Seventh-day Adventist
Contents
Beliefs
History
Structure
Facts
Logo
Ellen G White
Resources
Seventh-day Adventist Beliefs
Source: Seventh-day Adventist Church Manual
Seventh-day Adventists accept the Bible as their only creed and
hold certain fundamental beliefs to be the teaching of the Holy
Scriptures. These beliefs, as set forth here, constitute the
church's understanding and expression of the teaching of Scripture.
Revision of these statements may be expected at a General
Conference session when the church is led by the Holy Spirit to a
fuller understanding of Bible truth or finds better language in
which to express the teachings of God's Holy Word.
1. The Holy Scriptures:
The Holy Scriptures, Old and New Testaments, are the written Word
of God, given by divine inspiration through holy men of God who
spoke and wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. In this
Word, God has committed to man the knowledge necessary for
salvation. The Holy Scriptures are the infallible revelation of His
will. They are the standard of character, the test of experience,
the authoritative revealer of doctrines, and the trustworthy record
of God's acts in history. (2 Peter 1:20, 21; 2 Tim. 3:16, 17; Ps.
119:105; Prov. 30:5, 6; Isa. 8:20; John 17:17; 1 Thess. 2:13; Heb.
4:12.)
2. The Trinity:
There is one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, a unity of three
co-eternal Persons. God is immortal, all-powerful, all-knowing,
above all, and ever present. He is infinite and beyond human
comprehension, yet known through His self-revelation. He is forever
worthy of worship, adoration, and service by the whole creation.
(Deut. 6:4; Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14; Eph. 4:4-6; 1 Peter 1:2; 1
Tim. 1:17; Rev. 14:7.)
3. The Father:
God the eternal Father is the Creator, Source, Sustainer, and
Sovereign of all creation. He is just and holy, merciful and
gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and
faithfulness. The qualities and powers exhibited in the Son and the
Holy Spirit are also revelations of the Father. (Gen. 1:1; Rev.
4:11; 1 Cor. 15:28; John 3:16; 1 John 4:8; 1 Tim. 1:17; Ex. 34:6,
7; John 14:9.)
4. The Son:
God the eternal Son became incarnate in Jesus Christ. Through Him
all things were created, the character of God is revealed, the
salvation of humanity is accomplished, and the world is judged.
Forever truly God, He became also truly man, Jesus the Christ. He
was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He
lived and experienced temptation as a human being, but perfectly
exemplified the righteousness and love of God. By His miracles He
manifested God's power and was attested as God's promised Messiah.
He suffered and died voluntarily on the cross for our sins and in
our place, was raised from the dead, and ascended to minister in
the heavenly sanctuary in our behalf. He will come again in glory
for the final deliverance of His people and the restoration of all
things. (John 1:1-3, 14; Col. 1:15-19; John 10:30; 14:9; Rom. 6:23;
2 Cor. 5:17-19; John 5:22; Luke 1:35; Phil. 2:5-11; Heb. 2:9-18; 1
Cor. 15:3, 4; Heb. 8:1, 2; John 14:1-3.)
5. The Holy Spirit:
God the eternal Spirit was active with the Father and the Son in
Creation, incarnation, and redemption. He inspired the writers of
Scripture. He filled Christ's life with power. He draws and
convicts human beings; and those who respond He renews and
transforms into the image of God. Sent by the Father and the Son to
be always with His children, He extends spiritual gifts to the
church, empowers it to bear witness to Christ, and in harmony with
the Scriptures leads it into all truth. (Gen. 1:1, 2; Luke 1:35;
4:18; Acts 10:38; 2 Peter 1:21; 2 Cor. 3:18; Eph. 4:11, 12; Acts
1:8; John 14:16-18, 26; 15:26, 27; 16:7-13.)
6. Creation:
God is Creator of all things, and has revealed in Scripture the
authentic account of His creative activity. In six days the Lord
made "the heaven and the earth" and all living things upon the
earth, and rested on the seventh day of that first week. Thus He
established the Sabbath as a perpetual memorial of His completed
creative work. The first man and woman were made in the image of
God as the crowning work of Creation, given dominion over the
world, and charged with responsibility to care for it. When the
world was finished it was ``very good,'' declaring the glory of
God. (Gen. 1; 2; Ex. 20:8-11; Ps. 19:1-6; 33:6, 9; 104; Heb.
11:3.)
