Adventist Review

Seventh-day Adventists and the Civil Rights Movement is the first in-depth study of the denomination's participation in civil rights politics. It considers the extent to which the denomination's theology influenced how its members responded. This book explores why a brave few Adventists became social and political activists, and why a majority of the faithful eschewed the movement. Samuel G. London, Jr., provides a clear, yet critical understanding of the history and theology of the Seventh-day Adventist Church while highlighting the contributions of its members to political reform. Community awareness, the example of early Adventist pioneers, liberationist interpretations of the Bible, as well as various intellectual and theological justifications motivated the civil rights activities of some Adventists. For those who participated in the civil rights movement, these factors superseded the conservative ideology and theology that came to dominate the church after the passing of its founders. Covering the end of the 1800s through the 1970s, the book discusses how Christian fundamentalism, the curse of Ham, the philosophy of Booker T. Washington, pragmatism, the aversion to ecumenism and the Social Gospel, belief in the separation of church and state, and American individualism converged to impact Adventist sociopolitical thought.

The most important legacy a person can leave behind is reflected in the lives they touch for Christ during their lifetime. After serving the Seventh-day Adventist Church for more than 100 years in different capacities, the Wilson family has left quite a legacy that continues on today. The legacy began when William Henry Wilson gave his heart to the Lord after hearing Ellen White preach at a camp meeting in California. Although his time on earth was short, he dedicated himself to studying God's word, and before he passed away, he asked his sons to promise him that they would commit their lives to serving the church. Nathaniel Wilson gave his word that he would serve the Lord, and he did so in a mighty way, working in various conferences in the States and serving overseas in Africa, Asia, Australia, and India. Neal C. Wilson carried his father's legacy forward and served in the Middle East and North America before accepting the call to lead the world church. Along the way, Neal mentored his son, Ted N. C. Wilson, who followed in his father's footsteps and ministered in Africa, Russia, and currently at the General Conference as president of the Adventist Church. Four generations of Wilsons, along with their wives and families, have stood firm in their commitment to God and their church. Highly Committed traces the history of the Wilson family from William Henry and Isabella Wilson through Ted N. C. and Nancy Wilson. Their family's story is one of providential guidance and unwavering commitment. May you be blessed as you read the story of this God-fearing family, and may you be inspired to commit your life to following God and making a difference for the kingdom!

Life. It gets in the way. It robs us of our joy. It stresses us out. We get caught up in what s going on. A gentle reminder is just what we need to refocus and deal with the art of staying calm in the midst of adverse circumstances. In Keep Calm and Trust God, issues such as anxiety, worry, fear, stress, setbacks, failures, etc. will be addressed. The reader will find prayers, short narratives, scripture, poems and encouraging short stories all directed to how to keep your cool and trust God.

In James K. Humphrey and the Sabbath-Day Adventists, R. Clifford Jones tells the story of this important black religious figure and his attempt to bring about self-determination for twentieth-century blacks in New York City. Humphrey was a Baptist minister who joined the Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church shortly after arriving in New York City from Jamaica at the turn of the twentieth century. A leader of uncommon competency and charisma, Humphrey functioned as an SDA minister in Harlem during the time the community became the black capital of the United States. Though he led his congregation to a position of prominence within the SDA denomination, Humphrey came to believe the black experience in Adventism was one of disenfranchisement. When he refused to alter his plans for a utopian community for blacks in the face of dissent from SDA church leaders, Humphrey's ministerial credentials were revoked and his congregation was dissolved. Subsequently, Humphrey established an independent black religious organization, the United Sabbath-Day Adventists. This book rescues the Sabbath-Day Adventists from obscurity. Humphrey's break with the Seventh-day Adventists provides clues to the state of black-white relationships in the denomination at the time. It set the stage for the creation of the separate administrative structure for blacks established by the SDA church in 1945. This history of a minister and his church demonstrates the struggles of small, independent, black congregations in the urban community during the twentieth century.