Whether a belief system is a cult or not is up for debate. This is even more true with the Seventh day Adventists. The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a Protestant Christian denomination that observes Saturday, the seventh day of the week in the Christian calendar, as the Sabbath, and is distinguished by its emphasis on the imminent Second Coming of Jesus Christ. The denomination grew out of the Millerite movement in the United States during the mid-19th century and was formally established in 1863. Among its co-founders was Ellen G. White, whose extensive writings are still held in high regard by the church.
The Seventh-day Adventist Church has a worldwide membership of over 18 million people and is organized into over 200,000 congregations in more than 200 countries. The church’s headquarters are located in Silver Spring, Maryland, in the United States.
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a Trinitarian church, believing in one God who exists in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The church also believes in the inspiration of the Bible, the virgin birth of Jesus Christ, His atoning death on the cross, His bodily resurrection, and His second coming.
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a millenarian church, believing that Jesus Christ will return to earth to establish His kingdom. The church teaches that this event will be preceded by a time of great tribulation, and that the righteous will be raptured to heaven before the tribulation begins.
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a health-reform church, and its members are encouraged to live a healthy lifestyle. The church promotes a vegetarian diet, and it operates a network of hospitals and clinics around the world.
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a missionary church, and its members are encouraged to share their faith with others. The church operates a worldwide network of schools, colleges, and universities.
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a growing church, and it is one of the fastest-growing Protestant denominations in the world. The church’s growth is due in part to its emphasis on evangelism and its commitment to education.
History of the Seventh-day Adventist Church
The Seventh-day Adventist Church was founded in 1863 by Ellen G. White, Joseph Bates, James White, and Hiram Edson. These individuals were part of the Millerite movement, which was a Protestant Christian movement that predicted the Second Coming of Jesus Christ in 1844. When the predicted date of the Second Coming passed without incident, the Millerites were disappointed and disillusioned. However, Ellen G. White had a vision that helped her to understand what had happened. In her vision, she saw that the Second Coming had not occurred, but that it was still imminent. She also saw that the Millerites had been wrong about the date of the Second Coming because they had been looking for a literal 1,000-year reign of Christ on earth. White taught that the 1,000 years was a symbolic period of time, and that the Second Coming would occur before the end of the 19th century.
White’s teachings attracted a following, and in 1863, she and her associates organized the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The church was founded on the belief that the Second Coming of Jesus Christ is imminent, and that the Bible is the inspired word of God. The church also adopted a number of other beliefs, including the observance of Saturday as the Sabbath, the importance of evangelism, and the need for a healthy lifestyle.
The Seventh-day Adventist Church has grown rapidly since its founding. In 1863, the church had only a few hundred members. Today, the church has over 18 million members worldwide. The church is organized into over 200,000 congregations in more than 200 countries. The church’s headquarters are located in Silver Spring, Maryland, in the United States.
Beliefs of the Seventh-day Adventist Church
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a Trinitarian church, believing in one God who exists in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The church also believes in the inspiration of the Bible, the virgin birth of Jesus Christ, His atoning death on the cross, His bodily resurrection, and His second coming.
In addition to these core beliefs, the Seventh-day Adventist Church holds a number of other beliefs, including the following:
- The observance of Saturday as the Sabbath. The Seventh-day Adventist Church believes that Saturday is the seventh day of the week and that it is the day that God commanded His people to keep holy. The church observes Saturday as a day of rest, worship, and spiritual renewal.
- The importance of evangelism. The Seventh-day Adventist Church believes that it is its mission to share the gospel with the world. The church encourages its members to be involved in evangelism, both