History

• During the 1840s, the Millerite movement was established by Baptist preacher William Miller. He proposed that Christ's second coming would take place on October 22, 1844. When this did not occur, the church fractured and many left for more traditional congregations. A small group formed their own church, the Adventists, believing that Christians will be judged for their eligibility to get into heaven.
  Influenced by the Seventh Day Baptist movement, the Adventists adopted the idea of the Sabbath taking place on Saturday rather than the traditional Sunday. The church was formally established in Battle Creek, Michigan, on May 23, 1863. Under the leadership of James White and his wife Ellen, who claimed to have visions, the congregation expanded and relocated to Takoma Park, Maryland. The church was viewed as a cult until the middle of the twentieth century, when it was formally recognized as a Christian church.
  
  

Features

• The Seventh Day Adventists have a core set of beliefs established in their 28 Fundamentals doctrine. These establish the Bible as the word of God, the belief in the Holy Trinity, 6-day creationism, the second coming of Christ and other Christian beliefs. Some distinct features of the Adventists are the belief that the wicked are destroyed rather than spend eternity in hell, and the continued belief in the prophesies of Ellen White as truth.
  Adventists attend church service on Saturday and typically hold no secular activities during the Sabbath. Functions with family are encouraged and many Adventists prepare large meals for the day. Some hold service on Friday night to welcome in the Sabbath. Holy Communion is held four times a year, and involves a foot washing and the Lord's Supper of unleavened bread and unfermented grape juice. Adventists are encouraged to eat a kosher diet and abstain from substances such as tobacco, alcohol and caffeine.
  
  

Function

• There are four levels to the structure of the Adventist church, allowing it to operate in a democratic way. The local church allows voting rights to all of its baptized members. The collection of these local churches is called the "local conference," usually a statewide level. The church is then organized into "union conferences," holding the control over large regions. The highest authority, the General Conference is located in Silver Springs, Maryland and is responsible for final decisions regarding controversy or church policy. The President of the church is elected every 5 years at the General Conference Session.
  
  

Considerations

• With over 15 million members, the Seventh Day Adventists are one of the fastest growing churches in the world, operating in 202 countries. Its influence in Africa has become notable for gaining many new members and launching humanitarian aid missions. The missioners preach gospel, set up hospitals and work on community development projects.
  The Seventh Day Adventists operate the second largest church-based education systems in the world, trailing behind the Roman Catholic Church. They have over 7,000 schools with 1.4 million students and 75,000 teachers. Its network of hospitals and clinics is also very extensive, and the Adventist Development and Relief Agency provides workers in an effort to combat environmental catastrophes.
  
  

Significance

• Perhaps the most notable offshoot of the Seventh Day Adventists is the Branch Davidians. During the schism of 1929, Victor Houteff established the Branch Davidians after being excommunicated from the church for being a heretic. The Branch Davidians established themselves in Waco, Texas. After a series of leaders and more schisms, David Koresh took control of a faction of the church and established a compound on Mount Carmel. In 1993, the ATF raided the compound, suspecting illegal weapons. A 51-day standoff ensued, ultimately resulting in the deaths of 76 Branch Davidians. The entire event was seen live on TV.