The Seventh-day Adventist Church seeks to enhance quality of life for all people in our communities, adhering to the ideals described by the Bible. We seek to share both our faith in God and the church's commitment to the betterment of all human beings. We are a mainstream Protestant church with more than 22 million members worldwide and more than one million members in North America. Our doors are always open to the community and to anyone who wishes to worship in one of our more than 174,000 Seventh-day Adventist congregations around the world. While some critics may regard us as a sectarian movement, the Seventh-day Adventist church is closely aligned to Protestantism. Our theology is Protestant in character, albeit with a number of unique teachings taught in the Bible.
The Seventh-day Adventist Church has been an official denomination since 1863. The Adventist Church has the largest Protestant integrated network of hospitals and clinics worldwide, with 173 hospitals and sanitariums, 294 clinics and dispensaries, and 160 lodging facilities, including nursing homes, retirement centers, orphanages, and children’s homes (as of December 2013). In 2011, Adventist hospitals and clinics provided healthcare assistance to more than 19.4 million people worldwide.
Lifestyle
The lifestyle of Seventh-day Adventists has been featured in National Geographic, CNN, The Today Show, Good Morning America, and The Blue Zones, a New York Times best-seller book that describes the lifestyles of the world’s longest living people.
For more information click on these links:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLA6889EC2DC780ECF
https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/03/health/blue-zones-diet-food-wellness/index.html
One of the most significant contributions that Seventh-day Adventists have made to the effectiveness of a healthy lifestyle can be found in the publications based on the Adventist Health Studies. Begun in 1958, these studies have covered topics such as diet, air pollution, religion, and health, and have gained the sponsorship of the National Cancer Institute/National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the World Cancer Research Fund.
In addition to being one of the largest and most comprehensive studies on diet and longevity, the Adventist Health Study-2, which surveyed the lifestyle of 96,000 Adventists, is also one of the largest dietary studies of African-Americans and sheds light on why this group has more cases of cancer and heart disease than other ethnic groups in America.
Education https://www.adventist.org/education/
The Adventist Church has the world’s second largest integrated network of schools, with more than 7,500 schools worldwide enrolling more than 1.8 million students.
Since the 1850s, when the first Adventist school was formed, Adventists have believed that education should be redemptive in nature, with the purpose of restoring human beings to the image of God, our Creator. Adventist education also includes a focus on mental, physical, social, and spiritual health; as well as intellectual growth and service to humanity. Indiana has twelve elementary schools (https://indysda.org/education-department) and Indiana Academy a boarding academy (high school) https://iasda.org/
Youth Ministries. http://www.gcyouthministries.org/ministries/pathfinders/
The Adventist Church provides resources to lead young people into a saving relationship with Jesus and help them embrace His call to discipleship.
Outreach programs include the Adventurer Club (for ages 6-9) and the Pathfinder Club (for ages 10-15). These programs offer specialized weekly activities to promote psychological and spiritual development through camping, marching, community projects, vocational training, and arts and crafts.
Youth Outreach also provides an opportunity for more than 100 young adults from all over the world to volunteer in a major city every year for what is known as “One Year in Mission.” Indiana has a summer youth camp program. at Timber Ridge Camp. https://www.indysdayouth.org/register-for-camp
ADRA http://www.adra.org
Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is the humanitarian arm of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. ADRA provides emergency relief and development assistance to more than 120 countries. The agency strives to protect the vulnerable, support families, promote health, provide food and water, establish livelihoods, and respond to emergencies.
In 2012, ADRA improved the lives of nearly 20 million people around the world. ADRA has also participated in international initiatives such as World Water Day. ADRA started the Beyond the 5 campaign, which raised the awareness of water inequality throughout the world.
Religious Liberty https://www.adventistliberty.org
Since its founding, the Adventist Church has advocated for a clear separation between church and state. It doesn’t seek to influence political and civil leaders for the purpose of advancing the Adventist faith or inhibiting the faith of others.
The church’s Department of Public Affairs and Religious Liberty advocates for the religious freedom of all people. It advocates for religious liberty on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., in the United Nations in New York City, and in other international bodies.
