Adventists in Australia and the Pacific

Abstract

This chapter briefly explores the development, expansion, and current state of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Pacific. Adventists quickly established a presence in Australia and New Zealand that now provides a base for mission in the wider Pacific. Polynesia and Melanesia, however, presented considerable challenges to Adventist missionaries. A failure to adequately contextualize and adapt strategies of mission was a significant factor in the slow progress of Adventism in Polynesia. Much faster membership growth occurred in Melanesia, where schools became the opening wedge for mission and more contextualized strategies were adopted. The church’s Adventist Development and Relief Agency is strongly involved in community development projects throughout the Pacific.