7. The Nature of Man:
Man and woman were made in the image of God with individuality, the
power and freedom to think and to do. Though created free beings,
each is an indivisible unity of body, mind, and spirit, dependent
upon God for life and breath and all else. When our first parents
disobeyed God, they denied their dependence upon Him and fell from
their high position under God. The image of God in them was marred
and they became subject to death. Their descendants share this
fallen nature and its consequences. They are born with weaknesses
and tendencies to evil. But God in Christ reconciled the world to
Himself and by His Spirit restores in penitent mortals the image of
their Maker. Created for the glory of God, they are called to love
Him and one another, and to care for their environment. (Gen.
1:26-28; 2:7; Ps. 8:4-8; Acts 17:24-28; Gen. 3; Ps. 51:5; Rom.
5:12-17; 2 Cor. 5:19, 20; Ps. 51:10; 1 John 4:7, 8, 11, 20; Gen.
2:15.)
8. The Great Controversy:
All humanity is now involved in a great controversy between Christ
and Satan regarding the character of God, His law, and His
sovereignty over the universe. This conflict originated in heaven
when a created being, endowed with freedom of choice, in
self-exaltation became Satan, God's adversary, and led into
rebellion a portion of the angels. He introduced the spirit of
rebellion into this world when he led Adam and Eve into sin. This
human sin resulted in the distortion of the image of God in
humanity, the disordering of the created world, and its eventual
devastation at the time of the worldwide flood. Observed by the
whole creation, this world became the arena of the universal
conflict, out of which the God of love will ultimately be
vindicated. To assist His people in this controversy, Christ sends
the Holy Spirit and the loyal angels to guide, protect, and sustain
them in the way of salvation. (Rev. 12:4-9; Isa. 14:12-14; Eze.
28:12-18; Gen. 3; Rom. 1:19-32; 5:12-21; 8:19-22; Gen. 6-8; 2 Peter
3:6; 1 Cor. 4:9; Heb. 1:14.)
9. The Life, Death, and Resurrection of Christ:
In Christ's life of perfect obedience to God's will, His suffering,
death, and resurrection, God provided the only means of atonement
for human sin, so that those who by faith accept this atonement may
have eternal life, and the whole creation may better understand the
infinite and holy love of the Creator. This perfect atonement
vindicates the righteousness of God's law and the graciousness of
His character; for it both condemns our sin and provides for our
forgiveness. The death of Christ is substitutionary and expiatory,
reconciling and transforming. The resurrection of Christ proclaims
God's triumph over the forces of evil, and for those who accept the
atonement assures their final victory over sin and death. It
declares the Lordship of Jesus Christ, before whom every knee in
heaven and on earth will bow. (John 3:16; Isa. 53; 1 Peter 2:21,
22; 1 Cor. 15:3, 4, 20-22; 2 Cor. 5:14, 15, 19-21; Rom. 1:4; 3:25;
4:25; 8:3, 4; 1 John 2:2; 4:10; Col. 2:15; Phil. 2:6-11.)
10. The Experience of Salvation:
In infinite love and mercy God made Christ, who knew no sin, to be
sin for us, so that in Him we might be made the righteousness of
God. Led by the Holy Spirit we sense our need, acknowledge our
sinfulness, repent of our transgressions, and exercise faith in
Jesus as Lord and Christ, as Substitute and Example. This faith
which receives salvation comes through the divine power of the Word
and is the gift of God's grace. Through Christ we are justified,
adopted as God's sons and daughters, and delivered from the
lordship of sin. Through the Spirit we are born again and
sanctified; the Spirit renews our minds, writes God's law of love
in our hearts, and we are given the power to live a holy life.
Abiding in Him we become partakers of the divine nature and have
the assurance of salvation now and in the judgment. (2 Cor.
5:17-21; John 3:16; Gal. 1:4; 4:4-7; Titus 3:3-7; John 16:8; Gal.
3:13, 14; 1 Peter 2:21, 22; Rom. 10:17; Luke 17:5; Mark 9:23, 24;
Eph. 2:5-10; Rom. 3:21-26; Col. 1:13, 14; Rom. 8:14-17; Gal. 3:26;
John 3:3-8; 1 Peter 1:23; Rom. 12:2; Heb. 8:7-12; Eze. 36:25-27; 2
Peter 1:3, 4; Rom. 8:1-4; 5:6-10.)
11. Growing in Christ:
By His death on the cross Jesus triumphed over the forces of evil.
He who subjugated the demonic spirits during His earthly ministry
has broken their power and made certain their ultimate doom. Jesus'
victory gives us victory over the evil forces that still seek to
control us, as we walk with Him in peace, joy, and assurance of His
love. Now the Holy Spirit dwells within us and empowers us.
