| Author | Message | ||
| U2bsda Registered user Username: U2bsda Post Number: 218 Registered: 11-2004 |
Does anyone know if there are statistics relating to former SDAs? I have heard mention on here by several people that former SDAs are more susceptible to heading toward false doctrines than others. I would think that it would be opposite to that because we have come from deception and are more guarded about where we go next. | ||
| Helovesme2 Registered user Username: Helovesme2 Post Number: 664 Registered: 8-2004  |
 Perhaps someone else here has access to actual statistics. In my own experience though, many of the people who 'leave the church' do not leave because of finding Jesus. They leave because they are fed up, or they want to 'experience the world', or because they've decided they can never measure up, or because they can't stand the interpersonal politics, or because they don't like the 'laxity' of the mother church, or whatever. When these are the reasons for leaving it is often that the person turns atheist or agnostic, or falls into a different 'group' still based loosely or closely on Adventism (Reform Movement, Shepherd's Rod, Branch Davidians, Homechurched SDA, Historic SDAs, individual family groups living scared in the mountains, Feast-day Keepers (often combined in some fashion with 'Sacred-Name' adherants). Of all the people I knew who 'left the church' while I was an SDA I can think of one family who moved to a Bible believing church - and that one was 'odd' because the father of the home was moved in as that church's pastor, while he still believed, and taught so far as he was able, the basic 'truths' of SDAism. . . And they didn't stay, they moved back into SDAism last I'd heard. Oh there was one other - I met a lady who used to be adventist working at a Protestant VBS that my children attended one year. That was really awkward. As I left SDAism though I found many who had walked a similar path, mainly by finding this forum and other similar internet places. Here I have been surprised and overjoyed to meet fellow Christians, to be encouraged in my own Christian walk, and to learn from the experiences of each! Blessings, Mary | ||
| Seekr777 Registered user Username: Seekr777 Post Number: 597 Registered: 1-2003  |
A couple of comments and questions. My experience has lead me to believe that most members who are Adventists by birth do not move to other Christian churches. They usually just stop attending and are not involved in any other. They are often very "liberal" or caught up in the intellectual side of religion. It is VERY hard for an SDA who has known nothing else to move on to another Christian church. I think it is VERY hard for most SDAs no matter what they say to get over the feeling of having it ALL RIGHT and being THE REMNANT. After all where else is there to go????? ! ! ! Those I see going into another Christian church are usually those who were brought into the church from another church orginally and then when they leave often go back to their orginal church. This has been my observation of new converts to Adventistism in my parents church up north. Until I began to hang around with FAF and with my current church I knew almost no one who had been a long time SDA who had left the church for another church. Mary, what draws SDAs to "Feast-day Keepers and Sacred-Name adherants"? Until just a few months ago I had never heard of the Sacred-Name group and none of what they said made much sense to me. Thanks, Richard rtruitt@mac.com | ||
| U2bsda Registered user Username: U2bsda Post Number: 219 Registered: 11-2004 |
Same here Richard. In real life I don't know of any former SDAs who have left the church and started attending a Bible believing church. This site has been very valuable in helping me realize I am not alone. | ||
| Helovesme2 Registered user Username: Helovesme2 Post Number: 665 Registered: 8-2004 |
Well Richard, the Feast dayers have a really good argument for Sabbathkeepers - The weekly sabbath is part of the whole cycle of Feasts (and they will argue long and hard that they are the Feasts of Yahweh NOT the Feasts of Israel). If you keep it, the feast dayers argue, you should also keep the rest of the feasts. It makes sense if there was no New Covenant to replace the old. Of course if Jesus really did fulfill the law and institute a 'New and Living Way' then their arguement falls to pieces. About the Sacred Name - There are beautiful things to be learned in understanding the various meanings of the Hebrew names for God. But the Sacred Namers take it farther and claim that we are only to talk to God by using his Hebrew name (and only particular ones at that). In their arguent, if you use an English, or German, or Chinese name, you might be talking to a false god instead of the True (Jesus, some argue, is actually a reference to Zeus). It's another way to make sure you're right with God based on your works. It's amazing the convolutions we will put ourselves thru to avoid the simple acceptance of salvation extended to us by Grace! Blessings, Mary | ||
