WHAT IS AN ADVENTIST? | ft. Melissa Schiffbauer

What does it mean to be an Adventist? Who decides who's in and who's out? Is there room at the table of Adventism to disagree while pursuing the same mission? These are the answers we search for in this new series from Seeking What They Sought. In episode 3, we sit down with Melissa Schiffbauer, co-host of the Church Hurt Podcast.
Melissa's IG: unmistakabl...
Have a question you want us to discuss? Comment? Maybe you disagree with something we said? Either way, we'd love to hear from you! Shoot us an email at: [e-mail]
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[@gracemartin6246]

I was reading Romans this morning and check this out! "No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by the Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people. Romans 2:29 NLT In the end, it is the status of where our heart is versus our religion that matters. The scripture is overflowing with evidence that God doesn't only call one group of people and God cares about our hearts more so than what we know. Anyway, I love what you guys do!! It gives me comfort that I'm not alone with these complex questions I have. Thank you all!! ❤

[@masz10676]

A friend sent this pod to me due to her interaction w Melissa. 2 things to point out. God is mercy, grace with a foundation of love. The 2nd is wouldn't it b wonderful if we were known for the image of His character, love, grace and mercy. No judgements because that is God's job. It took many years of SDA, agnostic, to God's love, grace and mercy to finally b secure in His salvation. Wouldn't it b wonderful if we spoke more about God than fundamental beliefs (which came out when I was an adult). Get back to Bible and prayer. God will bless. Thanks for sharing.

[@toninickell9664]

I love that-“What brought me back to Adventism is the character of God”

[@laiaburgos6946]

Thank you Melissa!! 18-20 year old me would feel so grateful for your perspective. I am confident that God’s character is rooted in His love. ❤️❤️

[@thechinag6714]

Would you in any way have any opportunities to interview Africans? Or Asians? or any Adventists from outside the NAD? There are some generational Adventists there as well whose "what is an Adventist" would be really interesting to hear and gain from. Just a suggestion :) #keepupthegoodwork

[@seekingwhattheysought8247]

Love this idea Chinag! We are open to it however most of our network of people we know are in the NAD since we all live in the NAD. But we would love to have someone from outside the country on to hear their perspective. We'll have to look into this! Thanks for listening friend! 😊

[@onaolapoajibade1647]

Love tells people the truth, but it should be said in love.

[@rayray4192]

Love is a choice. Adventists have chosen to separate themselves from the Body of Christ as accusers of the brethren. Adventists have chosen to view themselves as the only last days remnant church with a completely different message than the message given to Paul personally by Jesus. Follow the money. All of these disgusting heretics and blasphemers are being paid to be troubadours of a dangerous spiritual counterfeit. They are running a business and they want your money. There is a special place in eternal hell for each one.

[@rogbrood]

Melissa exlains herself very well!

[@ejwa12]

I am Adventist, grew up in the church and still very active in my home church. I am almost 50 years old now. My mother was SDA, my father was a non-active Baptist. Both parents loved each other and loved me. I grew up eating both meat and Worthington meat subs. I grew up in rural Kentucky so yes, we had guns in the home. So what did I go to college to study? Criminal Justice, lol. So obviously I did not go to an Adventist college. I did get hit with some push back from church members for studying for a career where I would carry a gun. But there were those who were open minded about it and realized that that profession is needed. Although I did work as security in the local Adventist hospital part time, working unarmed, I made a career working for the college I got my degree from so I don't need to carry a gun on me. I do think that Ellen White had some good points but I also believe that some of her points were dated to her time and some SDA try to apply those outdated points to modern day issues. I know people that refuse to use computers just because they can have bad things on them, despite computers being used for modern day ministry, a church live streaming it's weekly services, for example. There is so much I could say about the topics discussed here but I don't have time. I will end by saying that I am glad I found this video. During the pandemic lock down, I had found Melissa's KZbin channel and started watching her vids. Unfortunately, soon after the channel disappeared. Been looking for any other content from her since. Glad I found this.

[@bop-ya-good]

Have an unconfessed sin? That would be a real problem for an Adventist. Their Prophet Ellen White died on July 16, 1915 but she has full prophetic Authority over the church today! Ellen claims………….. "Sins that have not been repented of and forsaken WILL NOT BE PARDONED AND BLOTTED OUT of the books of record, but will stand to witness against the sinner in the day of God". The Great Controversy, p. 486 There must be some real nervous Sevies out there!

