A Christian tradition, and the Christ at its center
The Adventist Tradition
Step into an Adventist church and one thing stands out: they gather on Saturday, the seventh day, keeping it as a Sabbath of rest and worship. The atmosphere is often warm and family-centered, with hearty singing, Scripture study in small groups, and preaching that takes the Bible seriously. Woven through it all is a bright hope in the second coming of Jesus, the advent for which the movement is named, and an unusual attention to caring for the body as part of honoring God. You may notice an emphasis on healthful living, community fellowship meals, and active service. Adventists are found around the globe and are known for hospitals, schools, and relief work. Beneath the distinctive Sabbath and the forward-looking hope, you meet Christians eager to welcome you, study Scripture with you, and share their expectation that Christ is coming again.
“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;”Titus 2:13
“Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.”Revelation 14:12
What it is
The Seventh-day Adventist Church emerged in the nineteenth century in the United States out of a broad movement of Christians expecting the near return of Jesus. When an anticipated date passed, a group continued studying Scripture and came to emphasize the seventh-day Sabbath alongside the advent hope, organizing formally in the following years. The tradition holds Scripture as its final authority and shares core Christian convictions about God, creation, and salvation in Christ. Distinctive teachings include keeping Saturday as the Sabbath, a strong expectation of Christ's visible second coming, an emphasis on health and wholeness of body and spirit, and the belief that the dead rest until the resurrection. Adventists regard one of their early leaders as having exercised a genuine prophetic gift, while still holding the Bible as supreme. Today the church is worldwide, numbering many millions, with extensive medical, educational, and humanitarian institutions.
How they worship and what they hold
The main gathering is on Saturday and typically includes Sabbath School, a time of Bible study in classes for all ages, followed by a worship service with singing, prayer, Scripture, and preaching. Worship is generally warm and participatory, and styles range from traditional to contemporary. Adventists practice baptism by immersion upon a personal profession of faith, and they observe the Lord's Supper, often preceded by foot washing as an act of humility and reconciliation. Health is treated as part of discipleship: many follow a vegetarian diet, abstain from alcohol and tobacco, and view care of the body as honoring God. Fellowship meals, service projects, and community outreach are common. The seventh-day Sabbath is kept as a delight, a weekly rest set apart from ordinary work to worship God and enjoy family, creation, and rest.
The Christ at the center
Jesus Christ is central to Adventist faith. They confess him as fully God and fully man, the Creator, the crucified and risen Savior, and the coming King. Salvation is received by grace through faith in him, not earned by keeping the Sabbath or by healthful living, which are understood as grateful responses rather than a means of earning favor. The advent hope shapes everything: Adventists await the blessed hope, the visible appearing of their great God and Savior, when Christ returns to raise the dead and make all things new. They speak of holding the faith of Jesus, trusting and following him. Beneath the distinctive Sabbath keeping and the expectation of his return stands the common Christian confession: that Jesus is Lord, that he died and rose for our salvation, and that he is coming again.
Questions people ask
Are they Christian?
Yes. Seventh-day Adventists are Christians who confess Jesus as fully God and fully man, crucified, risen, and coming again, and who hold Scripture as their final authority. Their distinctives, especially worshiping on the seventh-day Sabbath and a strong hope in Christ's return, are convictions drawn from the Bible. They receive salvation by grace through faith in Christ, as the wider Christian church does.
Can I visit?
Yes, and note that services are on Saturday. Visitors are warmly welcomed. A typical Sabbath includes a Bible study class and a worship service with singing and preaching. You can attend, listen, and join in as you feel comfortable. Communion, when offered, may include foot washing. Many congregations host fellowship meals, and members are usually glad to answer questions and help you feel at home.