About ASI Scandinavia
Adventist-laymen’s Services & Industries (ASI) is a membership-based organization of Seventh-day Adventist laypeople who are enthusiastic about sharing Christ. ASI Scandinavia is a part of a worldwide movement, comprised of unique and diverse group of thousands of members, ranging from business owners to individual professionals to supporting ministries. In short, ASI members are Adventists from every walk of life. ASI Scandinavia also include an important and large group of young people, who can qualify for student membership, thus wishing to inspire and encourage young people to aim high in their educational and occupational pursuits of life.
ASI’s philosophy promotes a Christ-centered lifestyle, manifested by a commitment to be in daily partnership with God. ASI members seek to experience God’s love in their own lives and share that love with the people they encounter in their everyday work and activities—hence ASI’s motto, Sharing Christ in the Marketplace. Furthermore, ASI is committed to supporting the Seventh-day Adventist Church through its members various outreach programs; which include health, education, evangelism, community services, family concerns and special projects.
The vision of ASI Scandinavia is to see a thriving network of ministries, businesses and lay-people in Scandinavia that share Christ in the marketplace.
Early History
ASI’s history is rooted in Madison College, an Adventist self-supporting institution established in 1904 near Nashville, Tennessee, USA, by E.A. Sutherland and Percy Magan. As Madison expanded it began to plant satellite schools and institutions around the country. In 1947 under the General Conference guidance these self-supporting entities formed the Association of Seventh-day Adventist Self-Supporting Institutions, or ASI. At the time, ASI members were educational or health outfits. Over the years however, ASI membership began to include businesses and Adventist entrepreneurs and professionals. Thus in 1979, to better reflect ASI’s diverse membership, the organization’s name was changed to Adventist-laymen’s Services & Industries.
In Europe the first ASI chapter was formed 1983 in Great Britain, followed by several other European national chapters. These national chapters are all autonomous, with their own boards, constitutions, programs and meetings. Through a desire for more fellowship and cooperation ASI Europe were established in 1998 as an umbrella organization for the many national chapters that today cover most of Europe.
Scandinavian History
ASI Scandinavia was established in 2008 and is a member of ASI Europe. After a slow start the joint cooperation of many ministries and laypeople in 2012 saw a very successful youth conference take place at Ekebyholm over New Year under the name IMPACT Scandinavia. Through 2013 the momentum of the conference grew into a desire to strengthen ASI Scandinavia and it’s mission and have cumulated in jointly organizing the first annual ASI Convention in 2013.
The mission of ASI Scandinavia is to inspire and equip youth and adults alike to share Christ as laymen and business owners.
The Purpose of ASI Scandinavia
Motivate members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church who are self-employed, private business owners or non-profit organization managers in harmony with the goals and values of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, to cooperate with each other and with the entities of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and to work in harmony with and for the benefit of the Church in fulfilling its gospel commission and thus support the spreading of the Adventist message.
Strengthen the effectiveness of individuals and organizations in their work and credible Christian testimony by facilitating the exchange of information, providing inspiration, motivation and the coordination of goals and programs as well as the experience of Christian fellowship.
Inspire, encourage, counsel and support young people to become active in the Seventh-day Adventist Church, as missionaries, ministry workers, professionals, business owners, etc. and to encourage them to seek missionary training and higher education.