Since 1893, the Adventist Church has sponsored what is now known as the International Religious Liberty Association, a nonsectarian organization and the largest forum dedicated solely to freedom of conscience. It is the oldest religious freedom organization in the United States. This association includes involvement from Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Baptist, Mormon, and many other faith groups working together for universal religious freedom.
Every year, the Church sponsors an annual religious liberty dinner. Members of Congress and White House officials are invited to this leading event to promote religious liberty in Washington, D.C. Past keynote speakers have included Hillary Clinton, John McCain, John Kerry, Orrin Hatch and Senate Chaplain Barry Black.
Adventist Media Ministies https://www.adventistmediaministries.com
There are a multitude of supporting Seventh-day Adventist media ministries making a global impact across the world. Adventist Word Radio (AWR) has incredible stories of the gospel of Christ reaching the unreached. Check out the link above and the link to AWR: http:// https://awr.org
SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST WORLD CHURCH STATISTICS SUMMARY
Membership:
- Common beliefs include:
- The Trinity/Godhead
- A strong emphasis on the Bible
- Christ-centered preaching
- A belief that salvation is by grace alone
- A belief in the second coming of Jesus
- A sense of the general apostasy in Christianity with the ernest desire to return to the faith of the New Testament believers
- The importance of prayer
- The necessity of obeying God
- The belief that Christian love leads to caring for the poor, suffering humanity, through social involvement
- Signs of the times - world conditions indicate the end of all things is at hand
Click here to lean about our 28 Fundamental Beliefs: /what-we-believe
General FactsThe Seventh-day Adventist Church has been an official denomination since 1863. The Adventist Church has the largest Protestant integrated network of hospitals and clinics worldwide, with 173 hospitals and sanitariums, 294 clinics and dispensaries, and 160 lodging facilities, including nursing homes, retirement centers, orphanages, and children’s homes (as of December 2013). In 2011, Adventist hospitals and clinics provided healthcare assistance to more than 19.4 million people worldwide.
Lifestyle
The lifestyle of Seventh-day Adventists has been featured in National Geographic, CNN, The Today Show, Good Morning America, and The Blue Zones, a New York Times best-seller book that describes the lifestyles of the world’s longest living people.
For more information click on these links:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLA6889EC2DC780ECF
https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/03/health/blue-zones-diet-food-wellness/index.html
One of the most significant contributions that Seventh-day Adventists have made to the effectiveness of a healthy lifestyle can be found in the publications based on the Adventist Health Studies. Begun in 1958, these studies have covered topics such as diet, air pollution, religion, and health, and have gained the sponsorship of the National Cancer Institute/National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the World Cancer Research Fund.
In addition to being one of the largest and most comprehensive studies on diet and longevity, the Adventist Health Study-2, which surveyed the lifestyle of 96,000 Adventists, is also one of the largest dietary studies of African-Americans and sheds light on why this group has more cases of cancer and heart disease than other ethnic groups in America.
Education https://www.adventist.org/education/
The Adventist Church has the world’s second largest integrated network of schools, with more than 7,500 schools worldwide enrolling more than 1.8 million students.
Since the 1850s, when the first Adventist school was formed, Adventists have believed that education should be redemptive in nature, with the purpose of restoring human beings to the image of God, our Creator. Adventist education also includes a focus on mental, physical, social, and spiritual health; as well as intellectual growth and service to humanity. Indiana has twelve elementary schools (https://indysda.org/education-department) and Indiana Academy a boarding academy (high school) https://iasda.org/
Youth Ministries. http://www.gcyouthministries.org/ministries/pathfinders/
The Adventist Church provides resources to lead young people into a saving relationship with Jesus and help them embrace His call to discipleship.
Outreach programs include the Adventurer Club (for ages 6-9) and the Pathfinder Club (for ages 10-15). These programs offer specialized weekly activities to promote psychological and spiritual development through camping, marching, community projects, vocational training, and arts and crafts.
