In “a resurrection in Zarephath” Jefferson Vann suggests a new translation of 1 Kings 17:21-22.
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I’ve been reading the recent posts on this blog with interest. I too listened to the panel discussion on denominational restructuring at the triennial convention….Comments were made about the need for unity of purpose at all levels of our denomination. Others noted that the question “What is an Advent Christian?” is often answered in terms of relationships. That ties in with things I’ve observed just in the past few weeks, and which I shared with my church following the convention…
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Evangelistic church planting is missional church planting as it contextualizes the Gospel without losing its transformational edge. Missional church planting does not seek to dispense spiritual products but seeks to work with the Holy Spirit to take the hope of Christ into the world in an intelligible context.
Read MoreLast week, my article “Denominational Tectonics” caused a bit of a firestorm amongst the readership of Advent Christian Voices. To be honest, that was one of my goals. I was trying, through confrontational and colorful language, to get people’s attention. What I failed to anticipate, however, is the way that my tone and candor may have deepened the divisions that I desired merely to identify and assess.
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Not all of you know me well...some may wonder about my own history in the denomination and my desires for the Advent Christian church. I thought now would be a good time to share my own story so that you might appreciate the diversity of backgrounds and thought among the “younger” generation. I encourage my peers to do the same.
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At the 2023 Triennial Convention, there was much discussion about restructuring our denomination. Particularly through a panel discussion, and many follow-up conversations, it became clear that most people within the Advent Christian denomination see a need for some amount of change. Yet, there was a lot of disagreement on what type of change needs to happen. This article is the first in a series, that will be published over the course of a few (or perhaps many) months, that will focus primarily on a biblical-theological look at the needs and changes we face.
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Jefferson Vann explains his translation of 1 Peter 2:13-15.
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I’m one of those folks whom if you invite me to your home or office, the first thing I notice is your library and the books you have on it. So let me share with you the books that have shaped my thinking about faith and about life, and hopefully you will find some insight into what I think and what I value.
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“Occupy till I come” was an important catch-phrase among the leaders of the early Adventist movement, as it reflected their belief that since Christ’s return was imminent, the people of God should occupy themselves with the task of sharing the Gospel and other important work. This mind-set stood in contrast to the popular (and largely debunked) image of the Millerites abandoning their daily work and possessions to await Christ’s return.
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It was a clip that showed up a few times in my newsfeed recently, and it got me thinking.
The speaker, a prominent theologian, was speaking about "Biblical Worldview" and commenting on the intense negativity we see in today’s society. Why are people so angry? He suggested people have decided that they can “enforce judgment, decide what is to be listened to, and decide how punishments are to be executed because, partly, they have decided there is no God and no objective reality for that God to judge - that they’re going to have to do it for Him.” This perspective, in part, has played into why people are hostile to a biblical worldview and angry about what Christians believe or how we behave, so they "cancel" you. Punish you. Try to change you.
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In this last article, I will lay out what will be basically required of any model to complete the unfinished work of our past. On top of this, I will also offer two rudimentary models for restructuring the denomination which would alleviate some of the stress of our leadership shortage and give us stronger footing for revitalizing the denomination.
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I’d rather we die the way we are than change one thing and survive.” This is an actual quote from a church member in a dying church, but it is the sentiment of many church members who find their congregation on the precipice of closure.
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You can only understand the Advent Christian denomination if you understand that it was a movement before it was a denomination…
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Nearly two years ago, Nathaniel Bickford wrote an article that shook the Advent Christian denomination to its core. He pointed out that we have problems that demand solutions - too few leaders, too many positions, and no denominational standards…
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Last night, I read a recent Christianity Today article about the growth of medically assisted suicide in Canada, where it has been legal nationwide since 2016. (Several U.S. states including Oregon and California also have laws permitting medically assisted suicide. In our postmodern world, suffering of any kind is taboo.
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