By: Andrew Francis
This summer, I learned that the Seventh-day Adventist Church is beautifully colorful. While attending the 62nd General Conference (GC) Session during July in St. Louis, Missouri, I was further exposed to how diverse the different conferences, ministries, people and personalities are in our church. The mission of Adventist pioneers such as J.N. Andrews and Ellen White—to carry the gospel to the whole world—has largely been a success, resulting in the astounding growth of the Church across Africa and South America. Institutions like Southern Adventist University, Andrews University and Union Adventist University showcase with pride their cultural diversity.
While touring the GC Session’s exhibition hall, I witnessed how diverse the traditions of Adventism are. I saw outreach through education, sports, books, social media, games and a variety of other professions. In worship, too, there is variety: Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) has grown exponentially within and beyond Adventism, becoming one of the most trending music genres on streaming platforms. Gospel music has been a mainstay for decades for many congregations and for members who desire a bit more tempo in their praise. The classic hymns are still sung and are far from forgotten, as they often inspire newer compositions. Our churches and school campuses are blessed to have these worship styles and others represented through various ministries and fellowships.
The hues of worship
However, I have also unfortunately come across church members or visitors being disparaged by Adventists because they did not fit in with the preferred traditions that were in place, even when those preferences have no biblical basis. Complaints range from “the music was too slow” or “why was that instrument used?” to critiques about skirt length, “flashy” attire, sermon duration or a praise leader being “too performative.” It is sometimes fair and understandable to critique things in our public church services. However, I think we often lose sight of the point of ministry and church services, which is not to please ourselves or continue our traditions. As Jesus reminds us in Mark 2:27, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” The point will always be to praise God.
Questioning the sincerity of someone else’s praise or insulting the way people conduct worship does not increase your own authenticity and holiness. Once a person or congregation reads the Bible and seeks to honor God according to biblical principles, the quality of their worship is ultimately between them and God. Being overly concerned with the spiritual lives of others distracts from the “beams” in our own eyes that Christ spoke about in Matthew 7:3-5.
Instead, if any significant issues arise that do not concern aesthetic preferences or the abandonment of tradition, God tasks us in Matthew 18:15 with peacefully approaching one another privately to correct something that has been done contrary to the Bible. Not every religious or cultural dispute will be easily resolved. However, I do believe there is a spectrum of Adventist beliefs and practices that does not compromise our core, fundamental doctrines. Much of the tension present across this spectrum could be reduced through uniting on the aspects that matter: valuing the message of the Gospels, using God’s word to cultivate a personal and loving relationship with Him and sharing that love with the people near to us and far away.
These values ought to be translated into our secular discussions. In the United States, the separation of church and state is decreasing, and we are witnessing more intertwining of political and religious beliefs. I do think it is important for every member to be engaged and aware of civil and political matters, since it is a way for Christians to follow the several examples Christ left of adequately understanding the people and groups we need to minister to. However, we must guard against letting politics become an idol. Letting our understanding of social and civil matters become too much of a focus can drive some to act in ways that are unlike Christ.
The heated and toxic nature of today’s political discourse should be a warning about how we carry out disagreements within the Church. The recent assassination of political commentator Charlie Kirk, a self-proclaimed Christian who had recently garnered attention from some Adventist communities, is a sobering example of what happens when mutual respect for differing perspectives is not appreciated. I strongly believe that no human should ever determine whether someone lives or dies. And although many of Kirk’s statements were widely viewed as misogynistic and racist, he is still included in that belief. Unfortunately, many are choosing not to ignore his problematic stances, leading some to question why so many are grieving.
Let God be the judge
I do not want to see a denomination where members feel compelled to hurt one another or celebrate the departure or death of fellow believers or leaders with whom they disagree. If we become more tolerant of the broad spectrum of Adventist traditions and cultures and focus on what God wants us to prioritize, it will prevent us from offending one another. Jesus commissions us in Matthew 28:19-20 to love and share the gospel, not to make people conform to our definition of being “more Adventist.” Let God be the judge of our hearts, since He is the only one who can truly evaluate them (1 Samuel 16:7).
The original version of this editorial was published in the Andrews University Student Movement, the official student newspaper of Andrews University.