[@itsspiritual8645]

Sin will take you farther than you ever thought you’d go, sin will keep you longer than you’d ever thought you’d stay, sin will cost you more than you’d ever thought you’d pay. Pastor Bob Moorehead

[@CaptMoo]

I mean, the amount of youtube videos against the SDA church clearly demonstrates that we are not doing a good job. We are known for the "don'ts" and very little for the positive things. #sadbuttrue

[@nonconformist4802]

The reason for all the videos "AGAINST" the SDA has one goal only, and that is to expose the demonic teachings of the cult and to warn others against the craftness of satan

[@Jamie-Russell-CME]

" For as ye have drunk upon my holy mountain, so shall all the heathen drink continually, yea, they shall drink, and they shall swallow down, and they shall be as though they had not been." Obadiah 16

[@Jamie-Russell-CME]

She is pretty great.

[@CaptMoo]

BUAHAHAH the voice edit at the beginning, so good. I believe that the planet Earth was "painted" in 6 days, but that the rock was there before. For some reason theres no place in scripture that says: "Let there be the rock of the Earth where I will put trees in it." (If that make sense). But true or not, it wouldnt affect the fact that Sabbath is Saturday. (You didnt had to boot Sean for believing in 6 literal days though haha) Melissa should write a book about the Character of God. Best seller right away.

[@arthurandteresabeem7142]

As I listen to Melissa, I am struck (as someone who left Adventism), by the fact she keeps repeating that getting back to Jesus and the character of God is why she came back and what she believes the SDA church needs to focus on. So what did she see in other denominations that didn't fit about Christ and the character of God? After having experienced almost all other denominations, they all teach Christ and Him crucified, they all teach a very biblical character of God. Where is Adventism different? What it seems to me is that she and the panel say it comes down to annihilation. You guys don't think other Churches preach a merciful God because we believe in an everlasting hell. Am I getting this correct?

[@healthybalance5748]

I will speak for myself. Yes, believing in eternal suffering in hell goes completely against the very character of God. God is love. People may say that they believe God is love but how can that be if he is burning people in hell for eternity? With that being said, that is not a sermon regularly preached in most non sda churches but is a belief that most non sda Christians have. As for other not so biblical sda "truths" are held very dear and preached, like the investigative judgment and actually the Sunday law thing that if you really look at it deep inside, is plainly very hard to believe and simply not biblical. It was a view held by Ellen White because during her time they were actually trying to pass a Sunday law, and I think it actually did pass some locally Sunday laws but it wasn't enforced so her reality at the time heavily influenced her views of the end times. However, Sunday is not the mark of the beast and won't be all those terrible things against sabbath keepers as she predicted. It's not biblical. However, it's very hard for me, personally, leave the church I love and was raised in because inconsistencies I see in the doctrine to go to another church that also has inconsistencies on the doctrines as well. To me that just proves that as much as humans want to be special, different, "closer to the truth" than others, we ALL fall short. No church is perfect, the only perfect one is Jesus Christ and ALWAYS will be that way. The only way for salvation is to be close to THE TRUTH, that is Jesus Christ. , “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6. As for me, at this moment, I am focusing on Christ, the only one who can actually save me. I am spending time studying the Bible for what it really is and will go wherever God leads me to.

[@nixluvsjesus]

I'm watching and had the exact same question... trying to figure out how the character of God is misrepresented in other churches.... Honestly, I would much rather go to a church that preaches Bible ONLY.. It's so much easier than always having to try to squeeze man-made doctrines into scripture to try to make it sound biblical.

[@janicemorris3444]

I do suggest that you interview pastor Glen O Samuel and Shane O'Connor. As one who has become an SDA in my 20s for 46 years now, the issue is the church in the olden days preached behavior modification vs. knowing God personally and developing a relationship with Him. It is still the only church that interprets the Bible well. We have the best preachers past E. E. Cleveland, C.D. Brooks, Walter Pearson, and presently Deblaire Snell, to name a few. God is a good, unchangeable God but also holy and one of order. He is both liberal and conservative in his ways and actions.

[@DreadOfKnightFX]

What is the musical theme for this show? I want to download the whole theme music seriously.

