Seventh-day Adventists can truly be regarded as a worldwide family of Christian believers. The Adventist presence manifests itself in nearly every country of the globe. Administratively, the church is served through its 13 regional areas of the world. No matter where you find a Seventh-day Adventist believer, you will find them to adhere to the ideals described by the Bible and their lives illustrating both faith in God and the church's commitment to the betterment of all human beings.

Seventh-day Adventists are a growing church. Currently the growth rate is almost one million every year, with new members joining the church at a rate of one every 35 seconds. Globally, the church is doubling in size every 12 years. High concentrations of Adventists are found in Central and South America, throughout Africa, the Philippines and many other areas. In composition, 39 percent of Adventists are African, 30 percent Hispanic, 14 percent East Asian, and 11 percent Caucasian.

The mission of the church places great emphasis on different aspects of human freedom and responsibility. These include: religious liberty and human rights, humanitarian aid and development, better lifestyles, health and wholeness, education and personal growth, as well as social issues and community involvement.

Our Name and Mission

Our Name:

The name Seventh-day Adventist includes vital beliefs for us as a Church. 'Adventist' reflects our passionate conviction in the nearness of the soon return ('advent') of Jesus. 'Seventh-day' refers to the Biblical Sabbath which from Creation has always been the seventh day of the week, or Saturday.

Our Mission:

The mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is to proclaim to all peoples the everlasting gospel in the context of the Three Angels' messages of Revelation 14:6-12, leading them to accept Jesus as their personal Savior and to unite with His church, and nurturing them in preparation for His soon return.

Our Method:

We pursue this mission under the guidance of the Holy Spirit through:

• Preaching: Accepting Christ's commission (Matthew 28:18-20), we proclaim to all the world the message of a loving God, most fully revealed in His Son's reconciling ministry and atoning death. Recognizing the Bible to be God's Revelation of His will, we present its full message, including the second advent of Christ and the continuing authority of His Ten Commandment law.
• Teaching: Acknowledging that development of mind and character is essential to God's redemptive plan, we promote the growth of a mature understanding of and relationship to God, His Word, and the created universe.
• Healing: Affirming the biblical emphasis on the well-being of the whole person, we make the preservation of health and the healing of the sick a priority and through our ministry to the poor and oppressed, cooperate with the Creator in His compassionate work of restoration.

Our Vision:

In harmony with the prophecies of the Scriptures, we see as the climax of God's plan the restoration of all His creation to full harmony with His perfect will and righteousness.

Seventh-day Adventist World Church Statistics

Office of Archives and Statistics
General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
Updated February 27, 2009