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I Don’t Follow Adventist Pastors — 17 Comments

  1. preference Baptist Independent Fundamental Baptist. went to a Adventist food drive and found out high school friend attended there. recognized her at the food drive that day decided to visit. I have taken my grandchildren there. brother Ray sponsored the two oldest to attend bible camp. I certainly have learned much more about the bible. I am communicating with God and will join there. The pastor is my mentor. he has open up my heart about the true Gospel.

    (17)
  2. It is sad indeed for a Adventist Pastor to leave the faith especially if any of the flock follow. The Pastor will be held more accountable than others. I am comforted when I hear a message bearer say to not take their word for it, but read for yourself the bible, erase me of myself and fill me with you Lord. If I have searched the scriptures myself and asked the Holy Spirit to guide me I will be confident to know if a Pastor is really emptying himself and letting God's light shine forth. I will know I will be held accountable for myself, I will not have anyone to look to in the judgement. On this earth we could be held accountable quite possibly without any support from anyone. I appreciate the message bearer you are William.

    (22)
  3. Thank you Pastor Williams for that. Some times last year I remember vividly well having this conversation with a family friend about our believe/faith (my brother left the Adventist faith and is now a Sunday worshipper in the US, this brought a lot of concern and issues in the family as to why he left the faith). Before now, I do say I'm an Adventist because my Mum is an Adventist though my Dad "of blessed memory was a Sunday worshipper."

    Today I am gladly saying I am an Adventist because that is what I found out in the Bible. What the Bible says is what I will do and not what man say.
    If It were for man/pastor, I would have left the church long ago because of our hypocritical attitude. But I remain because I am convinced it is the place to be.

    (25)
  4. William I love reading your articles, your usually open my mind or said something I was thinking but not discuss with anyone, is this time we need
    To open our minds more as we live in our last days.
    God bless you
    Thank you

    (19)
  5. I can’t tell you how helpful Pastor Earnhardt’s message was to me today! I don’t follow Pastors or people because I’m quite strong minded all on my own...thank God, because I would have left the church years ago...I just try and look up, and serve others...not look sideways, front or back! Man will always disappoint, God never does...the peace I get from my Lord has always outweighed any relationship I have found on earth in my 65 yrs of living. I am an Adventist because I believe in the Sabbath (for me) and the 2nd coming and the daily studying of my Lords love story to us.....isnt that what He has instructed us to do? Love Him and honor His commandments...sometimes it doesn’t feel that way when I am around EGW follows! I have been an Adventist for 25 years. Coming from a catholic faith I had a lot to learn from the Bible. Being an adhd adult, I had enough of a job to understand and retain what the Bible was teaching me, yet alone trying to understand EGW writings..The Adventist church I’ve attending is a more conservative church (New England) and has used EGWs teachings right along side with the Bible, but more EGW as of late, which has perplexed me...I too enjoy my Bible and do not even try to decipher much of her writings..I choose to believe God impressed her and gave her visions to share, etc.... what I don’t like is feeling like if I don’t take all what she says as being the remnant, chosen ones, the ones who have the truth, I’m in big trouble, maybe not even saved...There’s a lot of heavy duty instructions coming from her testimonies and books...I’m satisfied to be a child of God...learning from Him as my master, potter, teacher, counselor, intercession, giver of eternal life, My Savior....Lord help me if I’m wrong...🙏🏼

    (23)
    • I would love to discuss 2Cor 5:10 and the SDA perspective of the judgment.
      Can you study that one and see if it doesn't just put the SDA message back into perspective for those who are leaving?
      Hint: I hold the picture of man standing at the throne of judgment with Jesus looking at the books with some skepticism...

      (1)
      • Michael I would love to discuss this in my next post. Thank you for the invitation. It is so sad that people see skepticism in Jesus and the judgment. Jesus clearly intends for us to be saved. Matthew 25:34. John 14:1-3. Titus 1:2. Ephesians 1:4. John 12:32.

        (2)
      • Hello, dear former neighbour.

        In the books of the kings, there are numerous kings of Judah concerning whom the record states that they did what was right in the eyes of Jehovah. For other kings of Judah, and for all of the kings of Israel, it states that they did NOT do what was right. For every king, it was either one or the other, even though we know very well that no king left a perfect life record. It must have been the trend of the life. Indeed, the worst king of all -- Manasseh -- succeeded in changing his trend before it was too late for him to be forgiven.

        If we exercise true penitence and faith in Jesus, He will work out the pattern of our life to His glory, and if we are truly His in this way, His blood will have atoned for all of our sins. There is no condemnation...