[@arthurandteresabeem7142]

Oh dear, so sorry. Watching this as I make cinnamon rolls and I have so many questions! So, and I ask this sincerely. When I was an Adventist, I had to sign a baptismal certificate saying I believed in the fundamental beliefs. My children (all baptized SDA in the 90s) all signed a similar statement. At that time, it was the beliefs that made one Adventist. You were not considered Adventist if you disagreed with Ellen White on Biblical interpretation or the investigative judgment. I am hearing you guys say that you can be an Adventist without believing in Ellen White as a prophetess and just go to the Bible alone. But seeing that SDA have some very unique interpretations of the Bible (baptized by Ellen White via a vision) don't you think it is just plagiarizing her to take her and early SDA interpretations without giving them credit? No other Christian in all of Christian history (that we know of) placed a Sunday law and Sabbath being a last day final test interpretation on Daniel and revelation. How can you say you go straight to scripture to see that without Ellen White as the filter? Also, what would a person need to believe to no longer be Adventism? Where is the line for Adventists that you can't cross?

[@bbenabe]

And what is the gift of prophecy really….what’s a prophetic word? It has to be more than visions.

[@bealove1735]

Thanks for this conversation. I have a question… I am finding in reading Scripture that I can’t see the Trinity (after years of assuming the Trinity is fact) - specifically, the distinction of the Holy Spirit as a separate ‘person’ rather than seeing God’s Holy Spirit or The Spirit of Christ. I was also surprised to learn that the Trinity was not a doctrine of SDA until 1980s. I read (present tense) Ellen White’s writings as non-trinitarian. How do you find this as a defining doctrine of Adventists? Am I believing/proving my way out of SDA? How important do you feel this doctrine is?

[@ureasmith3049]

It's central. The bible teaches very clearly ONE God, not 3 working together. One being, 3 persons

[@davidmorgan6432]

When Jesus was baptized, the Holy Spirit came down as a dove and the Father's voice was heard. Here 3 "entities" of God were described. When Jesus ascended to Heaven, he said He was going to be with the Father, but that He would send the Spirit. Again 3 seperate beings were mentioned. In other places, such as Genesis 1:1, it just says "God created". It doesn't specify Father/Spirit/Son. If God thought it was important to know more about his physical nature, He would have revealed it to us. I don't see a problem with some varying opinions on the definition of the trinity.

[@ureasmith3049]

@@davidmorgan6432 Yes there is a problem with having more than one "being." The problem is called polytheism which the bible clearly denies/condemns.

[@bealove1735]

Can you give me a verse from the Bible that says 1 being, 3 persons - I don’t believe one exists - I haven’t come across it. Thanks.@@ureasmith3049

[@bealove1735]

Thanks for your reply. Since writing the above and am more convicted that there is no Trinity evident in the Bible. I’m glad you don’t see a problem with varying ways to view the Trinity.However, it does impact the God you believe in. Yes, you can read that into Jesus’ baptism. And yes, he said he was going to the Father - no argument there, but did he say that he would send a Spirit that was a different being from himself or the Father? I believe He sent His Spirit (there is nothing that indicates this is a separate entity.) By description it can more be believed that it was His own Spirit as it is the Spirit of Truth and Life which is the way Jesus described himself- I am the way and the Truth and the Life. More food for thought.@@davidmorgan6432

[@arthurandteresabeem7142]

Annihilation and Sabbath seem to be two very important reasons people don't move out of Adventism. But what I find interesting is that there are statistically more Catholics in church on the 7th day in the US than Adventists--MANY more. So if someone wanted to keep the Sabbath rest--no other Christian Church would care. If one wanted to attend church on the 7th day, MANY churches have Friday night and Saturday services. So that really isn't a reason to return back to Adventism. There are other things...

[@apostolicdoctrine101]

The spirit of prophecy was manifested in the ministry of EGW. As an SDA, this is straightforward. The purpose of her writings point to Jesus as the center of your life. It is one of the signs of the remnant of Rev 12:17.

[@ureasmith3049]

Wrong ! Her life and works are the sign of a false teacher. 1 Timothy 4

[@apostolicdoctrine101]

@@ureasmith3049 If her works and life are a sign of false teacher, then how do we classify ourself? You and I have done nothing in comparison to the dedication, love and passion she had for the saving of souls. What have you and I accomplished in comparison to what she has done for the gospel of Christ? At the end of the day, we must respect the instruments God uses to guide and nurture His church. I can assure you that the ministry of EGW have the signs of true prophet eventhough she manifested other gifts as well.

[@ureasmith3049]

@@apostolicdoctrine101 You've been bewitched.

[@apostolicdoctrine101]

@@ureasmith3049 I've been enlightened. If I been bewitched, then who is the little horn of Daniel 8?

[@nonconformist4802]

@@apostolicdoctrine101 _"I have been enlightened"_ *NO* , you have been bewitched, and to jump the subject won't save your miserable position.