Continually committed to Jesus as our Saviour and Lord, we are set
free from the burden of our past deeds. No longer do we live in the
darkness, fear of evil powers, ignorance, and meaninglessness of
our former way of life. In this new freedom in Jesus, we are called
to grow into the likeness of His character, communing with Him
daily in prayer, feeding on His Word, meditating on it and on His
providence, singing His praises, gathering together for worship,
and participating in the mission of the Church. As we give
ourselves in loving service to those around us and in witnessing to
His salvation, His constant presence with us through the Spirit
transforms every moment and every task into a spiritual experience.
(Ps 1:1, 2; 23:4; 77:11, 12; Col 1:13, 14; 2:6, 14, 15; Luke
10:17-20; Eph 5:19, 20; 6:12-18; 1 Thess 5:23; 2 Peter 2:9; 3:18; 2
Cor. 3:17, 18; Phil 3:7-14; 1 Thess 5:16-18; Matt 20:25-28; John
20:21; Gal 5:22-25; Rom 8:38, 39; 1 John 4:4; Heb 10:25.)
12. The Church:
The church is the community of believers who confess Jesus Christ
as Lord and Saviour. In continuity with the people of God in Old
Testament times, we are called out from the world; and we join
together for worship, for fellowship, for instruction in the Word,
for the celebration of the Lord's Supper, for service to all
mankind, and for the worldwide proclamation of the gospel. The
church derives its authority from Christ, who is the incarnate
Word, and from the Scriptures, which are the written Word. The
church is God's family; adopted by Him as children, its members
live on the basis of the new covenant. The church is the body of
Christ, a community of faith of which Christ Himself is the Head.
The church is the bride for whom Christ died that He might sanctify
and cleanse her. At His return in triumph, He will present her to
Himself a glorious church, the faithful of all the ages, the
purchase of His blood, not having spot or wrinkle, but holy and
without blemish. (Gen. 12:3; Acts 7:38; Eph. 4:11-15; 3:8-11; Matt.
28:19, 20; 16:13-20; 18:18; Eph. 2:19-22; 1:22, 23; 5:23-27; Col.
1:17, 18.)
13. The Remnant and Its Mission:
The universal church is composed of all who truly believe in
Christ, but in the last days, a time of widespread apostasy, a
remnant has been called out to keep the commandments of God and the
faith of Jesus. This remnant announces the arrival of the judgment
hour, proclaims salvation through Christ, and heralds the approach
of His second advent. This proclamation is symbolized by the three
angels of Revelation 14; it coincides with the work of judgment in
heaven and results in a work of repentance and reform on earth.
Every believer is called to have a personal part in this worldwide
witness. (Rev. 12:17; 14:6-12; 18:1-4; 2 Cor. 5:10; Jude 3, 14; 1
Peter 1:16-19; 2 Peter 3:10-14; Rev. 21:1-14.)
14. Unity in the Body of Christ:
The church is one body with many members, called from every nation,
kindred, tongue, and people. In Christ we are a new creation;
distinctions of race, culture, learning, and nationality, and
differences between high and low, rich and poor, male and female,
must not be divisive among us. We are all equal in Christ, who by
one Spirit has bonded us into one fellowship with Him and with one
another; we are to serve and be served without partiality or
reservation. Through the revelation of Jesus Christ in the
Scriptures we share the same faith and hope, and reach out in one
witness to all. This unity has its source in the oneness of the
triune God, who has adopted us as His children. (Rom. 12:4, 5; 1
Cor. 12:12-14; Matt. 28:19, 20; Ps. 133:1; 2 Cor. 5:16, 17; Acts
17:26, 27; Gal. 3:27, 29; Col. 3:10-15; Eph. 4:14-16; 4:1-6; John
17:20-23.)
15. Baptism:
By baptism we confess our faith in the death and resurrection of
Jesus Christ, and testify of our death to sin and of our purpose to
walk in newness of life. Thus we acknowledge Christ as Lord and
Saviour, become His people, and are received as members by His
church. Baptism is a symbol of our union with Christ, the
forgiveness of our sins, and our reception of the Holy Spirit. It
is by immersion in water and is contingent on an affirmation of
faith in Jesus and evidence of repentance of sin. It follows
instruction in the Holy Scriptures and acceptance of their
teachings. (Rom. 6:1-6; Col. 2:12, 13; Acts 16:30-33; 22:16; 2:38;
Matt. 28:19, 20.)
16. The Lord's Supper:
The Lord's Supper is a participation in the emblems of the body and
blood of Jesus as an expression of faith in Him, our Lord and
Saviour. In this experience of communion Christ is present to meet
and strengthen His people. As we partake, we joyfully proclaim the
Lord's death until He comes again. Preparation for the Supper
includes self-examination, repentance, and confession. The Master
ordained the service of foot washing to signify renewed cleansing,
to express a willingness to serve one another in Christlike
humility, and to unite our hearts in love. The communion service is
open to all believing Christians. (1 Cor. 10:16, 17; 11:23-30;
Matt. 26:17-30; Rev. 3:20; John 6:48-63; 13:1-17.)
