The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a mainstream Protestant church with approximately 19 million members worldwide, including more than one million members in North America. The Seventh-day Adventist Church seeks to enhance quality of life for people everywhere and to let people know that Jesus is coming again soon.
Adventists believe a Godhead of three persons—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—is one God. They made salvation possible when Jesus, the Son, came to earth as a baby in Bethlehem and lived a sinless life in accordance with the Father's will. When Jesus was crucified for the sins of the people of the world and arose from the dead on the third day, victory was won for everyone.
When He returned to heaven following the resurrection, Jesus left the Holy Spirit to serve as our Comforter and Counselor. He promised to return to earth a second time to complete His plan of salvation and take His people to heaven. Adventists are among the believers who look forward to that day.
Adventists believe that God is concerned with the quality of human life and that everything—the way we live, eat, speak, think, treat each other, and care for the world around us—is part of His plan. Our families, our children, our jobs, our talents, our money, and our time are all important to Him.
Our name truly captures who we are as a denomination. “Seventh-day” refers to the seventh-day Sabbath, which God hallowed after creating the heavens and Earth in six days. This is the day on which we worship. “Adventist” highlights that fact that we are a people who believe that Jesus Christ is imminently returning to Earth to gather His people and that His coming will be certain, literal, physical, and visible to all.
God made the Earth in six days and hallowed (set aside, made holy) the seventh-day, Saturday, as a day from which to cease all our labors, and and renew our relationship with Him, His Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is a day to honor Our Creator, Our Redeemer, and Our Sanctifier. There is no verse in the Bible that changes that day to Sunday, the first day of the week. For many years after Christ's death, Christians observed Saturday as their day of worship. But that change started as a result of actions by believers in the second century, in part to distinguish themselves from the Jewish population. Over time, it became the leading practice, although God did not authorize such a change.
No. The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a completely separate denomination from the Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Jehovah Witnesses. The doctrinal differences are distinct.
Ellen White, along with her husband, James White, and other key individuals, was one of the founders of the SDA church. She received her first vision from God at the age of 17 and was given more than 2,000 visions throughout her life. She was a prolific writer penning more than 5,000 periodical articles and 40 books of inspiration and is the most translated American author in history. In addition to her theological contributions during the formation of the denomination, she was a proponent of health reform, education, and literature publication. We invite you to read one of her premier books, “The Great Controversy”, which is free and available online.
Early on, the "health message" has been a part of the SDA mission. We believe it is important to follow the Biblical principles of health, not only to live fuller, happier lives, but to be fit work for the kingdom, and to have clear minds to discern truth. This health message includes, but is not limited to, the promotion of a healthy diet. No, being vegetarian or vegan is not "a ticket" to heaven. No, you don't have to be a vegetarian or vegan to be a church member. In fact, dietary practices span a wide spectrum throughout our denomination. But as you grow and learn in your relationship with Jesus, your love for Him will inspire you to want to change many things in your life. A healthy lifestyle and good eating choices will be a part of that process.