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Religion

Adventists' leader sees better days ahead for church

During a visit to the bay area, Seventh-day Adventists leader Jan Paulsen says people are starting to see a new side of the religion.

By WAVENEY ANN MOORE
Published February 13, 2005

ST. PETERSBURG - The world leader of Seventh-day Adventists told Tampa Bay believers Saturday that they must unite around their shared identity and demonstrate charity to everyone.

Jan Paulsen, who is Norwegian, is the first European to head the American-born church. He spoke to about 3,000 Seventh-day Adventists attending a convocation at the Mahaffey Theater Saturday.

"It's just as if the president had come," said Paul Campoli, pastor of a church in Plant City and another church in Wesley Chapel. "He's just such a gentle, compassionate, godly person."

Saturday's audience included women wearing saris and African gowns, Messianic Jews in prayer shawls and yarmulkes, Spanish-speaking families and some with Jamaican accents.

The church, formally organized in 1863, has had to combat negative publicity in the past. A church pioneer predicted when the world would end, a date that came and went.

Saturday, Paulsen mentioned how much his church has in common with other Christian communities, and talked about its worldwide contribution to education, health care and charitable work. He spoke of the denomination's 6,000 educational institutions worldwide, global relief system and large number of hospitals and clinics, which include Florida Hospital in Orlando and East Pasco Medical Center in Zephyrhills.

"I think that we are better understood today than we were years ago," said Paulsen, 70, who serves at the church's headquarters in Silver Spring, Md. "I think there is a growing understanding that, in fact, the Seventh-day Adventist churches and their adherents are a positive part of the life in the community."

Seventh-day Adventists observe the Sabbath from sundown Friday through sundown Saturday. The church advocates a vegetarian diet and teaches abstinence from smoking, alcohol and illegal drugs. The church also teaches its followers to prepare for the imminent return of Christ.

"We believe in the second coming of Christ as a literal event in time," Paulsen said. He said the church does not predict a date for that return.

"We wouldn't even hint at that. ... It was done previously, but we've said that's not constructive. That's not biblical. But I think humanity is marching toward this climax."

The denomination, which has more than 85,000 believers in Florida, is attracting growing numbers around the world, church leaders say. Paulsen said it is growing about 1.5-million baptized members annually, with most of the growth occurring outside North America. Worldwide, the church has more than 23-million followers.

Paulsen credits the denomination's positive spiritual message, strict adherence to the Bible and caring about the daily lives of people for its strong growth.

"People don't thrive on being depressed. They want to have something to build on. They want to have hope. I think our church is able to communicate that we are not alone. God is with us. God has a future," he said.

[Last modified February 13, 2005, 01:06:05]