Building a Launchpad for (Further) Reformation

In the spirit of the season (Reformation Day approaching this Saturday), I thought this as good a time as any to cast a vision that probably seems too bold for any Advent Christian to imagine.

In recent years, and especially at the 2026 ACGC Triennial Convention, we Advent Christians have toiled over our identity and denominational structure. For those unfamiliar with the saga, the short version is the denomination lacked both a definite standard of belief and an adequate accountability structure for membership in the General Conference. Particularly concerning, we had previously allowed the affirmation of Christ’s full divinity and the triune nature of God to remain an open question among our members.

Thankfully, this is no longer the case. The adoption of the Statement of Faith as a standard of membership and the creation of the General Conference Standards Committee have covered substantial ground in addressing these concerns. Of course, work remains: we need a new Declaration of Principles. When the 2026 DOP fell short of adoption, Dr. Erik Reynolds may have administered too strong of a medicine on the floor of the convention when he suggested that ACGC was not a Christian denomination - but his concern was right. We must be biblically orthodox on the doctrine of God and the person of Christ; we should accept nothing less than what was proposed in the 2026 DOP in those regards. 

Why? 

The truth of the matter on these doctrines is at the very heart of Christian faith — that is reason enough, but there is more besides. These efforts were not taken up as an exercise in self-flagellation; I take no joy in pointing out our faults. These efforts have been aimed at removing a beam from our own eye, a necessary procedure before we can begin removing specks (or lumber of varying size) from the eyes of others. Advent Christians need to be sure-footed on the essentials and confident in our distinctive identity before we approach others.

In other words, I have no interest in an endless internal reformation that would abide no theological differences. The purpose here is to get our own house in order so that we can then (1) faithfully advance the Gospel to the ends of the earth and (2) further reform the Church universal, particularly our evangelical tribe, to fully embrace the truth of Adventism and conditional immortality. In this post, I am speaking to 2. Internal reform leading to external reform, Advent Christians mending our weaknesses so that we might approach the broader Church in strength. I am speaking here of Advent Christians transcending our denominational boundaries and igniting a movement.

Yes, I hope that we would add sympathizers to our own denominational number along the way, but we should have bigger goals yet. Divisions on baptism have been settled for generations, but the doctrine of conditional immortality still awaits its full hearing. While Christ’s return is at least nominally confessed throughout the Church universal, too many continue to speak in a platonic frame of “going to heaven” that neglects the restoration of all things. Could we not influence denominations of all stripes on these matters? Even if not to come all the way, at least some way toward our convictions?

To be clear, such a reformation would depend upon a broad movement among Advent Christians. This isn’t a proposed program for the denominational staff — it could never be carried by just a few. It would require a grassroots revival in writing and speaking, disseminated on ACV and other channels, from our local churches to everywhere. It would look to muster all of our voices in speaking to the Church.

Where does that leave us now? I see the present moment this way: we are building a launchpad for reformation. We need to get ourselves right, we can’t rush on to blastoff, but we are working toward that end. 

I know it sounds like a wild dream, but just remember that one monk who, in defiance of all apathy and cynicism, nailed 95 theses to a church door in Wittenburg. God works through small things — dare we think ourselves too small for him?