About AYP

MISSION
Adventist Young Professionals exist to foster Christ-centered community through faith development, authentic connections,  and ministry engagement.

VISION
Adventist Young Professionals seeks to be a global network of local communities that unites, engages, and inspires Seventh-day Adventist professionals to glorify God.

VALUES
Adventist Young Professionals values discipleship grounded on growing in faith, living in integrity, and serving in love.

AYP is a 501C3 non-profit organization foundation on the teachings of the Bible and the values of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Below is a brief overview (extracted from Adventist.org) of the values Adventists uphold.

Seventh-day Adventists are a global family of Christians who hold the Bible as the ultimate authority. There are, however, a few distinguishing characteristics that set them apart from many other Christian denominations.

• Adventists look to Jesus Christ alone for salvation.
• Adventists believe the Bible introduces you to God.
• Adventists acknowledge the call to be unique, or “set apart” from the world.
• Adventists uphold the importance of the 4th commandment, the Seventh-day Sabbath, even today.
• Adventists have a rich history, fueled by a renewed emphasis on rigorous Bible study.
  The Adventist Church today believes in action.
• The goal is eternal life with Jesus Christ.

Learn more about Seventh-day Adventists at Adventist.org.

AYP is led by a team of over 50 volunteers passionate about fostering Christ-centered community through faith development, authentic connections,  and ministry engagement. The team is organized into the following ministry teams focused on empowering innovation and ambition in the next generation of our Church’s leaders.

Board of Directors
The Board of Directors is responsible for setting the strategic goals and objectives of Adventist Young Professionals and for selecting leaders and setting organizational governance. The Board is led by the Chairman of the Board who also serves as the President and the Vice Chairman of the Board who also serves as Vice President.

Presidential
The Presidential team is responsible for implementing the strategic goals and objectives set forth by the Board of Directors and oversees the day-to-day operations of the organization. The president’s team is responsible for the success and growth of all other AYP teams.

Finance
The Finance team is responsible for ensuring the financial and operational wellbeing of AYP. Responsibilities include bookkeeping, government relations, budgeting, and legal.

Development
The Development team is responsible for developing new funding opportunities for AYP. They lead the organization’s fundraising, strategic partnerships, sponsorships, and sales.

Human Relations
The Human Relations team is responsible for the recruitment of team members, group leaders, and area coordinators. They manage the onboarding, training, engagement, and – when needed – termination of all AYP personnel. The goal of the Human Relations team is to grow team members for their ministry calling – both within and beyond AYP.

Marketing
The Marketing team is responsible for the image of AYP including advertising, branding, communication, market research, and public relations. This team serves as a resource to AYP’s teams and oversees AYP’s website, social media platforms and branded materials.

Chapters
The chapters team is responsible for strategizing and implementing plans that localize the organization in target cities. The chapters team also helps global leadership to remain in-touch with the perspectives of the organization’s diverse constituents. Responsibilities range from mentoring area coordinators, collaborating with marketing and programming to develop resource packs, and developing relationships with church and community leaders.

Groups
The Groups team is responsible for strategizing and implementing AYP’s virtual events and resources. This team provides structure and resources to the organization’s virtual groups.

Convention
The Convention team is responsible for planning the annual AYP Convention. This team collaborates with all other teams to create an experience that unites and grows AYPers from across the globe as disciples of Christ.

THRIVE: The Next Level
In Proverbs 11:25, we are reminded that “the generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself.” As we generously water this world with the love of Jesus during 2022-2023, we seek to inspire Seventh-day Adventist professionals to THRIVE toward the next level of growing in faith, living in integrity, and serving in love.

Growing in Faith

• Develop relationships with the youth or young adult leadership across the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s divisions, unions, conferences, and churches in order to increase faith development and church involvement of Adventist young adults globally.
• Collaborate with AYPers in population centers to offer 25 ongoing city chapters by June 2023 that host regular in-person activities and collaborates with area churches to  provide AYPers with local communities to deepen their devotion to Jesus
• Collaborate with AYPers across the globe to offer 12 ongoing virtual groups by June 2023 that host regular virtual activities and enables members without access to a local chapter to communally deepen their devotion to Jesus.
• Grow average attendance in chapter and group activities by 5% per month.
• Develop a multimedia collection of resources that equips young professionals’ to thrive to the next level of their faith experience.

Living in Integrity

• Support the expansion of chapters and groups by growing AYP’s email subscriber list (net of new contacts less unsubscribers) by 1.5% per month during the next 12 months.
• Support local churches and ministries as well as young adults seeking Christian community, by sharing their young adult initiatives on the AYP community calendar and showcasing consistent growth in the platform’s utilization.
• Ensure that scholarship funding is available to young professionals seeking to participate in AYP events & gatherings and double scholarship funds awarded from the previous year.
• Ensure financial sustainability by operating a model where revenue exceeds expenses by 10% each year and where donations, grants, sponsorships, and ticket sales generate at least $100,000 in revenue between the 2022 and 2023 conventions.
• Develop, implement, and adapt volunteer engagement strategies that showcases appreciation to volunteers for their dedication to the ministry, increases team comradery, and supports every volunteer as a growing Christian leader.

Serving in Love

• Foster a culture at chapter gatherings and group meetings where non-Adventist friends of AYPers feel welcomed and included and where AYPers are actively inviting their non-Adventist friends to gatherings.
• Support a consistent and ongoing increase in AYPers’ involvement in their local churches by empowering each chapter to partner with 3-5 area churches within the first two quarters following the launch, and actively encourage their members to get involved in these churches.
• Equip members, chapters, and groups to share the gospel through a growing collection of digital resources that are created and adapted to meet the needs of constituents. 
• Train the next generation of Adventist leaders by growing the AYP convention to at least 350 attendees  in 2023 with a 50% return rate of 2022 guests to the 2023 convention.
• Empower creative initiatives of AYPers through grant funds awarded to chapters and groups.