One of the most important and bravest moments of my Christian life happened two weeks ago.  A little context: a person’s childhood helps mold them into the person they will become. Even the Bible makes it clear… right?

“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” (Pr 22:6)

But what if the religious framework a person is brought up in blurs the lines and creates a distorted version of the Gospel, Jesus, Salvation, etc.?

Even as a young child, I always liked to push the lines and question the way of thinking that was being instilled in me. This never really came full force to the surface until my early mid-30s. The last nine years have been filled with searching the Word of God, learning how to study, and seeking guidance from Christian men and women who know how to hold Scripture in high regard (Huge shout out to Carmen Imes, Mike Heiser, David A. Burnett, Tim Mackie, Matthew Bates, Matthew L. Halsted, Arnold Gruchtenbaum, Steve Daily, Myles Christian, Ronald Numbers, Walter Rae, Teresa & Arthur Beem, Archie T. Wright, Awakening School of Theology (Drenna Heiser-Hollander), and so many more…you have no idea the roles you played in our journey the last nine years), praying, questioning, debating, dialoguing…. but primarily just SEEKING GOD!

You might be surprised where you end up, when you lay all your pre-conceived ideas about God at the Cross and seek Him with ALL YOUR HEART!

My family has found Him in places we never thought we would. We have learned that He isn’t in places we thought he was. We have learned that what we once thought was sound doctrine has crumbled under the weight of Biblical exegesis.

A religious heritage that has been so important to our family has turned a new chapter. I’m 3rd- and 5th generation Seventh-day Adventist on my dad’s and mom’s sides, respectively. And Jennifer Colburn is 3rd generation on her mom’s side. We have been born, raised, and schooled in the Adventist system. We have both served in praise and worship, study ministry, Bible Studies, Men’s and Women’s ministry, Head Elder, and even lay pastor. We have devoted our entire lives to a system that has taken a new turn.

I want to be fair to those who are following my blog and our journey.

Two weeks ago, my family sent our local SDA Church Leadership team a letter asking for our names to be removed from the Adventist church and the Denominations Books.

Less than two weeks later, our family was discussed in front of the church during service, and an open vote was held to honor our request and remove our names from the Adventist books.

For some, coming from Adventism, this would be a scary experience. After all, we once believed the ‘truths’ of this church, and now we are turning our backs on them. We are apostatizing in the words of their Prophetess, Ellen G. White.

But we know now that this was just a tactic of fear and manipulation to control the behaviors of the early Advent Flock.

We stand on THE TRUTH, believe in the WAY, and know that we have LIFE!

Jesus was clear:

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” Jn 14:6–7.

I have posted the exact letter that was sent to the board. I want our friends and family to read it, and I encourage you to understand why we have decided what we have decided.

Over the next few weeks and months, I will be providing detailed articles to help others who might be seeking to research what we understand Scripture to uphold regarding the beliefs we rejected from the Adventist Church.

We love each of you deeply and pray that Jesus will continue to lead you into THE TRUTH.

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (Jn 8:31–32)