| Melissa Registered user Username: Melissa Post Number: 1488 Registered: 7-2003 |
Wow, Mary. I've never heard of such groups. You're a wealth of knowledge. | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 4723 Registered: 12-2003  |
About six or seven years ago, Richard found a website giving statistics on former SDAs, LDSs, and JWs. We're not even sure if the website is around anymore, and admittedly seven years is old by nowóbut at that time it showed that of all the people who left Adventism (and again, the statistics could not have shown all who leave; many leave while their names are still on the books), only 2% ever attended a Christian church afterward. My hunch is that the percentage is likely a bit larger now. More and more Adventists are learning about the New Covenant and discovering who Jesus REALLY is. But I fear the percentage is still small. As Richard said above, once you've believed you have THE TRUTH and are God's special remnant, it's pretty hard ever to go anywhere else. If "the truth" doesn't work for you, then you ignore itóyou don't "apostatize" and go into the mark of the beast willingly! Colleen | ||
| Grace_alone Registered user Username: Grace_alone Post Number: 227 Registered: 6-2006  |
Once, when I first started dating my now husband, his mom told me, and with such pride, "People don't leave the SDA church and join other churches. They just become nothing!" I was shocked that she would be so proud about that. Colleen this web site PROVES that it's not true. There may not be huge numbers of formers, but they are out there. With sites like this, ellenwhite.org, sdaoutreach.org, truthorfables.org, etc, the numbers of formers will only grow. Sites like these give people hope, that SDAism IS NOT the way. Jesus is the way! I think it's especially important to the younger generations who spend a lot of time on the internet. Leigh Anne | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 2868 Registered: 3-2004  |
Out of a family of the 8 children left, I am the only one that attends church. One will have nothing to do with God, but does not call herself SDA. The other girls call themselves SDA but do not live SDA lives. One brother had his name taken off the church books, but does not attend any church. Another brother attends either a Messianic Jewish congregation or an AoG church. The last brother was never baptized SDA and has never practiced it. I have said before, that when I still lived in VA, and my son was in college, we would talk about the things he had learned and we both said we could never attend a church on Sunday. Guess what?? God had other plans for us and now we both attend church on Sunday. So, those are the statistics for my family. I pray for them every day and they are on many prayer lists. God will bring them to Him. He is so awesome. Diana | ||
| Winslow Registered user Username: Winslow Post Number: 1 Registered: 10-2006 |
Hello It's time for me to stop lurking and join in and Richard has kindly granted me this favor. So just a brief introduction and a thanks for the forum and what you have all unwittingly shared with me in your stories and posts. This is my one-year anniversary month of leaving the SDA denomination (I refuse to call it "church" because that is reserved for the "called-out" ones who make up the body of Christ). It has been a wonderfully freeing year. God has been ever so close and brought a depth of revelation of Himself during this year such as I never dreamed possible. The dichotomy of "never thirsting again," and "panting after Him" have been and continue to be very real. Jesus found me in 1998 and He I can testify that He doesn't let go once He takes hold. He is Good. Several days ago, the posts were about leaving SDAism alone. This has been my experience--my wife still belongs and teaches for an SDA elementary school. It has caused some bumpy roads, but with her love and that of the heavenly Father, we manage fairly well. I still attend with her on occasion since that is where our friends are. Another recent thread was that of attending a "Sunday" church. I did one time, but found that they had set up Martin Luther as their "authority" and felt as if it were much like returning to SDAism with a different human authority figure. It wasn't for me. Since then, I've left it up to God to bring the right timing and group. I am fairly convinced that no