        (2)
  6. Thank you. I am a first generation Adventist. It was not a pastor that brought me into the Church. It was the Holy Spirit that used various Adventists, some pastors and some not, as instruments to accomplish this. Mostly it was my fiancée’s lay member friends that were moved by the Holy Spirit who sent me to a Revelation seminar. There I heard Bible truths explained by a pastor who clearly said don’t just believe me READ for yourself what the Bible says. Sister White states that she is a “lesser light” to point us to the greater light, the Word of God. May the Lord bless all Adventists both pastors and non-pastors that follow His Word.

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  7. Thank you so much for sharing this with us, it has help me to realize that I need to study my Bible more, I really needed that reminder.

    (7)
  8. It is incumbent on every minister to educate members as to their own infallibility as leaders. Churches seem, by nature, to be Pastor centered, in that our churches take on the personality and beliefs of the minister who is sent to serve in that district. Whether the church has female elders or has drums depend on whether the pastor finds them acceptable. It is flattering for ministers to realize the influence they have on their members, but as the author implies, it poses real risks.

    What a difference it would make if members are encouraged to study doctrinal topics for themselves, and be free to ask questions. They can then be aided in proper interpretation and not scorned if they take a little longer getting there. No one should take away from this comment that I do not believe in the fundamental beliefs of my church. I do. However, what if we tolerated differences of beliefs on matters that are not salvivic. It is time for Pastors to move out of the center of the life of their churches, and finally practice servant leadership, become spiritual coaches. Their fall or departure from truth will be less traumatic for their members.

    (5)
    • I appreciate your point of view, Grace. From mine, all doctrinal matters are "salvivic," in that they all have implications for the character of God and/or the way of salvation. This is not to say that we should try to minutely control everyone's beliefs. Our "fundamental beliefs" are meant to be a description of what the main body of Seventh-day Adventists hold in common. They are not meant to be a creed by which we test members for fellowship (as they go well beyond the "old pillars"), nor do they by any means cover everything that is taught in the Scriptures. We all have much to learn and, in the process, it is imperative that we strike a balance between individual freedom of thought and humble consultation with one another.

      (4)
  9. You raise a number of important points in this article William. Of course, we should follow Jesus rather than follow ministers, Christian media personalities, or even authors or blog writers. However, there are a couple of issues that need to addressed.

    I have come across several people who have thumbed their nose at the church, ministers, etc with the claim that they are following the Bible and or the direction of the Holy Spirit when quite clearly they are simply using that argument to try and turn people to their point of view. They claim Biblical knowledge or direct communication from the Holy Spirit in support of their position. Such attitudes have more to do with personal egos than truth.

    I think it is important to have an open dialogue between ministers and our faith community. It is in the interaction between believers that the Holy Spirit works to guide and teach us. And sometimes that takes time. When we stop having that dialog then something is clearly wrong.

    There is another issue as well. I am an academic and reading studying, arguing, weighing up ideas come naturally to me. I am also mindful of wonderful Christians for whom reading and studying is an anathema. They hate it. They are never going to read a whole chapter of the Bible. It is just not in them. Having been a teacher for many years I have come across many students who just simply do not read. Are they going to miss out because they cannot study for themselves? I believe that part of being a community of believers is to have an inclusive dialogue so that non-studying people are included. One needs to remember that for most of humanity's history, literacy was a thinly acquired skill, yet people were converted by the Holy Spirit working through conversation and interaction rather than the written word. If we lose that interaction we lose one of the fundamental ways that the Holy Spirit works.

    (11)
    • Thank you for that comment Maurice. You make a great point in saying not everyone learns the same way. My husband is not Adventist and is one of those who cannot sit and read the Bible, but loves to talk about it and learn from it. He liked the Bible stories by Maxwell because they were easier for him to understand and had pictures. He has many questions, but many Adventists he has tried to talk with are uncomfortable with his questioning. We do need the in-working of the Holy Spirit to help us reach people where they are at.

      (8)
  10. Very eye opening, thought provoking. That is what I cont to say to all. Read and follow the bible but even while we follow the bible make sure you choose the right bible. All bible is not the same. Bibles come in paper form or audio form. If one have difficulties reading they can listen the audio form.
    In my former country I was told my pastor placed in his resignation before he was dismissed from the church. It didn't surprised me because no one go to bed as a saint and wake up a sinner. He had started doing thing that nicely put it- questionable!!! I personally dont follow SDA nor non SDA pastors. Like Jesus, how he did not agreed with many things being done in the temple yet the bible says he went into the temple on the sabbath. (because he knew that was the right thing to do). So it is with me. I question things which people dont like. I just dont follow because of following sake. Many have gone back to church without no covid19 safety. For me, I would ask question about that. Sometimes you hear people says it was the pastor/s who says this or that. I would let people know the pastors are not the head of the church, Christ is the head of the church.
    Many have been deceived by SDA pastors in the past, cont to study the bible my people.

    (2)

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