Slide # 1 - Welcome

Good Morning and Welcome to our first edition of Saunders Corner



My name is Michael Saunders

	and I am the President of a new ministry called



Slide # 2 - TBGI

		Transformed By Grace Initiatives Corp.



Part of this new ministry 

	is to have a monthly talk 

		on many different Biblical subjects



This morning is the first of these talks 

	and they will occur on the last Monday of every month 

		at 10:00 am 

			in the Old Pavilion Room



Slide # 3 - Heritage

June is Adventist Heritage Month

	and so this morning

		for my first talk I want to share with you about

			the Heritage of the Advent Christian denomination







Slide # 4 - Family Pictures

What do all these people have in common?

They are all ministers



"Yes... but that's only part of the answer.”



this is my father’s family going back to the 1870s



Slide # 5 - Family Pictures

this is my mother’s family

*Slide # 6 - Family Pictures*

this is me and my brother

all the men in these pictures are ministers

	almost all of them are Advent Christian Ministers

my great grandfather 

	was the founder of the AC Church in the south

**—————————————-**







"Today isn't really about my family however



It's about why these people devoted their lives to one message."



The message that **"Jesus is coming again.”**

**———————————**



The message of the second coming of Jesus

	has been our cardinal doctrine since the days of Jesus

But in America in the 1700s

	this doctrine wasn’t very popular

		and wasn’t being preached



However by the 1800s

	there was great religious fervor in colonial America



People were reading their Bibles with renewed interest and 

	asking important questions about prophecy, 

		the return of Christ, and 

			the future.



One man in particular became convinced 

	that Scripture taught the Second Coming was drawing near.

and that man was William Miller





*Slide # 7 - miller*

Miller was a diest

But after serving in the War of 1812 

	he changed his thinking. 



After witnessing what he believed to be God's providence in battle, 

	he began a careful study of the Scriptures.



He received Christ - witnessed - failed studied - witnessed successfully

		believed he discovered year of Christ return

			not hour or day - but the year - 1844



*Slide # 8 - Preaching*

Beginning in 1831, Miller traveled throughout the 

	northeastern United States 

		preaching a simple message:

			**Jesus Christ is coming again.**

His sermons emphasized:

- The authority of Scripture.
- Salvation through Jesus Christ.
- Personal repentance.
- Readiness for Christ's return.













Thousands responded.

People from many denominations attended his meetings.

*Slide # 9 - Clergy*

	Pastors from many denominations became adventist preachers

		Methodists.

		Baptists.

		Presbyterians.

		Congregationalists.

Christians from all backgrounds 

	united in the expectation 

		that Christ's return was near.



*Slide # 10 - Himes*

**Joshua V. Himes**

The movement spread even more rapidly 

	after Joshua Vaughan Himes joined Miller.



Himes was not only a preacher 

	but as a gifted organizer and publisher.

*Slide # 11 & 12 - newspapers*

He printed newspapers.

	Published books and pamphlets.









*Slide # 13 - tent*

Organized tent meetings

*Slide # 14 - camp*

camp meetings.

*Slide # 15 - Charts*

made an distributed prophetic charts

*Slide # 16 - church*

built adventist church in downtown Boston

Helped arrange lecture tours.

*Slide # 17 - Himes 2*

Through his efforts, 

	the Advent message reached hundreds of thousands of people 				across America and even overseas.

all to lead people to saving faith before Jesus returned in 1844



**October 22, 1844**

Many believers eventually accepted October 22, 1844, 

	as the expected date of Christ's return.











*Slide # 18 - Emphasis*

Movement Emphasis

*Slide # 19 - Day of D*

When Christ did not return on that day, 

	the event became known as **The Great Disappointment**.

everyone was devastated

	but there were 50,000 new Christians

		when the movement was over



**What Happened Next?**

*Slide # 20 - Groups*

After 1844, the movement divided into several groups.

	Main groups:

		the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

		the Advent Christian Church.

		the Life and Advent Union

		etc.

	and cults

		Spiritualizer adventists

		Christadelphians

		Jehova’s witnesses

		and others











The main groups differed on several doctrines, 

	but they shared important convictions:

-

*

- Christ will literally return.
- His return will be visible.
- The Bible is God's inspired Word.
- Christians should live in readiness for His coming.



*Slide # 21- Convictions*

The Advent Christian Church emphasized several biblical truths.

	Salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

	The Second Coming is the blessed hope of every believer.

	Scripture is the final authority for faith and practice.

	Evangelism and missions remain essential until Christ returns.



These convictions continue to shape Advent Christian churches today.



Nearly two hundred years later, the church still prays the same prayer found at the end of Scripture:

**"Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.”** **Revelation 22:20 (NASB 1971)**



*Slide # 22- After the movement*

**1845–1850 -** Reorganization Begins

**1855 -** The Advent Christian Publication Society unified believers

**1860 -** Salem Conference denominational organization.

**1860–1861 -** Adoption of the name "Advent Christian"



**1865 - Advent Christian General Conference**

the official beginning of the denomination as a national body.

