We believe in Trinity of three persons – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit – make up one God. They made salvation possible when Jesus, the Son, came to earth as a baby in Bethlehem and lived a sinless life in accordance with the Father’s will. When Jesus was crucified for the sins of the people of the world and arose from the dead on the third day, victory was won for everyone. Adventists believe that God is concerned with the quality of human life, and that everything – the way we live, eat, speak, think, treat each other, and care for the world around us – is part of His plan. Our families, our children, our jobs, our talents, our money, and our time are all important to Him.
Seventh-day Adventists accept the Bible as their only creed and hold certain fundamental beliefs to be the teaching of the Holy Scriptures. These beliefs, as set forth here, constitute the church’s understanding and expression of the teaching of Scripture. Revision of these statements may be expected at a quinquennial General Conference Session whenever the church is led by the Holy Spirit to a fuller understanding of Bible truth, or if better language is found to express these teachings of God’s Holy Word.
The expression of these concepts helps provide an overall picture of what this Christian denomination collectively believes and practices. Together, these teachings reveal a God who is the architect of the world. In wisdom, grace and infinite love, He is actively working to restore a relationship with humanity that will last for eternity.
Our History
The Seventh-day Adventist® Church was born out of the Millerite movement of the 1840s when thousands of Christians searched for greater understanding of biblical prophecy. Among these believers was a group in New England that rediscovered the seventh-day Sabbath. They chose the name “Seventh-day” which refers to the biblical Sabbath, Saturday, ordained by God at Creation. “Adventist” refers to the return, or second advent, of Jesus Christ.
In 1863, the new Sabbath keepers officially organized into a denomination with 3,500 members worshipping in 125 churches. They soon began sharing their faith outside of North America, first Switzerland in 1874, then in Russia, Ghana, South Africa, Argentina, and Japan.
Today, as one of the fastest growing Christian Protestant churches, the Seventh-day Adventist® Church’s worldwide membership has grown to more than 20 million in more than 200 countries. The Adventist Church operates the second largest parochial education system in the world, and operates the second largest religion-based health care network in the U.S.
The Seventh-day Adventist® Church in North America, known as the North American Division, represents more than 1.2 million members from the United States, Canada, Bermuda, Guam and Micronesia. This regional division was officially formed in 1985, and moved from Silver Spring, Maryland, to Columbia, Maryland, in September 2017.
Who We Are
We’re more than just a building, and bigger than our local congregation.
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a worldwide family with nearly 22 million members spread across 212 countries and over 150,000 churches and other worship groups. Our rich, 160+-year history includes the establishment of almost 230 hospitals and sanitariums, and over 9,400 schools around the world, serving students from preschool through university. Acting on Christ’s commission that we share His love and compassion with the world, Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), our global humanitarian arm, works in 120 countries, providing community development and disaster relief to over 25 million people to date.
There’s a place for you in this global family, too. Come be part of something bigger than yourself—a place comfortable enough to feel like home.