Adventist Review Podcasts

What does a 380-year-old fight over censorship have to do with the Seventh-day Adventist Church? In 1644, the poet John Milton published a furious defense of free speech — and Shawn Boonstra suggests it may have quietly helped set the stage for a movement that wouldn't emerge for another two centuries. From book burnings to Bible societies, this Perspectives column traces a trail of "coincidences" that looks suspiciously like design. Was it chance, or the finger of God nudging history forward without violating human free will? Listen to the full article and decide for yourself.

Drive in snow and overcorrect one way, and you'll end up in the ditch on the other side. Theologian John Peckham argues the same danger lurks around one of Christianity's most contested ideas: sola scriptura. Push too hard toward reading the Bible in total isolation, and you land in one ditch. Push too hard toward letting community or tradition control what Scripture means, and you land in the other. So where's the road between them — and how did Jesus himself model staying on it? Listen to the full article to find out.

Between this moment and the final triumph of God's love, there will be many moments when the outcome may appear in doubt. Hard-edged, hard-hearted people flourish in a world chilled by greed. Deceit—in all its printed, spoken, filmed and digitized dimensions—settles like a toxic fog over what was once a landscape formed by trust. Unforgiveness grasps our culture by the throat, insisting that no war can ever truly end; no feud can ever fully finish. And still the Word of God insists that grace personified in Jesus will sweep the world's stage “by the power that enables Him even to subject all things to Himself” (Phil 3:21). In the face of graceless, human-caused catastrophes, the Bible is emphatic: “At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil 2:10-11). Grace will win because God's love is so much greater than our hate. Every soul will have the chance to choose that grace for themselves—and thrive in it. Choose now—and stay in grace. -Bill Knott

And you thought grace was just for individuals. When God's mercy and affection are much-welcomed and deep-trusted, lasting impacts start to flow to all within the circle. Grudges soften at the edges; ancient bitterness begins to fade. Forgiveness flourishes in crevices, even between those who never thought they could be anything but enemies. Gentle, subtle acts of kindness replicate themselves like wavelets traveling outwards, touching lives far distant. Other souls are softened, watered, warmed, enriched. “The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which has been given to us” (Rom 5:5). The grace “that saved a wretch like me” is so much more than God's plan to bring me safe and sound to heaven, lovely as that is. Yes, it starts in one responsive heart, but never ends just there. As the old hymn constantly reminds us, “There's a wideness in God's mercy like the wideness of the sea.” “The grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people” (Titus 2:11). Grace ripples through our families, our friendships, our communities—unlimited; inclusive, and unstoppable. “Let everyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift” (Rev 22:17). So stay in grace. -Bill Knott

3 billion people on Earth have never heard the name of Jesus — and most of them live in cities the Adventist Church has been quietly leaving for decades. Gary Krause, Director of Adventist Mission at the General Conference, sat down with Shawn Boonstra to explain what's actually being done, where it's working, and the 4-word principle that changed how both of them think about mission.

A minister who's raised his kids and an editor still in the trenches sit down over one question: what do you do when the most addictive thing your child will ever hold fits in their pocket? No easy answers — just honesty about the fear, the failures, and the grace that carries parents through. Shawn Boonstra and Justin Kim talk screens, dopamine, the anxious generation, the "bubble" trap, and why every parent they know has "gone nuclear" and regretted it — plus the stranger's words that changed Shawn's life at 16.

Three churches. Three continents. One thing they all figured out that most Adventist congregations still haven't. Shawn Boonstra opens the mission reports that reach the General Conference building — the ones most members never get to see. A district in the Scottish  Highlands that filled a Gospel Fest with people who'd never set foot in an Adventist church. A youth ministry in wartime Ukraine that sorts every person  they meet into five levels — starting with "haters." And a congregation in Seoul's professional district that stopped waiting for growth to happen organically. The pattern connecting all three isn't budget, location, or talent. Listen to the end.

She once heard voices telling her she was about to hurt someone. Now she hosts one of Hope Channel's most-watched shows. This episode asks the question most Christian parents are afraid to say out loud: is it ever loving to let someone hit bottom?