17. Spiritual Gifts and Ministries:
God bestows upon all members of His church in every age spiritual
gifts which each member is to employ in loving ministry for the
common good of the church and of humanity. Given by the agency of
the Holy Spirit, who apportions to each member as He wills, the
gifts provide all abilities and ministries needed by the church to
fulfill its divinely ordained functions. According to the
Scriptures, these gifts include such ministries as faith, healing,
prophecy, proclamation, teaching, administration, reconciliation,
compassion, and self-sacrificing service and charity for the help
and encouragement of people. Some members are called of God and
endowed by the Spirit for functions recognized by the church in
pastoral, evangelistic, apostolic, and teaching ministries
particularly needed to equip the members for service, to build up
the church to spiritual maturity, and to foster unity of the faith
and knowledge of God. When members employ these spiritual gifts as
faithful stewards of God's varied grace, the church is protected
from the destructive influence of false doctrine, grows with a
growth that is from God, and is built up in faith and love. (Rom.
12:4-8; 1 Cor. 12:9-11, 27, 28; Eph. 4:8, 11-16; Acts 6:1-7; 1 Tim.
3:1-13; 1 Peter 4:10, 11.)
18. The Gift of Prophecy:
One of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is prophecy. This gift is an
identifying mark of the remnant church and was manifested in the
ministry of Ellen. G. White . As the Lord's messenger, her writings
are a continuing and authoritative source of truth which provide
for the church comfort, guidance, instruction, and correction. They
also make clear that the Bible is the standard by which all
teaching and experience must be tested. (Joel 2:28, 29; Acts
2:14-21; Heb. 1:1-3; Rev. 12:17; 19:10.)
19. The Law of God:
The great principles of God's law are embodied in the Ten
Commandments and exemplified in the life of Christ. They express
God's love, will, and purposes concerning human conduct and
relationships and are binding upon all people in every age. These
precepts are the basis of God's covenant with His people and the
standard in God's judgment. Through the agency of the Holy Spirit
they point out sin and awaken a sense of need for a Saviour.
Salvation is all of grace and not of works, but its fruitage is
obedience to the Commandments. This obedience develops Christian
character and results in a sense of well-being. It is an evidence
of our love for the Lord and our concern for our fellow men. The
obedience of faith demonstrates the power of Christ to transform
lives, and therefore strengthens Christian witness. (Ex. 20:1-17;
Ps. 40:7, 8; Matt. 22:36-40; Deut. 28:1-14; Matt. 5:17-20; Heb.
8:8-10; John 15:7-10; Eph. 2:8-10; 1 John 5:3; Rom. 8:3, 4; Ps.
19:7-14.)
20. The Sabbath:
The beneficent Creator, after the six days of Creation, rested on
the seventh day and instituted the Sabbath for all people as a
memorial of Creation. The fourth commandment of God's unchangeable
law requires the observance of this seventh-day Sabbath as the day
of rest, worship, and ministry in harmony with the teaching and
practice of Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath. The Sabbath is a day of
delightful communion with God and one another. It is a symbol of
our redemption in Christ, a sign of our sanctification, a token of
our allegiance, and a foretaste of our eternal future in God's
kingdom. The Sabbath is God's perpetual sign of His eternal
covenant between Him and His people. Joyful observance of this holy
time from evening to evening, sunset to sunset, is a celebration of
God's creative and redemptive acts. (Gen. 2:1-3; Ex. 20:8-11; Luke
4:16; Isa. 56:5, 6; 58:13, 14; Matt. 12:1-12; Ex. 31:13-17; Eze.
20:12, 20; Deut. 5:12-15; Heb. 4:1-11; Lev. 23:32; Mark
1:32.)
21. Stewardship:
We are God's stewards, entrusted by Him with time and
opportunities, abilities and possessions, and the blessings of the
earth and its resources. We are responsible to Him for their proper
use. We acknowledge God's ownership by faithful service to Him and
our fellow men, and by returning tithes and giving offerings for
the proclamation of His gospel and the support and growth of His
church. Stewardship is a privilege given to us by God for nurture
in love and the victory over selfishness and covetousness. The
steward rejoices in the blessings that come to others as a result
of his faithfulness. (Gen. 1:26-28; 2:15; 1 Chron. 29:14; Haggai
1:3-11; Mal. 3:8-12; 1 Cor. 9:9-14; Matt. 23:23; 2 Cor. 8:1-15;
Rom. 15:26, 27.)