Youth Outreach also provides an opportunity for more than 100 young adults from all over the world to volunteer in a major city every year for what is known as “One Year in Mission.” Indiana has a summer youth camp program. at Timber Ridge Camp. https://www.indysdayouth.org/register-for-camp
ADRA http://www.adra.org
Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is the humanitarian arm of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. ADRA provides emergency relief and development assistance to more than 120 countries. The agency strives to protect the vulnerable, support families, promote health, provide food and water, establish livelihoods, and respond to emergencies.
In 2012, ADRA improved the lives of nearly 20 million people around the world. ADRA has also participated in international initiatives such as World Water Day. ADRA started the Beyond the 5 campaign, which raised the awareness of water inequality throughout the world.
Religious Liberty https://www.adventistliberty.org
Since its founding, the Adventist Church has advocated for a clear separation between church and state. It doesn’t seek to influence political and civil leaders for the purpose of advancing the Adventist faith or inhibiting the faith of others.
The church’s Department of Public Affairs and Religious Liberty advocates for the religious freedom of all people. It advocates for religious liberty on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., in the United Nations in New York City, and in other international bodies.
Since 1893, the Adventist Church has sponsored what is now known as the International Religious Liberty Association, a nonsectarian organization and the largest forum dedicated solely to freedom of conscience. It is the oldest religious freedom organization in the United States. This association includes involvement from Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Baptist, Mormon, and many other faith groups working together for universal religious freedom.
Every year, the Church sponsors an annual religious liberty dinner. Members of Congress and White House officials are invited to this leading event to promote religious liberty in Washington, D.C. Past keynote speakers have included Hillary Clinton, John McCain, John Kerry, Orrin Hatch and Senate Chaplain Barry Black.
Adventist Media Ministies https://www.adventistmediaministries.com
There are a multitude of supporting Seventh-day Adventist media ministries making a global impact across the world. Adventist Word Radio (AWR) has incredible stories of the gospel of Christ reaching the unreached. Check out the link above and the link to AWR: http:// https://awr.org
SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST WORLD CHURCH STATISTICS SUMMARY
Membership:
Worldwide: 22,785,000
United States and Canada: 1.2 million
Churches:Worldwide: 175,144 congregations
United States and Canada: 6,257 congregations
Schools: The world's second largest integrated network of schools.Worldwide: 7,792 with 1.8 million students
United States and Canada: 852 (13 Tertiary Institutions, 111 Secondary Schools, 728 Primary Schools)
Hospitals: Largest Protestant integrated network of hospitals and clinics worldwide.Worldwide: 733 Health care institutions, 31,772 beds/units
United States and Canada: 65 Hospitals, 28 Nursing and Retirement Homes, 4 Clinics/Dispensaries.
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is the most racially diverse religious group in the United States according to the Pew Research Center in its 2014 Religious Landscape Study. Of adults who identify as Seventh-day Adventist, it found that:37% are white
32% are black
15% are Hispanic
8% are Asian
8% are another race or mixed race.
SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST WORLD CHURCH STATISTICS
Summary of Statistics as of January 6, 2025
Churches, Companies, Membership
Churches ...................................................................................................................... 100,760
Companies ..................................................................................................................... 74,384
Church Membership ...................................................................................... 22,785,195
Total Accessions .................................................................................................... 1,465,136
Denominational Employees
Ordained Ministers, Active (Full time and Part time) ............................. 22,224
Total Active Employees (Full time, Part time, Casual) .......................... 349,479
Mission to the World
Countries and Areas of the World
as Recognized by the United Nations ..................................................................... 235
Countries and Areas of the World
in Which Seventh-day Adventist Work is Established .................................. 212
Languages Used in Seventh-day Adventist
Publications and Oral Work ......................................................................................... 420
Divisions ..................................................................................................................................... 13
Union Conferences .............................................................................................................. 64
Union Missions ....................................................................................................................... 62
Union of Churches Conferences ................................................................................. 11
Union of Churches Missions ............................................................................................. 3
Local Conferences ............................................................................................................. 433
Local Missions ....................................................................................................................... 321
Educational Program
Total Schools ................................................................................................................... 10,381
Tertiary Institutions ........................................................................................................... 107
Worker Training Institutions .......................................................................................... .39
Secondary Schools .......................................................................................................... 3,015
Primary Schools ................................................................................................................ 7,220
Total Enrollment ..................................................................................................... 2,330,104
Tertiary Institutions ................................................................................................... 141,242
Worker Training Institutions ................................................................................... 16,265
Secondary Schools ...................................................................................................... 655,956
Primary Schools ........................................................................................................ 1,516,641
Food Industries ........................................................................................................................... 24
Healthcare Ministry
Hospitals and Sanitariums ................................................................................................. 244
Nursing Homes and Retirement Centers ................................................................. 136