Years ago Shawn Boonstra signed the guest book at a church that wasn't his own, just to see what would happen. They called him back in 32 hours. Meanwhile, interest cards from his own television broadcast were sitting in a filing cabinet for three months. Tim McTernan spent 30 years in marketing before he brought it into the church — supermarket brands, telecommunications, a million pieces of direct mail a week. Now he leads innovation and marketing for the South Pacific Division, and he says the Adventist Church is leaving people on the table who already raised their hand. This one gets uncomfortable: what a baptism costs, whether it's obscene to measure it, why 46% of Gen Z open TikTok looking for spiritual truth, and what $200 can actually do for a local church. And at the very end, the story of a 45-minute car ride in Sydney that no marketing budget could have bought.

Shawn joined the Seventh-day Adventist Church six weeks before Waco burned. Justin comes from a country whose own society files Adventism as an official cult. So they took the actual checklist — the warning signs people use to identify a cult — and ran the church through it, line by line, including the ones it doesn't pass. Filmed at the General Conference world headquarters. No script, no talking points, no PR department in the room.

Imagine sitting in biology class, staring at a diagram presented as settled fact—when a quiet voice whispers, what if they're right? For one pastor's kid, keeping faith in a public school meant missing Homecoming, sitting out the band parade where scouts handed out scholarships, and wondering whether her beliefs were costing more than they gave. This is an honest account of doubt, sacrifice, and the surprising things her parents said that changed everything. What does it really take to stay "fully, unapologetically blue" in a world pulling you toward purple? Listen to her story.

Of all the stories Jesus told, this one is our favorite. An arrogant, entitled son demands his inheritance from his father, but wastes it in riotous living. When the money and the morals are lost, he remembers his father's house, and begins the awkward journey home, offering to be a servant, not a son. But the father runs to meet him, sweeps him up in his arms, and completely reinstates him in the family. Scroll the closing credits on “The Prodigal Son.” But that's not the end of the story Jesus told, even though we prefer to stop there. An older brother, the “good son” who stayed home and worked the farm, refuses to accept his brother's re-inclusion. He will not dance; he will not join the party. Unforgiveness runs deep in him—deeper than any furrow he has plowed. Jesus' story is unfinished. One brother isn't reconciled. If you are eager for the Father's welcome but will not welcome other prodigals, you may not find your home within the Father's house. The Father has one rule for all: “You must be both forgiven and forgiving.” The grace shown you is meant for others too. So stay in grace. -Bill Knott

Does God need a perfect generation of humans to prove His critics wrong? In 1947 one Adventist theologian argued exactly that—launching a debate that still divides believers today. If God's character is on trial before the universe, who actually clears His name? Us, through flawless obedience? Or someone else entirely? This piece digs into what Ellen White actually wrote, and the answer is bigger and more surprising than either side of the argument tends to admit. It reaches from the cross to the final destruction of evil. Who really vindicates the character of God? Listen and find out.

Two red cars came screaming around a mountain curve at over 70 miles per hour—headed straight at Michelle and her friends, with a rock wall on one side and a hundred-foot drop to the river on the other. There was nowhere to go. "This is it," she told her friend. "We're gonna die." Then came a deafening snap, the smell of sulfur, and silence. When Michelle opened her eyes, the car that should have killed her was somehow on the other side of the road. And nine teenagers in two black trucks had seen exactly what happened. Listen.

Yes, we remember all too well. The teacher whose volcanic mood made one day bright and hopeful while the next we hardly dared to draw a breath . . . The parent who turned what should have been our safest space into a house of vigilance, where anger flashed erratically . . . The colleague whom we tiptoed past, just praying we didn't trouble him . . . From all such stories, we deduced that God was just as changeable—a deity who one day welcomed us to Him and next day chased us far away. The truth—at last—is healing to our bodies and safety for our souls: “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,' says the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts'” (Isa 55:8-9). The Father doesn't ask us in only to suddenly reject us, nor does He act toward us with cold, unfeeling judgment: “God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, no longer counting people's sins against them” (2 Cor 5:19). Grace is God's vigilance to bring us safely to Himself where we will thrive and find His deep, persistent joy. So stay in grace. -Bill Knott

If grace was as fragile as many believe it to be, we could never be truly confident that our lives have been fully redeemed and deeply restored. We would always be unsure of what God wants us to be most certain of: “For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far He removes our transgressions from us” (Psa 103:11-12).   Our fears and doubts about the durability of grace don't begin to change the ways God loves us. Our anxieties that the great Lover of our souls will be as fickle and unsteady as we are merely deprive us more time in His grip, more joy in His presence, and more certainty in His promise: “God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him” (John 3:17). Trust the arms that grip us at our worst, and the Love that will not let us go. And stay in grace. -Bill Knott

Imagine publishing a book at twelve years old—one that started with nothing more than nature walks and a mother's simple question: "Where do you see God in that tree?" In this piece, a teenager shares how she's read the entire Bible four times, why one word in the story of Daniel changed how she makes decisions, and what she's learned about choosing right when convenient is so much easier. She's honest that she still stumbles. But she's found something steadier than her own intuition. What does it take to "purpose in your heart" before the hard choice ever comes? Listen.