22. Christian Behavior:
We are called to be a godly people who think, feel, and act in
harmony with the principles of heaven. For the Spirit to recreate
in us the character of our Lord we involve ourselves only in those
things which will produce Christlike purity, health, and joy in our
lives. This means that our amusement and entertainment should meet
the highest standards of Christian taste and beauty. While
recognizing cultural differences, our dress is to be simple,
modest, and neat, befitting those whose true beauty does not
consist of outward adornment but in the imperishable ornament of a
gentle and quiet spirit. It also means that because our bodies are
the temples of the Holy Spirit, we are to care for them
intelligently. Along with adequate exercise and rest, we are to
adopt the most healthful diet possible and abstain from the unclean
foods identified in the Scriptures. Since alcoholic beverages,
tobacco, and the irresponsible use of drugs and narcotics are
harmful to our bodies, we are to abstain from them as well.
Instead, we are to engage in whatever brings our thoughts and
bodies into the discipline of Christ, who desires our
wholesomeness, joy, and goodness. (Rom. 12:1, 2; 1 John 2:6; Eph.
5:1-21; Phil. 4:8; 2 Cor. 10:5; 6:14-7:1; 1 Peter 3:1-4; 1 Cor.
6:19, 20; 10:31; Lev. 11:1-47; 3 John 2.)
23. Marriage and the Family:
Marriage was divinely established in Eden and affirmed by Jesus to
be a lifelong union between a man and a woman in loving
companionship. For the Christian a marriage commitment is to God as
well as to the spouse, and should be entered into only between
partners who share a common faith. Mutual love, honor, respect, and
responsibility are the fabric of this relationship, which is to
reflect the love, sanctity, closeness, and permanence of the
relationship between Christ and His church. Regarding divorce,
Jesus taught that the person who divorces a spouse, except for
fornication, and marries another, commits adultery. Although some
family relationships may fall short of the ideal, marriage partners
who fully commit themselves to each other in Christ may achieve
loving unity through the guidance of the Spirit and the nurture of
the church. God blesses the family and intends that its members
shall assist each other toward complete maturity. Parents are to
bring up their children to love and obey the Lord. By their example
and their words they are to teach them that Christ is a loving
disciplinarian, ever tender and caring, who wants them to become
members of His body, the family of God. Increasing family closeness
is one of the earmarks of the final gospel message. (Gen. 2:18-25;
Matt. 19:3-9; John 2:1-11; 2 Cor. 6:14; Eph. 5:21-33; Matt. 5:31,
32; Mark 10:11, 12; Luke 16:18; 1 Cor. 7:10, 11; Ex. 20:12; Eph.
6:1-4; Deut. 6:5-9; Prov. 22:6; Mal. 4:5, 6.)
24. Christ's Ministry in the Heavenly Sanctuary:
There is a sanctuary in heaven, the true tabernacle which the Lord
set up and not man. In it Christ ministers on our behalf, making
available to believers the benefits of His atoning sacrifice
offered once for all on the cross. He was inaugurated as our great
High Priest and began His intercessory ministry at the time of His
ascension. In 1844, at the end of the prophetic period of 2300
days, He entered the second and last phase of His atoning ministry.
It is a work of investigative judgment which is part of the
ultimate disposition of all sin, typified by the cleansing of the
ancient Hebrew sanctuary on the Day of Atonement. In that typical
service the sanctuary was cleansed with the blood of animal
sacrifices, but the heavenly things are purified with the perfect
sacrifice of the blood of Jesus. The investigative judgment reveals
to heavenly intelligences who among the dead are asleep in Christ
and therefore, in Him, are deemed worthy to have part in the first
resurrection. It also makes manifest who among the living are
abiding in Christ, keeping the commandments of God and the faith of
Jesus, and in Him, therefore, are ready for translation into His
everlasting kingdom. This judgment vindicates the justice of God in
saving those who believe in Jesus. It declares that those who have
remained loyal to God shall receive the kingdom. The completion of
this ministry of Christ will mark the close of human probation
before the Second Advent. (Heb. 8:1-5; 4:14-16; 9:11-28; 10:19-22;
1:3; 2:16, 17; Dan. 7:9-27; 8:13, 14; 9:24-27; Num. 14:34; Eze.
4:6; Lev. 16; Rev. 14:6, 7; 20:12; 14:12; 22:12.)
25. The Second Coming of Christ:
The second coming of Christ is the blessed hope of the church, the
grand climax of the gospel. The Saviour's coming will be literal,
personal, visible, and worldwide. When He returns, the righteous
dead will be resurrected, and together with the righteous living
will be glorified and taken to heaven, but the unrighteous will
die. The almost complete fulfillment of most lines of prophecy,
together with the present condition of the world, indicates that
Christ's coming is imminent. The time of that event has not been
revealed, and we are therefore exhorted to be ready at all times.