Medical Clinics and Dispensaries .............................................................................. 1,707
Dental Clinics ............................................................................................................................. 133
Orphanages and Children’s Homes ................................................................................. 15
Inpatient Visits ................................................................................................... over 1.6 million
Outpatient Visits ................................................................................................. over 29 million
Media Centers ............................................................................................................................... 21
Publishing Work
Publishing Houses and Branches ........................................................................................ 57
Literature Evangelists, Full time Cred & Lic, Interns, Part Time.............. 21,163
Literature Evangelists, Credentialed and Licensed Only ............................... 5,663
Languages Used in Publications ......................................................................................... 295
Languages Heard in Broadcasts ......................................................................................... 265
Languages and Dialects Used in Oral Work ................................................................ 420
Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA)
Countries and Areas of the World Where ADRA is Present ................... over 117
Total Projects Funded ............................................................................................................. 1,066
Beneficiaries of Projects ........................................................................................... 12,521,460
Summary of Statistics as of January 6, 2025
Churches, Companies, Membership
Churches ...................................................................................................................... 100,760
Companies ..................................................................................................................... 74,384
Church Membership ...................................................................................... 22,785,195
Total Accessions .................................................................................................... 1,465,136
Denominational Employees
Ordained Ministers, Active (Full time and Part time) ............................. 22,224
Total Active Employees (Full time, Part time, Casual) .......................... 349,479
Mission to the World
Countries and Areas of the World
as Recognized by the United Nations ..................................................................... 235
Countries and Areas of the World
in Which Seventh-day Adventist Work is Established .................................. 212
Languages Used in Seventh-day Adventist
Publications and Oral Work ......................................................................................... 420
Divisions ..................................................................................................................................... 13
Union Conferences .............................................................................................................. 64
Union Missions ....................................................................................................................... 62
Union of Churches Conferences ................................................................................. 11
Union of Churches Missions ............................................................................................. 3
Local Conferences ............................................................................................................. 433
Local Missions ....................................................................................................................... 321
Educational Program
Total Schools ................................................................................................................... 10,381
Tertiary Institutions ........................................................................................................... 107
Worker Training Institutions .......................................................................................... .39
Secondary Schools .......................................................................................................... 3,015
Primary Schools ................................................................................................................ 7,220
Total Enrollment ..................................................................................................... 2,330,104
Tertiary Institutions ................................................................................................... 141,242
Worker Training Institutions ................................................................................... 16,265
Secondary Schools ...................................................................................................... 655,956
Primary Schools ........................................................................................................ 1,516,641
Food Industries ........................................................................................................................... 24
Healthcare Ministry
Hospitals and Sanitariums ................................................................................................. 244
Nursing Homes and Retirement Centers ................................................................. 136
Medical Clinics and Dispensaries .............................................................................. 1,707
Dental Clinics ............................................................................................................................. 133
Orphanages and Children’s Homes ................................................................................. 15
Inpatient Visits ................................................................................................... over 1.6 million
Outpatient Visits ................................................................................................. over 29 million
Media Centers ............................................................................................................................... 21
Publishing Work
Publishing Houses and Branches ........................................................................................ 57
Literature Evangelists, Full time Cred & Lic, Interns, Part Time.............. 21,163
Literature Evangelists, Credentialed and Licensed Only ............................... 5,663
Languages Used in Publications ......................................................................................... 295
Languages Heard in Broadcasts ......................................................................................... 265
Languages and Dialects Used in Oral Work ................................................................ 420
Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA)
Countries and Areas of the World Where ADRA is Present ................... over 117
Total Projects Funded ............................................................................................................. 1,066
Beneficiaries of Projects ........................................................................................... 12,521,460