LOCAL CHURCH
Emmanuel Seventh-day Adventist Church is a local Adventist congregation in Plant City, Florida. It is made up of members who love Jesus and desire to follow His example of loving service by using the talents and gifts God has given them (1 Cor. 12:4-11). Typically, each Adventist congregation gathers for worship and study each Sabbath, as well as any additional social or ministry activities during the week.
Sometimes local congregations have their own church building, sometimes it’s a rented space, or sometimes the meeting place is rotated between homes, public spaces, or other types of locations.
Led by an appointed pastor, local elders, and a locally elected church board, these congregations don’t operate in isolation but share financial resources, identity, and mission with other congregations in their region. This representative form of church organization means that authority in the Church comes from local church members who choose local leaders, and have a voice in decisions made at other levels of denominational structure.
Seventh-day Adventists
Church is not about having four walls and a pulpit. It is about living in harmony as the body of Christ. This means each church member loves, respects and values the other members, realizing that just as different organs make up the body, so different members are needed to form the Church. Sure, we’ll disagree sometimes, and from time to time, even the closest families have some friction. That’s where Christian love and patience come in. As Christians we have the privilege to model for the world how God calls us to live in a caring, compassionate community. Here’s to a happy family with Jesus at the center!
Who are Seventh-day Adventists?
Did you recently meet an Adventist? Maybe you saw an ad for an event, at a local Adventist church, or drove by one of the denomination’s schools or hospitals. You may have just heard the word “Adventist” somewhere and want to find out more about what it means. Seventh-day Adventists are a global family of Christians…
Read More