Snapshots of the sda church 2

Based on the most extensive research ever conducted on
the attitudes, beliefs, experiences and spiritual
practices of Seventh-day Adventists

Re a d i n g :
Finally, all of you,
have unity of mind,
sympathy,
brotherly love, a
tender heart, and a
humble mind.
1 Peter 3:8 ESV

If I give away all I
have, and if I deliver
up my body to be
burned, but have not
love, I gain nothing.
1 Corinthians 13:3 ESV

SOURCES: Based on surveys, questionnaires, interviews and the GC Statistical
Archive
“Landmark survey reveals in-depth beliefs”: http://news.adventist.org/all-news/news/go/2013-10-17/
landmark-survey-reveals-in-depth-beliefs-perceptions-of-adventist-members/





http://www.adventiststatistics.org/
http://faithcommunitiestoday.org/sites/faithcommunitiestoday.org/files/Seventh-day%20Adventist%20Final%20Report.pdf
www.creativeministry.org
David Beckworth, S. Joseph Kidder, Reflections on the future of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America:
Trends and challenges, MINISTRY, Dec.2010

Slow Membership Growth in the North American Division
Compared with World Growth, 2012
2 % NO. AMERICAN DIVISION
MEMBERSHIP GROWTH

2 % or 23320 new members

6.6 million in Africa,
5.8 million are in Latin America
3.4 million are in Asia.

15 % Worldwide Membership
Growth
Or 1.1 million new members

Southwestern Union, Fastest Growing

http://news.adventist.org/all-news/news/go/2013-10-13/membershipnears-18-million-secretary-highlights-regions-of-growth-decline/

From 1975 to 2005 the population grew by 1.09 percent, but the
church grew by 0.06 percent.

“This indicates that the Seventh-day
Adventist presence is shrinking in the NAD.
From 1975 to
2005 the
population
grew by 1.09
%, but the
church grew
by 0.06 %
shrinking
relative to
the population

Membership Growth does not
keep up with the general
population growth in the NAD

If the number of the converts continues to grow
below the rate of population growth, the church

will become a shrinking part of the

population,

making it increasingly more difficult
to fulfill its mission.”
David Beckworth, S. Joseph Kidder, Reflections on the future of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in
North America: Trends and challenges, MINISTRY, Dec.2010

Population Growth (1.09) vs Converts (0.06)

2
1
0

Number of Members Needed for
ONE Convert in NAD
30
25
20
Members Needed for
ONE Convert

15

27

In 1913

5

15

10

In 2010

0

It now takes about 27 members to produce one baptism, whereas
from 1913 to 1980 it took only about 15 members
David Beckworth, S. Joseph Kidder, Reflections on the future of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America: Trends and
challenges, MINISTRY, Dec.2010

Cost per Convert in 2005 Dollars
50,000
50,000
40,000
30,000
20,000
10,000
0
0
In 1913
In 1913

Cost per Convert

In 2010
In 2010
In 1913
In 1913
5,500

In 2010
In 2010
41,000

In terms of economic productivity, the Seventh-day Adventist Church in
the NAD was spending about $41,000 in 2005 per convert while in 1913 it
took about $5,500 (2005 US$) to do the same because of the high
structural overhead.

CHURCH GROWTH
12
10
8

6

Bible Study Groups

4

Fellowship & Social

2
0
% CHURCH GROWTH
DUE TO

Congregations that have fellowship or sponsor other social activities are
more likely to be growing than those that don’t. Their presence accounts
for 8.9% of the growth. If we add Bible study groups other than
Sabbath school, the strength rises to 10.7%.

Only 50 % Attending Church
100
90
80

50
40
30
20
10

50%
attending

60

Book Membership

70

0
Book
Membership

Attending

Active

Tithing

http://www.creativeministry.org/site/1/docs/Quit.PDF

Contacting Visitors
CONTACTING VISITOR

Contacts by
phone, e-mail, mail
Rarely, IF EVER
Contact Visitors

Membership Gains and
Losses, 2000-2013
15
Million

From 2000 to
2012, more than
13.6 million people
joined the
church, mostly
through baptism. But
during
the same
time, 5.9 million
Adventists were lost
(and that doesn’t
include those who
died).
That’s a loss rate of
nearly 43.4 per 100

10
5
0

“Landmark survey reveals in-depth beliefs”

Youth apostasy
and recovery

Dr. Allan Martin, former Seminary professor and current young adult
pastor told that between 59 and 70% of young adults leave the Church.

http://www.columbiaunion.org/article/1281/news/2013-news-archives/may-16-2013-columbia-union-leaders-discuss-youngadult-attrition

“Landmark survey reveals in-depth beliefs”: http://news.adventist.org/all-news/news/go/2013-10-17/landmark-survey-reveals-in-depth-beliefs-

perceptions-of-adventist-members/

7
6

4 out of 10 Adventists slipped out of

5

without ever being contacted
by anyone.

