As Seventh-day Adventist Church leaders meet at a conference this week to plan strategies for urban ministries in the United States, a new book released by an Adventist researcher chronicles the challenges the church faces in large cities, both in the community and within the denomination.

Though nearly a million people move to urban areas each week worldwide, few are pouring into Adventist churches, says Adventist researcher Monte Sahlin, author of "Mission in Metropolis: The Adventist Movement in an Urban World."

The book, released this week at the church's first Adventist Urban Congress at Oakwood College in Huntsville, Alabama, overviews Adventist ministry to urban areas at a time when the United Nations reports more than half of the world's population live in cities. Sahlin says the book also includes approaches for reaching large cities.

The Adventist Church has been touted as one of the fastest growing protestant denominations worldwide, but not so in growing metropolises. Most of the church's membership resides in rural areas and on islands.

Sung Kwon, left, director of Adventist Community Services in North America, with Monte Sahlin, director of research and special projects for the Adventist Church in Ohio. [Photo: Teresa Kwon/Adventist Community Services]