(Titus 2:13; Heb. 9:28; John 14:1-3; Acts 1:9-11; Matt. 24:14; Rev.
1:7; Matt. 24:43, 44; 1 Thess. 4:13-18; 1 Cor. 15:51-54; 2 Thess.
1:7-10; 2:8; Rev. 14:14-20; 19:11-21; Matt. 24; Mark 13; Luke 21; 2
Tim. 3:1-5; 1 Thess. 5:1-6.)
26. Death and Resurrection:
The wages of sin is death. But God, who alone is immortal, will
grant eternal life to His redeemed. Until that day death is an
unconscious state for all people. When Christ, who is our life,
appears, the resurrected righteous and the living righteous will be
glorified and caught up to meet their Lord. The second
resurrection, the resurrection of the unrighteous, will take place
a thousand years later. (Rom. 6:23; 1 Tim. 6:15, 16; Eccl. 9:5, 6;
Ps. 146:3, 4; John 11:11-14; Col. 3:4; 1 Cor. 15:51-54; 1 Thess.
4:13-17; John 5:28, 29; Rev. 20:1-10.)
27. The Millennium and the End of Sin:
The millennium is the thousand-year reign of Christ with His saints
in heaven between the first and second resurrections. During this
time the wicked dead will be judged; the earth will be utterly
desolate, without living human inhabitants, but occupied by Satan
and his angels. At its close Christ with His saints and the Holy
City will descend from heaven to earth. The unrighteous dead will
then be resurrected, and with Satan and his angels will surround
the city; but fire from God will consume them and cleanse the
earth. The universe will thus be freed of sin and sinners forever.
(Rev. 20; 1 Cor. 6:2, 3; Jer. 4:23-26; Rev. 21:1-5; Mal. 4:1; Eze.
28:18, 19.)
28. The New Earth:
On the new earth, in which righteousness dwells, God will provide
an eternal home for the redeemed and a perfect environment for
everlasting life, love, joy, and learning in His presence. For here
God Himself will dwell with His people, and suffering and death
will have passed away. The great controversy will be ended, and sin
will be no more. All things, animate and inanimate, will declare
that God is love; and He shall reign forever. Amen. (2 Peter 3:13;
Isa. 35; 65:17-25; Matt. 5:5; Rev. 21:1-7; 22:1-5; 11:15.)
Seventh-day Adventist History
Source: http://www.uccsda.org/history_sda.htm
In just a century and a half the Seventh-day Adventist Church has
grown from a handful of individuals, who carefully studied the
Bible in their search for truth, to a world-wide community of over
15 million members and millions of others who regard the Adventist
Church their spiritual home. Doctrinally, Seventh-day Adventists
are heirs of the interfaith Millerite movement of the 1840s.
Although the name "Seventh-day Adventist" was chosen in 1860, the
denomination was not officially organized until Ma y 21, 1863, when
the movement included some 125 churches and 3,500 members.
Between 1831 and 1844, William Miller--a Baptist preacher and
former army captain in the War of 1812--launched the "great second
advent awakening" which eventually spread throughout most of the
Christian world. Based on his study of the prophecy of Daniel 8:14,
Miller calculated that Jesus would return to earth on October 22,
1844. When Jesus did not appear, Miller's followers experienced
what became to be called "the great Disappointment."
Most of the thousands who had joined the movement, left it, in deep
disillusionment. A few, however, went back to their Bibles to find
why they had been disappointed. Soon they concluded that the
October 22 date had indeed been correct, but that Miller had
predicted the wrong event for that day. They became convinced that
the Bible prophecy predicted not that Jesus would return to earth
in 1844, but that He would begin at that time a special ministry in
heaven for His followers. They still looked for Jesus to come soon,
however, as do Seventh-day Adventists yet today.
From this small group who refused to give up after the "great
disappointment" arose several leaders who built the foundation of
what would become the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Standing out
among these leaders were a young couple--James and Ellen G. White
-- and a retired sea captain named Joseph Bates.
This small nucleus of "adventists" began to grow -- mainly in the
New England states of America, where Miller's movement had begun.
Ellen G. White, a mere teenager at the time of the "great
Disappointment," grew into a gifted author, speaker and
administrator, who would become and remain the trusted spiritual
counselor of the Adventist family for more than seventy years until
her death in 1915. Early Adventists came to believe -- as have
Adventists ever since -- that she enjoyed God's special guidance as
she wrote her counsels to the growing body of believers.