4

2

1
0

the church

Never contacted

3

1

2

“Landmark survey reveals in-depth beliefs”: http://news.adventist.org/allnews/news/go/2013-10-17/landmark-survey-reveals-in-depth-beliefs-perceptions-of-adventist-

Sabbath School teachers were ranked
higher than pastors and elders when

church members were asked to state who was
friendlier, warmer, more caring and had a
positive effect on their spiritual lives.
Findings, released to delegates at the 2013 General Conference Annual Council

19 % Worship in the USA in
other Language then English

Spanish

Percent of Sabbath Worships
which Never Use the Following Instruments Never Use Guitar

Never Use Drums

Organ
Choir
Drums

Never Use Choir

Guitar
Never Use Organ

0

20

40

60


80

25%

75%
About three-fourths of Adventists strongly embrace the
prophetic ministry of church co-founder Ellen G. White.


2

1

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

“Landmark survey reveals in-depth beliefs”: http://news.adventist.org/allnews/news/go/2013-10-17/landmark-survey-reveals-in-depth-beliefs-perceptions-of-adventist-

“The median age of
Seventh-day Adventist in
North America is 51.
The median age for the general
public is 36 in the U.S. and 37
in Canada.
Among native-born White and
Black members the median age is
even higher than 51.”

40%
35%
30%
25%

 Adventist churches have

fewer households with
children than other
faiths.

20%
15%
10%
5%
0%

 Only 26 % have young

children at home.



Adventist World, Feb.2012, p. 11

Many or
most

Some

Adventists

A few

All faiths

Hardly any
or none

50%
45%
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%

1977-94,
(“Gen X”), born
1965-76, now
b 1933-45,
now 57 – 69

WW II
generation

26 to 37

Swing
Baby Boom Baby Bust
generation generation generation
General population

now 18 to 25

Millennial
generation

Adventist Church
www.creativeministry.org

When Children and Youth are present few are
involved in Sabbath Worship Services

Seldom & Never
Involve Youth or
Children

Involve Youth and
Children

Involve Youth &
Children

Seldom or Never
Involve Youth or
Children
0

10

20

30


To few Children and Youth Programs

No Youth Programs or
emphasis of Youth
Programs

No Team Sports

No Pathfinder or
emphasis of Pathfinder

No Pathfinder

No Team Sports
No Youth Programs

0

20

40

60

80

The study guide, perhaps not surprisingly, is
least popular with worshipers is in North
America, parts of Europe, and in and around
Australia

“Landmark survey

reveals in-depth beliefs”: http://news.adventist.org/all-news/news/go/2013-10-17/landmark-survey-reveals-indepth-beliefs-perceptions-of-adventist-members/

92 percent of Adventists have an
overwhelming conviction that the
Seventh-day Sabbath is the true Sabbath


Approximately 90 percent of respondents strongly
agreed that the Seventh-day Adventist Church is
God’s true last-day church
with a message to prepare the world for the
Second Coming of Christ.

9%

30%

6%

55%
Caucasian

Caucasian, 55%
African-Am 30%
Hispanic 9%
Asian etc. 6%

Fast Growth of Ethnic Membership, Growth does not match the ethnic
makeup of the population

“This is a subject that is not going away! This topic can no
longer be ignored!”
According to Claude E. Steen III, minister and Missionary for
40 years thinks there may be today anywhere from 250 000
Pastor Steen

to “1 Million Seventh day Adventist Gays” ?

http://www.buildingsafeplaces.org/index.php/archives/who-cares-newsletter-archives/july-2011/editors-perspective-a-million-gay-adventists.html

“The discussion about homosexuality and everything that
relates to it has hardly started in the Adventist
Church. The church is still too busy with the commotion
surrounding ordaining female ministers, and the problems
concerning a literal six-day creation. But in the

Reinder
Bruinsma, President of
the Belgium-Luxembourg
Conference.

meantime it is clear that the questions regarding
same sex relationships (which according to many
Adventists are unequivocally condemned by the
Bible) can no longer be ignored.”
Reinder Bruinsma, President of the Belgium-Luxembourg
Conference. Posted on August 26, 2012

WHY?

