William Miller
William Miller’s disappointment
“Our expectations were raised high, and thus we
looked for our coming Lord until the clock tolled
12, at midnight. The day had then passed and
our disappointment became a certainty. Our
fondest hopes and expectations were blasted,
and such a spirit of weeping came over us as I
never experienced before. It seemed that the
loss of all earthly friends could have been no
comparison. We wept, and wept, till the day
dawned. “
When one catches the spirit of the early
Adventists, it is obvious why their
disappointment was so great and bitter.
Thousands wept until they had no strength
to weep. Some were so ashamed to face
the mocking world that they dropped out of
sight or fled into the wilderness for weeks,
even months.
“The essence of the Adventist
attitude toward Christian
education 44 years after the
Millerite disappointment can be
captured in two words — caution
and apathy”
George R Knight
Journal of Research on Christian Education
Summer 2001, Vol. 10, Special Edition
“Is it right and consistent for us who believe
with all our hearts in the immediate coming
of the Lord, to seek to give our children an
education?”
W. H. Ball 1862
James White’s reply
“The fact that Christ is very soon coming is
no reason why the mind should not be
improved. A well-disciplined and informed
mind can best receive and cherish the
sublime truths of the Second Advent.”
“Concerning church schools it was the
unanimous opinion that great care
should be exercised in starting out. A
poor Seventh-day Adventist school
would be about the poorest thing in the
world. Adventists are not willing to
support Christian schools with either
their sympathies or their means.”
C C Lewis
1888 Report on the first Adventist teachers’ convention
Philosophical Betrayal at Battle
Creek College
“There is nothing in the regular courses of study,
or in the rules and practice of discipline, that is in
the least denominational or sectarian. The
biblical lectures are before a class of only those
who attend them from choice.” And later, “The
managers of this College have no disposition to
urge upon students sectarian views, or to give
such views any prominence in their school
work.”
Ellen White’s response
“The religious element should be the
controlling power. If unbelievers choose
this influence, it is well; if those who are in
darkness choose to come to the light, it is
as God would have it. But to relax our
vigilance, and let the worldly element take
the lead in order to secure students, is
contrary to the will of God.”
E. G. White, Testimonies, 5:14.
1900-1970 Era of small church schools
•
•
•
•
One teacher schools
Country locations
Go where you are sent
Union education office inspected schools
1970-1980 Government funding,
DOGS
• Debate regarding State funding of schools
• Acceptance that funding in an Australian
setting was different to that of the USA
• Initial acceptance of per capita funding
• DOGS (Defence Of Government Schools)
challenge
1980-1990 The Clifford Era
• Change from a collection of schools to a
system
• Introduction of the computer age
1990-2006 Growth
(Controlled or Uncontrolled?)
•
•
•
•
Decline of small schools
Growth of very large schools
Single national operation
Independent school system becomes a big
and competitive business
• Marketing essential for survival
• Incorporation
How well do we
st
understand the 21
Century Adventist?
• By 2020, 90% of our
membership will have been
born in the 21st Century
Living in expectation
We have been waiting for Christ to return since
1844. 21st Century Adventists are learning to
wait in a different way.
Today we enjoy the anticipation rather than the
event. ( my parents generation was preoccupied
with the ‘how long’ and ‘when’) Older Adventists
need to anticipate the second return of Christ in
the same way in which the younger generation
waits
How long has it really been?
To the 21st Century Adventist young person, Hitler, Mao.
Roosevelt and Churchill are as distant as Napoleon and
Wellington are to us. Thus the events of William Miller
and 1844 are long removed. Beethoven was born in
1827, the year that E G White was born. Thus 21st
Century Adventists hope for and look forward to Christ’s
return not because of historical events in our church
history but because of the promise made by Jesus.
Waiting and Working
21st Century Adventists believe in working while waiting
(this is not universal but certainly observable). Compare
this to 1843 when some Millerites did not plant their
crops in anticipation of the second return of Jesus.
21st Century Adventists are interested in environmental
reform. Compare this with the ‘Let ‘er rip’ mentality of
some older Adventists. The 21st Century Adventist is
now more goal oriented to a longer future on our planet
than our fathers thought.
• Doing the Truth
21st Century Adventists are more interested in
seeing and doing the truth than ever before.
• Try visiting a Sabbath School class run by the
young people and compare it with a class being
conducted by the seniors; pay attention to the
21st Century Adventists in the young people’s
class because they are the ones who will take
over the church.
Confirmation of Prophecy
Is waiting going to lessen interest in prophecy?
Probably not but we need to acknowledge that
1844 is now viewed differently. We affirm the
prophecy that affirms how we work as well as
wait.
The End of the World
21st Century Adventists are very conscious of
these things in a more up-to-date context than
they are often credited with.
They are not interested in the falling stars of the
19th Century, the dark day or the great Lisbon
earthquake. Today, it is in a more modern
setting. Even though they may not connect with
the events surrounding 1844, we still need to
inform them.
Being Right vs Being Faithful
Older generations are pre-occupied with being
right even more than being faithful. 21st Century
Adventists like to be right but it is not so much of
a preoccupation. They are more adaptable to
repositioning themselves if they discover
something is wrong.
Our effective witness to the world does not so
much depend on being right but being faithful.
Becoming Separate
This is our biggest challenge for the 21st
Century Adventist Church. In the 21st Century,
young people freely associate with ‘other’
fellowships that are often non-denominational.
The boundaries around our church are more
porous than ever before. It is easier to come in
and go out of our church. Therefore our
strategies must be more carefully managed.
Young people today are not shy of inviting other
young people to come to our church.
What can we conclude?
The church is in good hands because the 21st
Century Adventists have built their faith on
Christ.
• You do and then learn
• My generation learnt and then tried to do.
Our World
Our World
Ecology
Our World
Ecology
Capitalism
Our World
Global Village
Ecology
Capitalism
Our World
Global Village
Ecology
Capitalism
Malthusian
Traps
AUSTRALIAN CHURCH
STATISTICS
• Number of churches in AUC 409
• Number of AUC companies 81
AUC Church membership
52,277
ADVENTIST SCHOOLS
WORLDWIDE
•
•
•
•
•
Total number of schools
Colleges and universities
Worker training institutions 37
Secondary Schools
Primary Schools
Total enrolment
6845
101
1385
5322
1,293,758
TOTAL NUMBER OF STUDENTS
IN ASA
• Primary SDA
• Primary Non-SDA
Total Primary
• Secondary SDA
• Secondary Non-SDA
Total Secondary
2368
3753
6121
TOTAL STUDENTS
9923
1617
2185
3802
ASA SCHOOLS
•
•
•
•
•
Primary schools
Secondary schools
Combined Prim/Sec schools
Primary only schools
Secondary only schools
Total number of schools
50
22
17
33
5
55
TOTAL NUMBER OF TEACHERS
701 FTE
EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTRES
• Greater Sydney
• Northern Australia
• North NSW
• South Australia
• South NSW
• South Queensland
• Tasmania
• Victoria
• Western Australia
TOTAL
Number of EC teachers (FTE)
171
0
205
0
31
105
9
0?
35
556
26.4