Why do you believe what you believe? Because your parents told you? Because you grew up in church? The author says that kind of faith can crumble when life gets hard—and he's after something sturdier. He loves true stories: prison escapes, wartime survival, missionaries in danger. What makes them powerful, he says, is that they can be checked. So can faith. He points to a prophecy Isaac Newton called the foundation stone of Christianity, and to a teenage girl who once held an 18-pound Bible overhead for thirty minutes. God didn't just give us religion, he argues—He gave us evidence. Listen.

If you are truly saved through faith, then you are daily praying grace down into the cracks and crevices of life, into the dim and unlit corners where fear and fate and faithlessness more often hold the keys. Understanding—really understanding—grace rarely happens through a flash of intellectual enlightenment: Paul's own Damascus Road was just the first of many miles spent learning grace. Each week we find how weak and meager is our faith, how little we actually trust the great bold verities announced by Jesus and His gospel, how much we fear that what He promises to give is too good to be true. “Increase our faith” is the most honest prayer we ever murmur—and the one He most delights to answer. So stay in grace. -Bill Knott

It started with a nervous breakfast: a Seventh-day Adventist pastor across the table from an ordained Buddhist minister, both unsure what to expect. Then she explained what she does before eating—a silent thanks to everyone who made the meal possible, from the farmers to the bacteria in the soil—and the awkwardness melted away. There are 500 million Buddhists in the world. How much do we really know about them? This piece walks through what Buddhists believe, the surprising values they share with Adventists, and how one Buddhist landlady slowly came to faith—not through argument, but experience. What builds a real bridge between two faiths? Listen.

“If God is good and grace is real, why do I still feel badly about my mistakes?” A popular illusion of new Christians is that the rescue wrought for them by Jesus is supposed to save them from any sorrow about their past. In the shallow mythology we clutch, everything about our new life as believers ought to be “peace, light, and joy.” Yet God's Word poignantly asks, “Do you not know that God's kindness leads you to repentance?” (Rom 2:4). Assured at last of God's continuing affection for us, we look more honestly at how often we ignored His love, mistreated others, and damaged our own happiness. That new-found honesty naturally disturbs us, for we see clearly what we previously refused to see. A heart made clean and new by God will also experience real sorrow for the past. As the psalmist tearfully admitted, “Against you—you above all—I have sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight” (Psalmist 51:4). The grace that saves us also changes us, for real love would never leave us where we were. Embrace the new and better life to which God's kindness has now led you, even through some honest tears. Now stay in grace. -Bill Knott

Picture a World Cup final with no referee — both teams disqualifying each other's players, every goal disputed, chaos taking over. Someone has to make the final call. But who decides the meaning of Scripture? It's a question that cuts to the heart of one of Protestantism's oldest principles: sola scriptura. And the objections are sharper than you might expect. If Scripture never actually says "Scripture alone," doesn't the whole idea collapse on itself? And didn't the church decide which books made the Bible — meaning the church came first? This article takes those challenges seriously. Listen in for some surprising answers.

“Because he's never said he's sorry”. . . “She kept the ring my grandma wanted me to have” . . . “He laughed at how I cringed at his cheap insult.” All these—and more—as reasons that we can't—or won't—forgive. We acidly rehearse the story of our injury, deepening divides and festering in feuds. Soon we come to like the bitter taste of bile, for anger feels powerful, and power is what we want. But Jesus offers us another way—a path of grace that doesn't measure wounds and grievances. “Love your enemies,“ He urges. “Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you” (Luke 6:27-28). Such kindness seems impossible until—unless—we grasp how greatly we have been forgiven. Our graciousness is still the greatest sign that we have understood our real state, for “a person who is forgiven little shows only little love” (Luke 7:47). If you never need forgiveness, then stay as hot and angry as you dare. But if your story calls for grace, accept the Father's timely gift. And stay in it. -Bill Knott

