Barely Adventist

For generations, many Adventists assumed the church was destined for unstoppable growth. Huge evangelistic campaigns, booming institutions, and rapid expansion across the Global South created the impression that Adventism’s trajectory was permanently upward. But today, the picture feels more complicated.

In my part of the world — Sweden and much of Northern Europe — i...

Adventists have used that word for generations. The remnant. The faithful few. The people with “the truth.” And while there’s something inspiring about believing God has called us for a purpose, let’s admit it: the term can also come with a dangerous amount of spiritual swagger.

“We are the chosen ones” can quietly turn into “everyone else is spiritua...

 

Be honest. If your family’s been Adventist for generations, there’s a quiet assumption that creeps in: we’ve been here the longest, so we belong the most. Like faith came with an inheritance clause. A set of keys to the kingdom.

Step outside that for a second and things look different.

Churches drift into members-only clubs. Not on purpose, but functional...

by Our Pastoral Correspondence Staff
Noah Zark

MISSION COORDINATOR Elder Sterling Glass has broken down while describing how a “catastrophic deluge” of actual rain in the mission field totally ruined his scheduled spiritual retreat to Belize.

“I was just finalizing the sunset yoga—I mean, sunrise prayer—itinerary wh...

There’s a whole subculture in Adventism that treats the end times like an extreme survival series. Seminars on spotting the final signs. Checklists for rural relocation. Tutorials on off-grid living. Quiet conversations about where to hide and how to outlast whatever—or whoever—is coming.

Some of it makes sense. Living closer to nature can be grounding. Stepping away ...