In 1860, at Battle Creek Michigan, the loosely knit congregations
of Adventists chose the name Seventh-day Adventist and in 1863
formally organized a church body with a membership of 3,500. At
first, work was largely confined to North America until 1874 when
the Church's first missionary, J. N. Andrews, was sent to
Switzerland. Africa was penetrated briefly in 1879 when Dr. H. P.
Ribton, an early convert in Italy, moved to Egypt and opened a
school, but the project ended when riots broke out in the
vicinity.
The first non-Protestant Christian country entered was Russia,
where an Adventist minister went in 1886. On October 20, 1890, the
schooner Pitcairn was launched at San Francisco and was soon
engaged in carrying missionaries to the Pacific Islands.
Seventh-day Adventist workers first entered non-Christian countries
in 1894 -- Gold Coast (Ghana), West Africa, and Matabeleland, South
Africa. The same year saw missionaries entering South America, and
in 1896 there were representatives in Japan. The Church now has
established work in 209 countries.
The publication and distribution of literature were major factors
in the growth of the Advent movement. The Advent Review and Sabbath
Herald (now the Adventist Review), general church paper, was
launched in Paris, Maine, in 1850; the Youth's Instructor in
Rochester, New York, in 1852; and the Signs of the Times in
Oakland, California, in 1874. The first denominational publishing
house at Battle Creek, Michigan, began operating in 1855 and was
duly incorporated in 1861 under the name of Seventh-day Adventist
Publishing Association.
The Health Reform Institute, later known as the Battle Creek
Sanitarium, opened its doors in 1866, and missionary society work
was organized on a statewide basis in 1870. The first of the
Church's worldwide network of schools was established in 1872, and
1877 saw the formation of statewide Sabbath school associations. In
1903, the denominational headquarters was moved from Battle Creek,
Michigan, to Washington, D.C., and in 1989 to Silver Spring,
Maryland, where it continues to form the nerve center of
ever-expanding work.
Church Structure
Source: http://www.adventist.org/world_churc.../index.html.en
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is organized with a representative
form of church government. This means authority in the Church comes
from the membership of local churches. Executive responsibility is
given to representative bodies and officers to govern the Church.
Four levels of Church structure lead from the individual believer
to the worldwide Church organization:
1. The local church made up of individual believers
2. The local conference, or local field/mission, made up of a
number of local churches in a state, province, or territory
3. The union conference, or union field/mission, made up of
conferences or fields within a larger territory (often a grouping
of states or a a whole country)
4. The General Conference, the most extensive unit of organization,
made up of all unions/entities in all parts of the world. Divisions
are sections of the General Conference, with administrative
responsibility for particular geographical areas.
Each level is "representative," that is it reflects a democratic
process of formation and election. Local churches elect their own
officers and church boards by majority voting. Churches elect
delegates to the conferences which meet "in session" every two or
three years. Executive authority between sessions is exercised by
the Conference Executive Committee and the executive officers
(normally President, Secretary and Treasurer), all of whom are
elected by the session.
A similar process operates for Union sessions usually 5 years and
General Conference sessions, at which times officers and committees
are elected, reports given and policies decided.
Within these four levels the Church operates various institutions.
In their world outreach, Adventists serve the whole person and have
developed educational, health-care, publishing, media (radio,
print, television, web, satellite), and other institutions. The
multiple units of the world Church, whether congregations,
conferences, health-care institutions, publishing houses, schools,
or other organizations, all find their organizational unity in the
General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventists in which they have
representation.
The General Conference is the highest earthly authority for the
Church. The General Conference in session, and the Executive
Committee between sessions, is the highest organization in the
administration of the Church's worldwide work, and is authorized by
its constitution to create subordinate organizations to promote
specific interests in various sections of the world. When
differences arise in or between organizations and institutions,
appeal to the next higher organization is proper until it reaches
the General Conference in session, or the Executive Committee at
the Annual Council. During the interim between these sessions, the
Executive Committee shall constitute the body of final authority on
all questions where a difference of viewpoint may develop.
Administratively, the world-wide Church has 13 Divisions, which are
composed of churches grouped by a collection of missions, fields,
or states into unions of churches. The Divisions, and
headquarters:
* East-Central Africa (ECD) Nairobi, Kenya
* Euro-Africa (EUD) Berne, Switzerland
* Euro-Asia (ESD) Moscow, Russia
* Inter-American (IAD) Miami, United States of America
* North American (NAD) Silver Spring, United States of
America
* Northern Asia-Pacific (NSD) Koyang City, Korea.
* Southern Africa-Indian Ocean (SID) Harare Zimbabwe
* South American (SAD) Brasilia, Brazil.
