An institution operated by the North American Division for the training of pastors, seminarians, and laypeople in the art of soul winning. NADEI is located on the campus of Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan, and works in close cooperation with the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary.
The institute was founded in 1979 by the Lake Union Conference, under the direction of Mark Finley. It was known as the Lake Union Soul-winning Institute (LUSI) and was located in Hinsdale, Illinois. Its first facility was provided for only $1 per year and served for the first two and a half years of its existence. In January 1982 three apartment buildings with 12 apartments each were secured in La Grange, Illinois, a Chicago suburb. Five of the apartments were converted to offices and a classroom. The rest of the apartments provided living quarters for students.
On Oct. 12, 1983, the General Conference in Fall Council voted to establish the Lake Union Soul-winning Institute as a North American Division entity beginning Jan. 1, 1984, and the name was changed to reflect its division status. Mark Finley served as director of the Institute until July 1985. Russell Burrill then was appointed director and continues in that position at the time of this writing. In 1993 the staff consisted of five teachers and six supporting staff.
Seminarians had been required to take one quarter of their seminary training at NADEI. Usually this was their final quarter. In an attempt to increase the seminarian’s exposure to evangelism, the NAD, in 1992 year-end meetings, voted for the institute to move to Berrien Springs, Michigan, where the evangelistic program was spread out over the full nine quarters of seminary training. This has resulted in a blending of academics and practics. As a
result, the seminarian is no longer divorced from evangelism during his or her studies.
The institute continues to offer its specialized course to pastors in the field, as well as lay students. It has been authorized by the NAD to issue a Bible instructor’s certificate to laypeople who complete the 30 credits required in the program. In addition, the institute provides a resource center with one of the most complete selections of church growth and evangelistic supplies in the denomination.
Directors: Mark Finley, 1979–1985; Russell Burrill, 1985– .