I am unimpressed by “John 3:16” unfurled from a fan’s seat along the front tier of a baseball stadium, or graffitied on a wall or stall. Yes, believing in Jesus is important. It’s a first step. But John 3:16, taken out of context and presented as the whole picture, means little. I don’t want to […]
When I wrote that we Adventists shouldn’t condemn Roman Catholics just because our Victorian pioneers said that church was identified by beasts in Daniel and Revelation, someone sent me a note and demanded, “Okay, Loren: if those beasts aren’t the pope, who are they?” And I responded, “I don’t know.” Most scholars who have looked […]
It took me 28 years to realize I was an Adventist nepo baby: a child born to a famous Adventist family. My grandfather is Dr. George W. Brown, the former president of the Inter-American Division of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church and a renowned author and public figure. His daughter, my mother, has been on executive committees […]
There is a theory I’ve heard about the Bible. It is one I suspect is widely believed. The idea is that the Bible unfolds, easily and accessibly, a simple, pure, and complete truth, untouched by the cultures or experiences of the authors, and the culture and presuppositions of the reader. If one opens it with […]
A friend of mine, when asked what makes him an Adventist, declares emphatically that the foundation of his belief is the parallel identities of Rome in Daniel 2, 7, and 8, along with the beasts of Revelation 13. He finds in these the confirmation for the existence of our church, and the truth of our […]
I’ve recently begun working in a skilled nursing facility as Director of Social Services and it has introduced me to some really beautiful people in the form of the patients. These lovely people who have lifetimes of experience and wisdom are experiencing a difficult time in their lives. Most of them have some form of […]
At Adventist Today, we have a unique opportunity to build the kindest, most inclusive corner of the Adventist Church. As my friend AT executive editor Loren Seibold explained last week, we deliberately choose to draw the circle wide, welcoming not just active Seventh-day Adventists, but also those who once were part of our community and […]
Someone wrote me a note recently: “Why do you let people who aren’t Adventists anymore write for Adventist Today?” she asked. It’s a good question. The answer goes to the heart of the Adventist Today philosophy. There is an official understanding of what makes someone a Seventh-day Adventist, of course: your name is recorded on […]
The longest journey in the Bible—at least judged by the time it took—was from Egypt to Canaan, which by a direct route would be about 250 miles. It took the crowd of Hebrew people 40 years. Adventist Today is on a journey, too. If you’re reading this, you already know what an important outlet for news […]
Next week, I’m combining two of my greatest passions: running and supporting Adventist Today. On Sunday, August 11, I’ll be setting off from Big Ben in London on a 230-mile run to Paris to raise funds for the AT Summer Challenge fundraiser. I know what you’re thinking. “Bjorn, have you lost your mind?” Perhaps a little, […]
Whenever an AT writer or commenter admits they have quit attending their local Adventist congregation, someone is likely to respond, “You should stay and change it.” As a lifelong pastor, I want to embrace that idea. We need members who are open-minded, flexible, who value grace and mercy. But here’s the reality: Most congregations, at […]
It has been a few years since I’ve regularly attended an Adventist Church. A lot has been written about about why people leave, and those points all still deserve thought. But yesterday I was missing a very specific Seventh-day Adventist thing. I mentioned it to my husband, and he had never even heard of it. The thing I […]