| Ted N. C. Wilson | |
| Office: | 20th President of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists |
| Term Start: | June 23, 2010 |
| Predecessor: | Jan Paulsen |
| Office2: | Vice President of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists |
| Term Start2: | August 2000 |
| Term End2: | June 23, 2010 |
| Office3: | President of the Euro-Asia Division of Seventh-day Adventists |
| Term Start3: | 1992 |
| Term End3: | 1996 |
| Spouse: | Nancy Wilson |
| Birth Date: | 10 May 1950 |
| Birth Place: | Takoma Park, Maryland |
| Nationality: | American |
| Alma Mater: | New York University, Loma Linda University School of Public Health, Andrews University, Washington Adventist University |
| Profession: | Pastor |
| Parents: | Neal C. Wilson and Elinor E. Wilson |
Theodore Norman Clair "Ted N. C." Wilson (born May 10, 1950) is an ordained minister of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and currently serves as the President of the General Conference, the governing organization of the worldwide Seventh-day Adventist Church. He was first elected for the period 2010-2015,[1] [2] and was reelected for the period 2015-2020.[3] During the 61st General Conference Session, on June 6, 2022, he was once again elected as president a term that would extend until the year 2025 (up to the next General Conference Session).[4] He was chosen as one of the General Vice Presidents of the Adventist Church in 2000 during the General Conference Session in Toronto.[5] His 36 years of denominational service include administrative and executive roles in the Mid-Atlantic United States, Africa, and Russia. Wilson is the son of former General Conference President Neal C. Wilson, who served in the position from 1979 to 1990.
Wilson was born in Takoma Park, Maryland, on May 10, 1950, to Neal C. Wilson (GC president: 1979–1990) and Elinor E. Wilson. He and his wife, Nancy Louise Vollmer Wilson, have three daughters (Emile Louise, Elizabeth Esther, and Catherine Anne) and eleven grandchildren.[6]
Wilson's education includes his receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree (religion and business administration) from Columbia Union College (now Washington Adventist University); a Master of Science degree (public health) from Loma Linda University; a Master of Divinity degree from Andrews University, and a Doctor of Philosophy degree (religious education) from New York University.[7]
An ordained minister, Wilson began his church career in 1974 as a pastor in the Greater New York Conference and later as assistant director and director of Metropolitan Ministries there (1976–1981). He then worked in the Africa-Indian Ocean Division of the SDA Church (Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire) until 1990, serving as a departmental director and later as executive secretary. After a two-year term as an associate secretary of the General Conference in Silver Spring, Maryland, Wilson became president of the Euro-Asia Division (Moscow, Russia), 1992–1996. After serving as president of the church's Review and Herald Publishing Association in Hagerstown, Maryland, he was elected a GC vice president in 2000.[8]
At the 59th General Conference Session (2010) in Atlanta, Georgia, Wilson was elected to replace Jan Paulsen as president of the General Conference and was reelected at the 60th General Conference Session (July 3, 2015) in San Antonio, Texas.[9] Due to Covid-restrictions, the 61st General Conference Session (scheduled for 2020) was postponed until 6–11 June 2022 and held in St. Louis, Missouri, where Wilson was again reelected for another five-year term ending in 2025.[10]
During his presidency of the General Conference, Wilson has been engaged in various denominational controversies over biblical, theological, political, and life-style issues, including the writings of Ellen White,[11] creation-evolution, spiritual formation,[12] last generation theology,[13] the ordination of women in pastoral ministry,[14] and human sexuality.[15]
In February 2023, President Ted Wilson embarked on a transformative nine-day tour of Zambia, leaving an indelible mark on the historical landscape of the region.[16] This tour held profound significance, aiming to forge stronger connections between the Seventh-day Adventist Church and the Zambian government, all while paying tribute to pivotal historical moments.[17] The pinnacle of the tour unfolded at the National Heroes Stadium on February 4, a grand gathering resonating with unity and shared values. President Hichilema graced the event as a distinguished guest of honor, epitomizing the harmonious partnership between the Adventist Church and the Zambian government.[18]
Wilson is married to Nancy Louise Wilson Vollmer, a physiotherapist, and they have three daughters.[19]