* South Pacific (SPD) Wahroonga, Australia.
* Southern Asia (SUD) Tamil Nadu, India.
* Southern Asia-Pacific (SSD) Cavite, Philippines.
* Trans-European (TED) St. Albans, England.
* West-Central Africa (WAD) Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire.
Facts and Figures
Source: http://www.adventist.org/world_churc...e=printer.html
Churches 58,919
Companies 60,476
Church Membership - baptized adults 14,256,078
Ordained Ministers, Active 14,804
Mission to the World
Countries entered 203
Total Schools 5,605
Food Industries 27
Hospitals 166
Nursing Homes, Retirement Centers 131
Clinics and Dispensaries 395
Orphanages and Children's Homes 29
Media Centers 8
Publishing Houses and Branches 56
Languages Used in Publications 343
Adventist Development and Relief Agency International (ADRA) active
in 119 countries
Church Logo:
Source: http://www.adventist.org/world_church/logo/index.html
The Ministry of Ellen G White
Source:
http://www.whiteestate.org/about/egwbio.asp#who
Ellen G White (maiden name - Harmon) is widely considered by the
vast majority of adventists to be an Inspired Prophet.
However, the official Adventist belief is that the writings of
Ellen White are not a substitute for Scripture. They cannot be
placed on the same level. The Holy Scriptures stand alone, the
unique standard by which her and all other writings must be judged
and to which they must be subject (Seventh-day Adventists Believe
. . . , Ministerial Association, General Conference of Seventh-day
Adventists, Washington D.C., 1988, p. 227). Yet, as Ellen White
herself noted, The fact that God has revealed His will to men
through His Word, has not rendered needless the continued presence
and guiding of the Holy Spirit. On the contrary, the Spirit was
promised by our Saviour to open the Word to His servants, to
illuminate and apply its teachings (The Great Controversy, p.
vii)..
Other Resources:
http://www.adventist.org - official site
http://www.adventistarchives.org/ - Archives of the General
Conference with many historical sources and archives of
periodicals.
http://www.adventistdirectory.org/ - New Adventist Directory
Website
Search for up to date information on Adventist churches, schools,
hospitals, book stores, libraries, universities, divisions, unions,
conferences, missions, ADRA, orphanages, radio stations, ...
Supporting Sites, Ministries, Publications, etc.
3ABN, a supportive television and radio ministry
www.3abn.org
Adventist Review/Adventist World. The flagship journal for the
church.
http://www.adventistreview.org/
Adventist Review Magazine On The Air. Listen to CD-quality radio
right on your home computer.
http://www.adventistreview.org/ontheair.html
Amazing Facts - a huge number of online articles/books, etc. and
media answers to questions. Amazing Facts is both a resource center
and a source for evangelists.
www.amazingfacts.org
Biblical Research Institute, the official think tank of the
denomination which addresses doctrinal issues, etc.
http://www.adventistbiblicalresearch.org/
Ellen White Estate
http://www.whiteestate.org/
It Is Written -Television and evangelism.
http://www.itiswritten.org/
Ministry Magazine. A professional journal for Adventist and other
clergy. and other ministers as a Journal for Clergy. It has some
practical and theological articles. This has the archives since
1928, up through last year.
http://www.adventistarchives.org/doc...DateOrder=True
Origins Magazine, 20 years worth of archives from Origins, a
publication dealing with issues around evolution, creation, etc.
From the Georesearch institute.
http://www.grisda.org/origins/ndx-yr.htm
Quiet Hour, television, radio and more
http://www.thequiethour.org/
Sabbath School Net has the quarterly that nearly all churches read
through for daily Bible Study
http://www.ssnet.org/
Signs of the times is the premier message magazine in the Adventist
church for sharing Adventist doctrine.
http://www.signstimes.com/past.php
Has a great number of answers to biblical questions from an
Adventist perspective.
www.Bibleinfo.com
Voice of Prophecy - runs the oldest continuous correspondence Bible
course in the nation, as well as one of the pioneering programs in
radio evangelism.
http://www.vop.com/
Online Bible University - also offers online courses, the site
serves as a gateway to a number of online courses.
http://www.bibleuniversity.com/default.asp
Bible Universe - also has online Seventh-day Adventist
courses
http://www.bibleuniverse.com/logon.asp
Seventh-day Adventist Church United Kingdom and Ireland
http://www.adventist.org.uk/
Pacific Union Conference
http://www.puconline.org/
Andrews University
http://www.andrews.edu/
Adventist World Wide Web Consortium - registration required for
access
http://news.aw3c.org/
Seventh-day Adventist Education
http://www.nadeducation.org/
Seventh-day Adventist Health
http://adventisthealth.org/
