – He returned to the presidency in 1874 to becomes the 6th president of the Seventh Day Adventist Church.
Country: United States
Duration: 1874-1880
7. George I Butler: He resumed the office again in 1880
Country: United States
Duration: 1880-1888
8. Ole A. Oslen: The 1888 General Conference Session elected Olsen as president.
Country: Norway
Duration: 1888-1897
9. George A. Irwin: He was elected President of the General Conference at the General Conference session held in Lincoln, Nebraska
Country: United States.
Duration: 1897-1901
10. Arthur G. Daniells: He happened to be the longest serving president of the Seventh Day Adventist Church.
Country: United States
Duration: 1901-1922
11. Williams A. Spicer: With the experience acquired as General Conference Secretary, Spicer was elected as president of the Seventh Day Adventist Church during the 1922 General Conference session
Country: United States
Duration: 1922-1930
12. Charles H. Watson: From 1922- 1926, he served as vice-president and associate treasurer of the General Conference of Seventh-Day Adventist. He returned to North America in 1930 to attend the General Conference Session, where he was elected President of the General Conference
Country: Australia
Duration: 1930-1936
13. James L. McElhany
Duration: 1936-1950
14. William Henry Branson: He was elected as president of the Seventh Day Adventist Church in 1950.
Country: United States
Duration: 1950-1954
15. Reuben Richard Figuhr:15th President of the General Conference of the Seventh Day Adventist Church
Country: United States
Duration: 1954-1966
16. Robert H.Pierson: Pierson was the third-longest serving president of the General Conference of the Seventh Day Adventist Church
Country: United States
Duration: 1966-1979
17. Neal C.Wilson:
Country: United States
Duration: 1979-1990
18. Robert S Folkenberg:
Country: Puerto Rico
Duration: 1990-1999
19. Jan Paulsen: 19th President of the General Conference of Seventh day Adventist Church
Country:Norway
Duration: 1999-2010
20. Ted N.C. Wilson: He is the current president of the General Conference of the Seventh Day Adventist Church
Country: United States
Duration: 2010- Till Date
List of Adventist Institutions in Nigeria and Their Addresses updated
nice collection, am happy to see the face of seventh day adventist leaders
Where are Africans in your leadership from the time of missionary 1906 in Kenya in particular. I may not know other African countries when white missionary arrived in their Nations.In Kenya at Rapedhi it came 1926 before migrating to Kendu Bay where it has established publishing house. I have only seen Americans in the top leadership since 1863 with only 3 Non Americans( 2 Norwegian and a Puerto Ricoan ) No African,South American ,Asian no Jewish Israelite etc.Let the church bring abouy policies which can help build wealth creation with intention of reducing poverty in Africa because the church has become an equal employer. This can be done by better policies from the helm of the church eg projects and programmes meant to curb poverty in Rural African missions conferences and divisions.
An African should become the next president because we all own the church, soon christ may return.James Onyendi
Is color and race a requirement for serving the Lord? How about Asians?
Surely we have nothing to fear for the future ,unless we forget how the LORD GOD has led us in the past.
All old, white males! That is what is so wrong with this line-up. Not representative of the church at all!
Have you asked also why there are no Asians? Why think only of your race or color?
Fair point. But maturity is necessary.
after going through the past and present SDA presidents ,i realise that there have never been an African eleted at the helme of SDA why.?
Nice one , how I wish to be the first Adventist from Africa to be the General conference president.
I’m really privileged to be a Seventh-day Adventist.
Would like to learn more about Biography of SDA president and achievement
How I wish to see any black person to be a general conference president in the near future