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SOME FACTS ABOUT SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISTS Seventh-Day Adventist churches literally circle the globe. Recent statistics show member ship approaching 5 million members (690,000 in the United States and Canada) worshipping in more than 25,000 congregations in 184 countries. The church is increasing in net member ship about 7% every year, a high figure for a denomination it's size. The worldwide Adventist Church -- sometimes known as "the caring church"-- also operates 160 hospitals, 251 dispensaries and clinics, and 65 nursing homes and retirement centers that in a recent year served nearly 6 million people. The Adventist Health System -- with 56 hospitals and nearly 9,800 beds -- is one of the largest health-care chains in the United States. In addition, the Adventist church runs a worldwide system of more that 5300 school with some 33,000 teachers and 678,000 students from kindergarten through graduate professional schools. These include 10 colleges and two universities and nearly 1600 primary and secondary schools with more than 71,000 students in the united States and Canada. Heeding Christ's admonition to feed the hungry and clothe the naked, Seventh-Day Adventists everywhere extend their helping hands to friends and neighbors in need. internationally, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) helps victims of war, famine, floods, earthquakes, and other disasters. in addition, many Adventist congregations have Community service facilities from which volunteers help those in need close to home. In a recent year, Adventists helped nearly 14 million men, women and children. if you know someone in need, call your friends, the Adventists. The Adventist Church also has a worldwide publishing ministry with more than 50 publishing facilities printing scores of magazines and other publications in nearly 190 languages and dialects. Leading publications in the united States and Canada include Vibrant Life, a guide for total health; Listen, a better living guide for youth; Signs of the Times, Message, and El Centinela, family magazines that discuss current events from a biblical perspective; Liberty, a magazine of religious freedom; Ministry, a journal for clergy of all faiths; even publications for the visually challenged. Ask your Adventist neighbor -- or call a local church -- for a sample copy. Seventh-Day Adventists also support a variety of television and radio ministries. in the United States and Canada, perhaps you've watched one of the Churches television programs, such as "Faith for Today," "Christian Lifestyle Magazine," "It is Written," "Breath of Life," or"Ayer, Hoy, y Manana." On radio the Church's popular programs in North America are "The Voice of Prophecy" and "la Voz de la Esperanza." Eleven AM and FM stations -- most connected to Adventist colleges or Universities -- make up the Adventist Radio network in the united States and Canada. Adventist World Radio is developing a chain of short-wave radio stations to reach masses of potential listeners in scores of languages. Bible correspondence courses -- most free for the taking -- are available in 60 languages. HISTORY AND BELIEFS The Seventh Day Adventist Church grew out of a world-wide religious revival in the mid-19th century. people of many religious persuasions believed Bible prophecies indicated that the second coming or advent of Christ was imminent. When Christ did not come in the 1840's, a group of these disappointed Adventists in the United States continued their Bible studies and concluded that they had misinterpreted prophetic events and that the second coming of Christ was still in the future. This same group of Adventists later accepted the seventh-day Sabbath and became known as Seventh-Day Adventists. The Church organized formally in 1863 and began it's mission to the world. Basing it's faith and practice wholly on the Bible , the Seventh-Day Adventist Church through the years has developed 27 fundamental beliefs. Here is an outline of key beliefs that unify the worldwide Seventh-Day Adventist Church. THE TRINITY There is one God, the father, Son, and Holy Spirit, a unity of three co-eternal Persons commonly called the Trinity. God the Father is the Creator, Source, Sustainer, and Sovereign of all creation. God the eternal son became incarnate in Jesus Christ, through Whom all things were created, the character of God is revealed, the salvation of humanity is accomplished, and the world is judged. God the Holy Spirit draws men and women to Himself and extends spiritual gifts to the church. CHRIST OUR HOPE In Christ's life of perfect obedience to God's will, His suffering, death, and resurrection, God provided the only means of atonement for human sin, so that those who by faith accept His atonement may have eternal life. CHRIST'S RETURN The second coming of Christ is the blesses hope of the Church, the grand climax of the gospel. His coming will be literal, personal, visible, and world wide. When He returns the righteous dead will be resurrected and together with the righteous living will be glorified and taken to heaven. The unrighteous -- those who have rejected divine grace -- will die. THE CHURCH The Church is the community of believers who confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. in it men and women join together for worship, fellowship, instruction in the Word, the celebration of the Lord's supper, service to our neighbors, and the worldwide proclamation of the gospel. THE HOLY SCRIPTURES The Old and New Testaments are the written Word of God, given by divine inspiration through holy men of God who spoke and wrote by the Holy Spirit. The Scriptures are the infallible revelation of God's will. TEN COMMANDMENTS The Ten Commandments, the great principles of God's law, are exemplified in the life of Christ. They express God's love, will and purposes concerning human conduct and relationships. Salvation is all of grace and not of works, but it's fruitage is obedience to the Commandments, not in hopeless effort to earn salvation, but in grateful harmony with the life and will of Him Whose perfect obedience has brought us confidence and acceptance as His sons and Daughters. THE SABBATH The seventh day of the week, Saturday, is observed as the day of rest, worship, and ministry in harmony with the teaching and practice of Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath. The Sabbath is a day of delightful communion with God and one another. We joyfully observe this holy time from Friday evening to Saturday evening, from sunset to sunset, as a celebration of Gods creative and redemptive acts. THE NEW EARTH On the New Earth, in which righteousness dwells, God will provide a glorious home for the redeemed with a perfect environment for everlasting life, love, joy, and learning. God Himself will dwell with His people, and suffering and death will exist no more.
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