group is perfect and that the ideal church would be a asmall house church with a free-flowing worship service of singing, prayer, sharing and study. So , I've not found such a group. I am praying that this Forum will fill this gap for me during this wilderness time. I know there is more due to an experience I had on a LA-bound airplane a while back. In a brief layover in Sacramento, I was moved from my seat to another one and was seated next to an older couple. They had been sitting near the rear of the plane and found themselves moving from seat to seat before winding up in the one next to me. Within minutes of introducing ourselves, we discovered our common bond in the body of Christ and worshiped adn prayed together on the hour flight to LA. It was, for me, an unforgettably precious experience, richar by many orders than any worship in an SDA congregation. So I know it's possible. Enough for now. Thank you again for the joy you all exude through these ephemeral electrons. Jesus Christ is Lord! winslow | ||
| Helovesme2 Registered user Username: Helovesme2 Post Number: 667 Registered: 8-2004 |
Welcome Winslow! What a beautiful 'plane' experience! I look forward to hearing more from you. Blessings, Mary | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 4729 Registered: 12-2003 |
Winslow, welcome to the forum! What an awesome experience you had on that plane. I assure you, God knows exactly where He will lead you to find fellowship and worship as a member of the body. He very specifically led us to the church we're in, and He has blessed us and grown us beyond anything we had known. During our first year, we attended everythingóeven the things we normally woudln't have attendedójust to see what it was like in a "Christian church". Absolutely everything was differentóeven the annual church picnic. The underlying consistency is the intangible but palpable presence of the Holy Spirit. It is amazing. The "oneness" in Adventism is a counterfeit of true fellowship in the body of Christ. God is so faithful! I'll pray that He will lead you to the place He knows you need to be. BTW, have you considered, as an interim solution, joining a Bible Study Fellowship or Community Bible Studyóor even a men's study at a local church? BSF and CBS are onlineóyou can look them up and see if there's a meeting near you. Dd and Bb on this forum attend BSF, and they can tell you how great it is! Many evangelical churches have men's Bible studies that are open to people from other congregations as well. They often meet earlyó6:00 A.M. on a weekday, for example, or on Saturdays or, sometimes, in the evening. You could call and check it out! Colleen | ||
| Randyg Registered user Username: Randyg Post Number: 270 Registered: 12-2004 |
Welcome Winslow, Next month it will be one year since I officially left Adventism. So I can relate to your situation. If you have been following this forum you might recall that I left alone as well and my wife also is an SDA teacher. I must EMPHASIZE that I did not leave the my Adventist friends and family. I left Adventism, the fundamentals beliefs that I could not support intelectually and with solid scriptural support and backing. I was very fortunate in that I found a wonderful large church to attend where I could just soak up the worship and the sermons based solely on scripture, and yet with life lessons that week after week seemed to be speaking directly to my needs. Was I comfortable at first, no. Did I find a warmth and spirituality I had never felt before, yes. I initially sat in the back row of the balcony for several weeks, until I realized that this was a safe place. The joy of the Holy Spirit's presence was there, and my initial intimidation disappeared. Now I am usually 4 rows from the front. Where else but in a church can you get Dress Circle seating for the same price as the nose bleed section? My advice to you would be to check out a few churches , not to judge them, but rather to see if you find a warm loving welcoming spirit and if they preach the Scripture. Many larger churches have their own websites, and you can often get a feel for the place by looking closely at that. I have come to realize most importantly is that we have the freedom to explore and search. With your new freedom in Christ it is actually fun to check how others worship and commune with God. You will soon find a comfort zone, in the style and presentation of the music and spoken word. Like many before me have mentioned, if you don't find the Holy Spirit touching your heart and speaking to you, continue on your journey, and enjoy the freedom of God has given you though Jesus. Again welcome, Randy | ||
| Randyg Registered user Username: Randyg Post Number: 271 Registered: 12-2004 |