**Late 1800s - The denomination expanded rapidly.**

Missionaries overseas - Bible schools established. - Churches planted

**1900 - The church experienced growth**

- Hundreds of churches across the United States.
- Growing educational institutions and publishing ministries.

**1908–1915 Foreign missions expanded.**

increasingly viewed itself as a worldwide missionary movement

**1920s - extensive church construction throughout the Southeast.**

**1925 - continued steady growth.**

Membership in the United States was approximately **28,000**,

**1950s - The denomination expanded:**

Radio ministries also increased.

**1960s - The denomination strengthened:**

Churches also faced the cultural changes occurring throughout America.

**1970s - Many churches adopted new outreach ministries.**

**1980s - The denomination expanded:**

Churches increasingly worked together through regional conferences.

**1990s - The Advent Christian Church entered the information age.**



*Slide # 23 - Stats*

Advent Christian Church today

———————————————-

**Interesting Adventist facts**

1- Adventists were abolitionist - anti salavery

*Slide # 24 - Sojourner Truth*

	Sojourner Truth was a 7th day Adventist

*Slide # 25 - Douglas*

	Frederick Douglas daughter became Advent Christian



*Slide # 26 - Ellis Foy*

Adventists were first group to have black ministers

	such as Rev. Ellis Foy



*Slide # 27 - Mussey*

and they were the first group to have female ministers 

	such as Abigail Mussey



*Slide # 28 - Bates*

2 - Adventists preached to the slaves in the south

	and got in lots of trouble

		no deaths though





*Slide # 29 - Map*

3- Adventists took the message over to Ireland, England and 			Europe in the 1830s & 40s



*Slide # 30 - Fitch*

4- Charles Fitch - adventist leader - winter river baptism

	died of pneumonia

		before day of D

			died believing he we rise again within a year

*Slide # 31 - Munger*

5- Camp meetings had a Manager Hirum Munson

	over 6 ft tall and strong

		to keep out all the sons of Cain

			that came out to make trouble during camp



6-pictures of me at Aurora

*Slide # 32 - Miller’s travel chest*

*Slide # 33 - Original 1843 chart*

—————————————————————————









I want to share a little about the doctrine

	that the whole Adventist movement was about

		***the second coming of Jesus***

***Slide # 34 - Second***

***The Advent Christian Church was founded on this  belief***

	So much so - that is what the name is about

		original name was Second Advent Christian Church

Meaning - we are a church that is founded on the doctrine

	that Jesus will return and soon

So the AC church was evangelistic and missionary

*Slide # 35 - Second*

So lets talk about this quintessential doctrine - read slide

*Slide # 36 - Second*

Read slide

*Slide # 37 - Second*

Read the slide











lets look at what everyone agrees is going to happen

	when Jesus actually comes again

		regardless of you prophetical beliefs

*Slide # 38 - Second*

1- The Son of Man will appear in the sky, and he will return to the earth



*Slide # 39 - Second*

2- He will send his angels with a loud trumpet call (v. 31) 

3\) The nations will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory (v. 30). 



*Slide #40 - Second*

4\) All the nations of the earth will mourn (v. 30).

5\) The resurrection of the dead (Daniel 7:9,10)

*Slide #41 - Second*

6\) Jesus will be given all authority in heaven and earth 

7\) Jesus will sit on his throne in heavenly glory.





*Slide #42 - Second*

8\) All the nations will be gathered before him (Matt. 25:32)

9\) They will gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. 

10\) Jesus will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. (Matthew 25;32)

11\) He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. (v.33)



*Slide # 43 - Second*

12\) Then Jesus will conduct the last judgment of the dead and the living

*Slide # 44 - Second*

13\) "Then the King will say to those on his right, *'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. (Matt 25:34)*











*Slide # 45 - Second*

14\) "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. (Matthew 25:41)

15\) "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.“ (Matthew 25:46)



*Slide # 46 - Second*

16\) Jesus will conquer Satan (Revelation 16:15-17 and 17:14)

*Slide # 47 - Second*

17\) The earth will be destroyed. 

*Slide # 48 - Second*

18\) The new heavens and the new earth will be created and we will be brought to it.  

*Slide # 49 - Second*

19\) The eternal Kingdom of Jesus Christ will be set up and established.  









*Slide # 50 - Second*

20\) The formal set up of the kingdom of God - reclaiming God's 	Kingdom with His saints (1 Thessalonians 3:13; 	Zechariah 14:5; Jude 1:14).

*Slide # 51- Second*

21\) Creation will be renewed – restored to its perfect state including us and our relationship with our Holy God and Heavenly Father.

**=============================**

This is our blessed hope

Revelation 22:20.

*"He who testifies to these things says, 'Yes, I am coming quickly.' Amen. Come, Lord Jesus."*

**=============================**

Thanks you for joining our first Saunders Corner



The next Saunders corner will be Monday, July 27

	and we will talk about

		the Glory, Presence and Spirit of God

			and where they are today



lets close in prayer

Thank you for AC church

	bless its ministry

	bless its future

	use it for you honor and glory

please make this program a blessing to your people

**amen**



**God bless you all!**