Spiritual Survival Strategies for Adventists

By Bill Colburn

My journey in Adventism has been one that often raises the question among many of my non-Adventist friends, 'why have you remained a member, even a pastor, after the many negative experiences you have had in that church?' It has taken more than an acceptance of the Adventist paradigm - to be sure! The Serenity Prayer has been instrumental.

I remember my first brush with the underbelly of Adventism when, shortly after my baptism in 1976 at 22 years of age, I was confronted by a 'lifer' who had heard that my mom was raised in the Roman Catholic tradition. "How are we to know", he demanded, "that you are not a Jesuit spy just pretending to be one of us?" That dazed me for an extended moment, then I replied, "guess you don't", smiled and left it at that. What an odd fellow, I thought. I was wrong.

I soon began to regularly encounter a curious set of 'adjunctive (and dsyfunctional) fundamental' beliefs that had not been shared with me during my baptismal studies. I frequently got clobbered by such things as: appropriate beach apparel, interpretations of Sabbath keeping such as hiking was OK, but swimming was not, the 'law' against inter-racial marriages or marrying another Christian who wasn't an 'Adventist' Christian or even the 'right kind of Adventist Christian', the sacred hour for sabbath worship being at 11 am only, that I should always wear a suit to church because that is what I would wear to visit the president of the United States, to make gelatin wasn't an ingredient in my foods, to love 'hay stacks' and popcorn, that only Adventist truly knew God, and - well, the list goes on and on and on. These 'other 613' commandments actually formed the reality of Adventism far more than the 27 (er, 28).

Cultural Adventism stood out far more distinctly at the local church than the doctrinal Adventism I had initially imagined 'defined' membership. An early mentor shared with me one significant spiritual survival strategy that has worked: to differentiate between Adventist atheists and Adventist Christians. I had to accept that the church has always had and would always include both. He helped me to see that real Adventism was built on a love for Jesus not on a love for the Adventism folklore. Much that bills itself as Adventism is merely a finicky selection from the buffet of unbiblical 'street' Adventism. To be sure, this is not merely an issue among Adventists!

More painful encounters often and painfully kept challenging my commitment to the church. Usually these had to do with accusations of a sexual nature. It seemed strange to me, as a convert, that many Adventists spent a whole lot of time thinking about sex. Prior to my baptism, non-converts thought a lot about sex as well - but with the desire to enjoy it personally. After my baptism, church members spent an inordinate amount of time thinking about sex, but to make sure no one would ever 'get' what they couldn't have. I could only conclude, after some therapy of course, that if Adventists spent more time having sex they would be a far happier group of people to worship with on Sabbath. I've met a lot of madventists and sadventist, but only the sexually fulfilled could be truly happy Adventists. Maybe we ought to designate every Friday nights as.... Think how pleased the pastor would be to see his whole congregation genuinely smiling on Sabbath mornings rather than wearing a plastic smile while holding a dagger to meet him with at the front door after the sermon.

Some time after becoming an Adventist pastor I was called by my conference president about a complaint stating that I was having an affair. Turned out that an elderly member was riding by a large hotel in a Handi-van and happened to see me open the door for a young woman. No one said anything to me about it until the whole church knew and reported me to the conference. It was rather awkward to address my congregations sexual addiction from the pulpit, but I did. I invited them to all join me at that same hotel once each month - the only times I went there - to participate in the American Cancer Society board meetings with me. They could meet the woman I opened the door for - as she was the president of the local group. I got to keep my job.

Probably far more disturbing has been the necessity to not be fully honest. Seems strange to even express this in these terms, but it is what it is. To function 'healthfully' in the church - intentionally designed for sinners - I've got to be 'unhealthy' by pretending not to be a sinner.

One of our more insidious Adventist 'atheistic' beliefs is that pastors - and members - are supposed to be perfect. This, actually, is translated to mean: "good pastors always agree with what each member believes". To voice a different perspective is to be violently labeled as anti-Christ, demon-possessed, the devil incarnate, and the ever present 'Jesuit spy'. Church members have pejoratively labeled me in many different ways over my years. My favorite is being called a heretic. But, why is it this way? I think it is because we believe we have a 'calling' to be 'faith gate-keepers', rather than faith builders. Gate-keeping always engenders fear. Fear begets dishonesty and pretentiousness, which in turn stifles spiritual growth, which in turn creates 'christian' atheists.

Let me be fair, though. I have many wonderful, spiritually mature Adventist friends. They live above the culture of shame, guilting, and name-calling. They have a deep commitment to the Lord - keeping first things (Jesus) always the best thing, not allowing any foolishness distract them from Him. I feel for them, only in that they find little safety in sharing their love for Jesus openly within the church because of those who define love for God in narrow and angry tones.

Thankfully, maturation in the Spirit is designed to succeed in all places and at all times. So, I remain a member of this church, ceasing all efforts to change what I cannot change, making efforts to change only that which God has asked me to change (me), and continuing to pray that God grants me the wisdom to know the difference.