Re: stats on formers, In my community (a small Adventist mecca) there are are aprox as many former Adventists as there are Adventists. Many of those brought up Adventist and have left, by and large just walked away from Church period. Many never formalized it with a request to be formally removed . I suspect many still are under the impression that Adventism = Christianity and want no part of the legalism and spritual arrogance they were brought up with. Of the 600-700 ex Adventists in my community I know of only a handful that attend any church at all. I know that many eyes are watching, and chins are wagging wondering what will become of me. So many of the Adventist seniors in the valley are so distraught that their adult children have fallen away from God (aka) left Adventism, but the church has only itself to blame for that. If Adventism hadn't been so historically judgmental of all other Christians, maybe some of the many educated and professionals that have left would still have an interest in spiritual things and Christianity in particular. This has unfortunately become a self fulfilling prophecy, given how Adventism has rebuked and condemned all other churches. They have not only driven people out of the church but are also complicit in these people walking away from God in general by their systematic distortion of what being a Christian involves. What an utter shame. | ||
| Timmy Registered user Username: Timmy Post Number: 61 Registered: 8-2006  |
Greetings Winsolw! It sounds like you have a pretty good handle on things. I couldn't agree with you more... take your time and God WILL lead you to a place that meets your needs and help you build a relationship with Jesus like you never knew was possible. I can also relate to your thoughts on the "Luther" human leader mentality. My wife and I shy away from anything that claims a "denomination." It seems that as soon as these rigid denominational walls are erected, your freedom to study and converse with the Spirit is somehow handicapped. We only feel comfortable at the ones that don't claim a specific name... (Non-denominational, Community, etc). Hang in there and enjoy the journey! Randyg, Have you read the little book Called, "Life of Mrs. EG White --- Her False Claims Refuted, by DM Canright"? I think it was written in 1919 and Doyle Canright saw the writing on the wall. He realized that when people would leave SDAism, that they would become "Infidels." His prediction of the future was almost word for word of your discription of the past/present. (He was not a prophet, just logical) ts | ||
| Aliza Registered user Username: Aliza Post Number: 14 Registered: 8-2006 |
Welcome, Winslow. I can so relate to what it's like to attempt to find a church family. I spent a lot of wilderness time trying all different churches. Unfortunately, now that I've got one (non-denominational) where I'm a member, I find myself facing a cross country move and starting all over again only in a much smaller city. <sigh> For me, I have sensed over the years that outside of the doctrinal concerns two things need to be in evidence: the tangible presence of the Holy Spirit as others have mentioned and a church with a dynamic prayer life. You would think those things should be automatically the case, but sadly I've not found that to be so. Aliza | ||
| Aliza Registered user Username: Aliza Post Number: 15 Registered: 8-2006 |
As to the stats on formers, I'm in total agreement with those who say the majority of formers don't have anything to do with Christianity or church attendance. The really sad thing is I find some parents feel that a child who is outside of Adventism in the wilderness is better off than a child who left Adventism for true Christianity! I guess it's another one of those denial things--maybe they'll come back to "the truth". Anyone else noticed that? | ||
| U2bsda Registered user Username: U2bsda Post Number: 220 Registered: 11-2004 |
I've heard the same thing - that it would be better to be a non-Christian than someone with my current beliefs. I guess you are judged on what you know rather than Who you know. | ||
| U2bsda Registered user Username: U2bsda Post Number: 221 Registered: 11-2004 |
I've heard the same thing - that it would be better to be a non-Christian than someone with my current beliefs. I guess you arw judged on what you know rather than Who you know. | ||
| Mwh Registered user Username: Mwh Post Number: 181 Registered: 4-2006  |
Anyone know of some good biblestudies online, cause International Bible Study Fellowship and Community Bible Study aren't available in Denmark. Basically I'm looking for good materials, I know that there are some on this very page FAF, but I want more |