The next generation does not have a big
problem with gays in the Church
“Almost half of college students and recent
college graduates (North America) said they would accept
practicing homosexuals as church members in good
and regular standing.”
“Landmark survey reveals in-depth beliefs”: http://news.adventist.org/allnews/news/go/2013-10-17/landmark-survey-reveals-in-depth-beliefs-perceptions-ofadventist-members/

WHY?
Adventist members softening their Stance
Collegedale Adventist
Commissioners Voted to Give
Family Benefits to Same-Sex
Couples, 5 August 2013

How does one of the most traditional
Adventist communities in the U.S.
become a national trendsetter by
bucking its state's constitution and
granting city benefits to an employee's
same-sex spouse?

Two of the four votes in favor of the resolution
came from long-time Adventist residents of
Collegedale, both of whom have been heads of
departments and academic administrators at
Southern Adventist University. A third commissioner
who voted “yes” is married to a current professor at
Southern. (3 out of 4 votes Adventist)

Kat Cooper
Kat Cooper, city police officer of more than
eight years, who married her long-term partner
in Maryland this year, had applied for benefits
and got it

Certainly, for people who live and work in
Collegedale, the dominant emotion in town, on
Southern’s campus or off of it, was the absence of
outrage and a strong desire to live and let live.
http://spectrummagazine.org/blog/2013/08/09/why-collegedale-voted-give-familybenefits-same-sex-couples

http://gladventist.org/
IAGC Intercollegiate Adventist GSA Coalition
iagc.andrews@gmail.com

Gay SDAs

http://jhegarty.com/gaysda/

Pastors Dwain Esmond, Eddie Hypolite (England) and
Matthew Gamble discussing Homosexuality on Youtube

Ministry for Adventist families and friends of gays and lesbians
DVD. Interviews with Adventist parents of gay and lesbian people:
 Dr. Walt & Virginia Cason physician/daughter of Elder H.M.S. Richards),
 Dr. George P. Babcock (53 years educator & church adminstrator)

 Mrs. Carrol Grady (minister's wife).

A Pastor’s family agonizing about their gay youngest son
My Son, Beloved Stranger / Kate McLaughlin
1995 Pacific Press
Adventist Family and Friends of Gays and Lesbians

Christianity And Homosexuality
Some Seventh-day Adventist Perspectives

Edited by David Ferguson, Fritz Guy and David Larson

"The Church should not remain silent on issues prominent in
society, especially when they also touch the Adventist faith
community.
A Christian church is expected to uphold biblical standards.
But it is equally important that as Christians we are always full of
grace and compassionate towards everyone." Ray Dabrowski, the
SDA's communication director

discussed proposed changes to
the church’s statements on homosexuality.

Adventist Church Vice President Ben Schoun, left, chairs Annual Council delegates as they

Official statements

updated, modified to reaffirm biblical stance

October 17, 2012 | Silver Spring, Maryland, United States | Author: Edwin Manuel Garcia/ANN
The Seventh-day Adventist Church on Wednesday reaffirmed its stance against homosexual activity and same-sex marriage,

softened the denomination’s position statement

but also

liberal

progressive

Moral
influence
theory

ultra-extreme
extreme
conservative
evangelical moderate conservative conservative

(It is) an “undeniable fact that contemporary Adventist theology
has quite a few different faces”
Reinder Bruinsma, Executive secretary of the Trans-European Division & President of the Netherlands Union.

http://www.ministrymagazine.org/archive/2010/december/theological-diversity-a-threat-an-asset-or-what

"A problem in past evangelical evaluations of Adventism has been the
failure to recognize its theological diversity. Adventism is anything but
monolithic.“ Kenneth R. Sample, The Recent Truth About Seventh-day Adventists in Christianity Today February 5, 1990.

Volume 25, Number 6 • June 2010
The Immutable Law of God • Christ
Our Righteousness • The Seventh-day
Sabbath, The Three Angels’ Messages
• The Non-Immortality of the Soul •
The Sanctuary

Pastor Benjamin Schoun, the
General Conference vice president
acknowledges the challenges facing
the denomination.

“We have much to learn and we
probably need to incorporate these
results into our strategic
planning, because it is a very
sobering picture in some
cases, even though we have our
strengths as well.”

Dr. Benjamin Schoun

Re a d i n g :
Here there is no Gentile or
Jew, circumcised or
uncircumcised, barbarian,
Scythian, slave or
free, but Christ is

all, and is in all.

Therefore, as God’s chosen
people, holy and dearly
loved, clothe yourselves
with

compassion, kindness, hu
mility, gentleness and
patience. Bear with each

other and forgive one another
if any of you has a grievance
against someone. Forgive as
the Lord forgave you —
Colossians 3:11-13

Snapshots of the sda church 2

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Snapshots of the sda church 2