[@masz10676]

GUYS! Where's the woman's voice?

[@nixluvsjesus]

We find God's character in the Bible... not in church doctrines.. When we immerse ourselves in the Word of God, study book by book, cover to cover.. Genesis to Revelation, there will we find the character of God.

[@a.lavernefilan1888]

Very few Seventh day Adventists have ever really looked at the 🌝 Moon. Read Ezekiel 46: 1-3 & Isaiah 66: 22-(24) & Leviticus 23. 🌒 - 🌓🌕🌗🌑‼️ ❓🤔❓ Do you now see it❓🤔❓ Ask your smart phone: "When did Sunday 🌞 because the first day of the week on the Julian Calendar?" & "What day is the 7th and Last Day of the week?" How about now❓🤔❓ Research Hillel II and his 'Rules of Postponement' and 'The Grace Amadon Collection'. "The New Moon 🌒 is still and the Sabbath Originally was Dependant Upon the Lunar Cycle..." ("Holidays" Universal Jewish Encyclopedia p.410). Where does a 'DAY' start and end? And a week, a Moon-th and a year ❓🤔❓

[@apostolicdoctrine101]

My friend we are not living in the dark ages.

[@bop-ya-good]

Adventists are bound to the law.

[@apostolicdoctrine101]

We are loyal to the law of God.

[@bop-ya-good]

@apostolicdoctrine101 I'm so sorry. I am redeemed from the curse of the law. I am not under law. I am dead to the law. You are under the schoolmaster of the law. Though faith has come you still need law. Galatians 3:25 KJV - But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

[@apostolicdoctrine101]

@@bop-ya-good Paul would answer you by saying, "Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we established the law."

[@nonconformist4802]

@@apostolicdoctrine101 Ride the school bus kiddo, for you haven't reach the Faith in Christ drop off point yet. Galatians 3

[@cindiloowhoo1166]

@@apostolicdoctrine101You have your Covenants conflated. You keep all 613 Mitvahs then, too, right?

[@itsspiritual8645]

JESUS SAID, SALVATION IS OF THE JEWS! 21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. 23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. John 4:21-23 King James Version Salvation is of the Jews - John 4: 21-23; the New Covenant is with the House of Israel and Judah. - Hebrews 8: 8-12 We have a Jewish Savior John 14:6, Jesus Christ. The substance of the New Covenant is the Ten Commandments - Ex 20: 1-17. We have a Sabbath keeping God - Ex 20: 8-11, not Sunday! We need to become a Spiritual Jew to enter the New Jerusalem Romans 2:28-29. There’re twelve gates into the New Jerusalem, named after the twelve tribes of Israel. - Rev 21: 12 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. A Spiritual Jew, not literal Jew. A Christian is a Spiritual Jew! There’s no covenant with the gentiles.

[@peterbamford2811]

Sda denomination totally controlled by the writings and biblical interpretations of Ellen white not the bible and bible only clearly demonstrating cult like behaviour!

[@nonconformist4802]

It's a gullible person who is to lazy to read the Word of God for him/her self and with that who has ZERO faith in Christ. For keeping the law will give eternal salvation, *SAID NO BIBLE.*

[@apostolicdoctrine101]

I am pretty sure in your Biblical investigation you also use other sources to help you with the understanding of the biblical text.

[@nonconformist4802]

@@apostolicdoctrine101 _"I am pretty sure in y... "_ I am even more sure of the fact that you don't know what you are talking about, for the Word of God says in 2 Tim 3:16 and 17 the Bible is more than sufficient to do that job. And above that is there ample evidence in the Bible that clearly said its the job of the Holy Spirit to teach and instruct us, NOT YOUR MORONIC assumptions that it must be BIBLE + SOMETHING. "But the Comforter, who is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance" John 14: 26

[@apostolicdoctrine101]

@@nonconformist4802 Are you are former SDA?

[@nonconformist4802]

@@apostolicdoctrine101 If you are that lucky to be part of the chosen few who forms the one and only remnant church of God, one who was enlightened to know the deep secrets of the little horn in the book of Daniel, WHAT PREVENTED YOU FROM HAVING ONE OF THE SPIRITUAL GIFTS (1 Cor 12) AND THEREFORE HAVE NO NEED TO ASK ME ABOUT MY BACK GROUND? I do assume the answer will be "crickets".

[@apostolicdoctrine101]

@@nonconformist4802 So you don't know and here you are barking on the SDA channels.