Andrews Hosts Business Teachers Conference

Themed "Adapting to a Changing World: Challenges for Small Businesses"

The conference took place from June 29–July 3, 2025. (Photo by Jeff Boyd)

The biennial Seventh-day Adventist Business Teachers Conference took place on the campus of Andrews University from June 29 to July 3. Themed “Adapting to a Changing World: Challenges for Small Businesses,” the conference featured plenary presentations, worship sessions and group discussions with participants from around the world. Guests had the opportunity to participate in person or attend the sessions online via Zoom.

Created in the early 2000s, this year marked the 13th iteration of the conference, and it was well attended by educators from the Adventist community. According to Lucile Sabas, coordinator for the conference and associate professor of finance and economics at Andrews, attendees represented 18 different academic institutions across 10 countries. Sabas attributed the high rates of international attendees to the 62nd General Conference Session in St. Louis, which started the same day the Adventist Business Teachers Conference ended.

“The objective of this conference is to gather together Adventist business teachers for them to create networks and exchange their research to learn from one another,” said Sabas, sharing that having a diverse and well-represented group of attendees was important. “It’s so rewarding and exciting to see all these business teachers gathering together, and they get to know each other, what they are working on, and learn from one another.”

As various aspects of the business world are consistently reshaped by new technologies and other societal forces, this conference presented excellent opportunities for some of Adventism’s best business educators to interact with one another. Not only were participants able to take part in professional development ahead of the 2025–2026 school year, but they also were equipped to engage with the developing business world as innovators and entrepreneurs.

The first plenary session took place on June 30 and was presented by Nelu Burcea, who at the time served as director of communication and Public Affairs and Religious Liberty (PARL) for the Adventist church in Romania and has since been elected to serve as director of PARL for the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. Under the topic “Moral Markets,” Burcea emphasized the need for the protection and preservation of moral values when operating in the business world. He reflected on the sentiment of “being in the world” while not being aligned with it, as found in the biblical text John 15.

Subsequent plenaries, presentations and group discussions covered social and ethical matters of doing business. Matias Soto, director of Andrews Innovation, spoke about using God-given creativity and innovation to become market leaders and to set the standard for ethical and successful business practices. Michael Cafferky, author of several books on doing business and management with biblical principles, discussed his personal journey of discovering how to best intersect faith and entrepreneurship.

Several presentations discussed the value of having products and employees that represent a wide range of cultures and demographics, sharing that diversity and inclusivity can help a business appeal to a larger pool of clientele. Other presentations covered the topic of artificial intelligence, as it has seen a sharp increase in societal usage and practical application in countless industries over recent years.

International markets were heavily featured throughout the conference. Perla Atweh, accountant and lecturer at Middle East University in Lebanon, spoke about the opportunities that new technologies are providing for small businesses in the country’s public sector. Josephine Ganu, director of research and grants at Adventist University of Africa, presented a qualitative study that explored religious beliefs and trends pertaining to small business entrepreneurs in Ghana.

Ultimately, the conference helped equip educators with tools to strengthen their students for various tasks within the business world. Sabas shared, “We are contributing to prepare young people all over the world to be professionals. Many of them are working for the church, but not all of them. What we have learned is that the students that we are preparing for the secular world are doing a tremendous job.”

Sabas concluded that the continuation of the conference will help ensure “that we are making a contribution, and a good impact, a positive impact on our society.”

To learn more about Andrews University’s School of Business Administration, please visit their webpage.