Hired By Adventists
I landed a position with a company doing a job I really enjoy. I went through a rigorous interview process to get this job, and it ended with meeting the owners face to face. During our meeting, they owners said they could tell by my resume and by the way I talked I was Christian. They told me they are, too. I had no reason to doubt them.
The owners get the entire company together several times a year for training, team-building, and goal setting. At the first such meeting I attended—shortly after I was hired—I noticed they had “Worship” listed as the first item on the agenda. Before the meeting began, a co-worker pulled me aside and said, “I know you’re an evangelical Christian, so I want to explain that worship for them is not what you and I think of. There will be no music. Our president will just do a short Bible study.” Of course, that prompted the questions, “What do you mean by ‘them’?”
She explained that most of the company are Adventist. She said they don’t push Adventism on us, but that all the men (which includes all leadership) and a couple of women are Adventist. In fact, only 10 of us aren’t. I didn’t know much about Adventism, but I’m a thinker, so I had to know what I had gotten myself into.
Thankfully, shortly after I started to work at the company, you two appeared on Cultish, one of my favorite podcasts. I listened to each of your episodes multiple times. Since then, I’ve subscribed to your podcast and YouTube channel and have devoured your content.
I’ve noticed since I came on, my bosses are getting more and more open with their Adventism. In fact, at our last team meeting in January, our president opened up Bible study time by saying, “Jesus, also known as Michael the Archangel …” If I hadn’t listened to you guys and known this is an Adventist teaching, I would have fallen out of my chair.
They continue to get more open with their teachings in our weekly meetings, even going as far as to talk about their involvement in the youth retreats in the wilderness that (I believe) Nikki mentioned on Cultish. By law, they cannot force their teachings on the 10 non-Adventists, and I wonder if they have us here to show that they don’t only hire their own—although they mostly do. I’ve also figured out that advancement within this company is restricted to their own.
I sort of feel like I’m in a conundrum. They’ve been good to me and to everyone else. I like the work. But I do feel that I’m being watched, as in they watch our conversations in the chat program we use. Any side conversations regarding Adventism, or any challenges to their beliefs, I’m sure, would be addressed immediately. I even feel nervous about sending this email, even though it’s on my personal account.
I need the work, but I do worry about being here. And to be honest, there are a couple of ladies on the team who seem to be not-so-grounded in their faith. I feel like I have to keep an eye on them so they don’t get swept up into Adventism. One lady specifically asked me the other day if I’d ever visit an Adventist church. (I answered no and told her why. That made me nervous.)
Maybe that’s why I’m here, and maybe that’s why I found you two—to get educated about Adventism and hopefully, keep any of our group of 10 from becoming a part of it. I don’t know. However, I do know you two are a blessing to me, and I want to thank you for all you’ve done and are doing to educate me and countless others, I’m sure.
I should have kept this more brief, but I feel like you guys are the only ones I “know” who would understand. Thanks again, and may God bless your ministry.
—VIA EMAIL
Response: You have stumbled into a difficult situation. The fact that you feel “watched” is significant; I used to work, for about three years, at an independent Adventist broadcast and publishing ministry, and I know that “watched”, hyper-critical feeling. I worked there as an Adventist, but it was demoralizing and destructive over time. I say this only to affirm the experience you are describing.
Sometimes the Lord does put true believers into a spiritually hostile situation for a time for His glory and purposes. He may be using you there for His glory and for the good of the other Christians who work with you, as you have suggested. Nevertheless, you cannot, in the long-term, be the watchdog for your colleagues in this way.
The Lord ABSOLUTELY will use your education about the religion. In fact, I believe that sometimes He places true Christians in Adventist settings partly to understand the true nature of the religion. This understanding will have long-term benefits for the body of Christ in general and also for your own interactions with people God brings into your life. It will be a protection as well.
My husband Richard worked at Loma Linda University School of Dentistry for nearly eight years after we left Adventism. He was open about his “defection”, but they ultimately fired him because of his work with this ministry. From his experience I learned this: there are times God calls us to “Daniel” situations, but He also lets us know when it’s time to leave. Richard prayed for years to be released from that place as their opposition to him subtly increased over the years, but as he said to me, “I will work here until the day God releases me.”
Ask the Lord to protect you and to show you if and when you need to leave. Ask Him to make it very clear to you. He will care for you and provide for you. Your description of the work environment lets me know that this business lacks the “protection” of a large corporation’s policies. A small, family-run business can be very toxic, and I am concerned because of the level of discomfort and suspicion that you already feel there. The independent Adventist business I worked for, for example, was an unsustainable situation over time. Also, you can know for sure that they have an agenda to convert you and the rest of the 10. That is the Adventist way.
The Lord will guide you—and you are not imagining what you are experiencing. Be alert and take things seriously, and be aware if they take advantage of you illegally—not paying you for the work you do, restricting you from rights the law would say are yours, sexual harassment, and so forth. Ask the Lord to show you what is real and true and to be clear about His will for your work there. And document everything that is “off”. Documentation, unfortunately, is a protection for you.
You have definitely written to people who understand, and I pray that the Lord will protect you and provide for you. He is faithful. He will not waste this experience.
I’m going to send you a link to an article that may be helpful as well:
What Is Seventh-day Adventism?
Is Easter Pagan?
Hello fellow Christian; as a former Adventist I still have a problem with the Easter holiday. We celebrate the death and resurrection of Christ on Sunday. Is it okay for us to mix with this pagan holiday with the new covenant?
—VIA EMAIL
Response: The name “Easter” is simply a name we use for Resurrection Sunday in the same way that Saturday is the name for the seventh day and Sunday is the name of the first day. The celebration of the Resurrection is not pagan, and the name does not make it pagan.
The fact that Jesus rose from death because His blood was sufficient to propitiate for all of our sin is the heart of the New Covenant! There is nothing more wonderful to celebrate! It is a high day within Christianity, a day when we can worship and remember that Jesus completed everything necessary for our salvation that weekend!
Tears, Coffee, and the Gospel
I just got done listening to another podcast; I can’t stop listening to them! I listened to the one about judgment this morning, and I cried. All the barriers that Adventism has built in my mind are crumbling one by one. I’m beginning to learn about and coming to know the real Jesus, and I’m so happy. God bless your ministry! Thank you for answering a question that I’ve been battling with for so long: do I stay in this church and expose there false satanic doctrines, or leave and go fellowship with Bible-believing Christians? I now know that I have to leave and also teach those who want to know the truth.
Oh, how I wish I could sit down with the two of you face to face with a cup of coffee! Yes, I’ve been enjoying coffee again. I am in [an Eastern state], and the surrounding Adventist churches in my area have big plans for the summer to evangelize the communities. Any ideas on how I could warn the people while giving them the true Gospel?…God bless all of you.
—VIA EMAIL
Response: How wonderful that the Lord Jesus is revealing Himself to you!
I do not know a good way to warn people about the Adventists’ evangelism. It is very frustrating to see the way they infiltrate into the community! The best thing I know is to pray that the Lord will protect the people and bring people to a knowledge of Himself. He knows how to reach people and to protect them. Ask Him to give you opportunities to speak the truth for Him to people.
Enjoy that coffee! It is one of God’s great gifts to us, in my opinion!
I pray the Lord will plant you deeply in His word and show you how to share Jesus with the Adventist people in your life.
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