There are many absolutely beautiful aspects of Adventism. I say that sincerely as a happy, grateful Adventist. Our commitment to health, education, service, and the Bible has shaped lives around the world—including my own. But there is one area where I would love to see us grow: our habit of quietly shaming those we believe have “missed the mark.”
We all know the situations. A marriage falls apart. Someone embarrasses the flock. A leader makes a mistake. A young person drifts for a while. A pastor burns out. Suddenly the temperature changes. Conversations get shorter. Invitations stop coming. Titles quietly disappear. People who once stood in the center of the community find themselves standing at the edges.
It’s strange when you think about it. Half the New Testament was written by Paul—a man who actively persecuted the church before his conversion. Let’s be honest: if someone with Paul’s résumé showed up at one of our churches today, would we really hand them a microphone?
And then there’s David, the “man after God’s own heart,” whose story included adultery and murder. Yet Scripture preserves his story not to shame him, but to show the depth of God’s grace.
Too often we treat struggling Adventists in ways that functionally push them out—even if the church doors remain technically open.
But there is a better way.
The gospel invites us to walk alongside people, not away from them. The image isn’t a tribunal; it’s the father in Jesus’ story of the prodigal son—running toward his returning child, throwing his arms around him, and declaring, “We’re having a party.”
The good news is that the tide may already be turning. Across Adventism, a more grace-centered spirit is emerging.
The next chapter can be far more grace-filled than our past.
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
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