The old proverb reminds us, “Some things must be seen to be believed.” And so it often is with grace: we can't believe in something so miraculous—so unexpected, undeserved—even though God's Word repeatedly declares it: “By grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” (Eph 2;8). Until we see grace in the flesh—in someone near enough to care—we wonder if such kindness is just rich, warm-hearted myth. The one we thought an enemy who doesn't reach for his revenge; the friend who quietly forgives our rudeness or our thoughtlessness; the colleague who works overnight to make up for our lack—each gives us just a glimpse of that unbounded and eternal grace that always seeks our flourishing. God sifts His goodness into every day through those who love has changed. We learn grace from gracious people. In unsung, unexpected ways, they live the kindness in the heart of God. Live warmly, joyfully yourself. You'll be the grace some other seeker needs. And stay in it. -Bill Knott

When you picture someone who changes the world, who comes to mind? A CEO? An influencer with millions of followers? But what if the most lasting impact rarely happens on center stage at all? Meet Andrew—a fisherman so ordinary his name simply meant "man." No famous sermons. No epistles. No miracles bearing his name. He didn't even make Jesus' inner circle. Yet today five nations claim him, and the gospel spread because of him. How? Through one quiet, extraordinary gift. Discover the shape of an Andrew heart—and why you might have one too. Listen now.

What makes us valuable to God—all stubborn, broken, wayward as we are? It's not the sometime good we do— forgiving unrepentant foes; feeding hungry kids afar; warming pews and saying prayers; performing unpaid mission work. Not one of these, nor all of them, can make us dearer to the One who chooses from His unforced, unrequired love to cherish every soul He made. “I have loved you with an everlasting love,” He says. “I have drawn you with unfailing kindness” (Jer 31:3). This grace confounds the wisdom of the world: no ledgers; no accounts; no keeping track of charities; no earning credit with a boss; no bank of kindnesses to set against our debts and deficits. We fall back in amazed relief: “I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love” (Rom 8:38). Grace leads us, in the end, to praise—the joy we were created for. Now stay in it. -Bill Knott

“If you could go back in time to change one thing about your life, what would it be?” The answers range from comic to cautionary: “I'd be better-looking.” “I'd have a smaller nose.” “I'd make a lot of money.” “I'd marry a different person.” For each of us, there's one thing we would change to give ourselves a better story. “I'd understand God's love much sooner in my life,” say the truly wise among us. For them, it's not a classic story of regret: there's no self-loathing, guilt, or fear. What they would change is a misperception built on what the culture tells us about God instead of what the Scriptures say: “God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, no longer counting people's sins against them. And He gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation” (2 Cor 5:19). They only wish they could have known the Father's love more deeply, for a longer time. How much the world of everyday would have been colored differently if they had known all along that “underneath are the everlasting arms” (Deut 33:27). Give me more joy. Let me be always washed in grace. Give me more years of knowing what is really true: “God sent His Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through Him” (John 3:17). Now stay in grace. -Bill Knott

Breathe deeply now, and let your heart grow quiet as you turn from sins forgiven. “By this we shall know that we are of the truth, and reassure our hearts before Him whenever our hearts condemn us; for God is greater than our hearts, and He knows everything” (1 John 3:19-20). It's not the voice of God that drives you on to fear, or rush, or labor past your strength. We dare not make the Spirit own our anxiousness or lack of peace. God is always on the side of what gives life, builds hope, and moves us even one small step toward balance. His grace is meant to keep us breathing, as well as for our saving. The day that Jesus wants to bring us healing is the day that we are living, not only when our destinies are weighed. “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10). His grace is for today and always. So stay in grace. -Bill Knott

“We must hear the gospel every day because we forget the gospel every day.” Attributed to many pens, the proverb is profoundly true, regardless of who wrote it. Even though it undermines our vanity of recall, it underlines that we frequently ignore the most important things. Our default thinking is unarguably a fault: we trust ourselves to do what is impossible. For millennia, humans have sought connection and reconciliation with the gods through sacrifice, through costly gifts, through candles lit and pilgrimages made. With fear and trembling, we have offered up our best to appease the anger we assumed was gathering in heaven. But the good news brought in Christ and wrought by Christ declares a new paradigm: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God—not the result of works, so that no one may boast” (Eph 2:8-9). The gospel contradicts—and counteracts—the wisdom of the ages. Yes, we can be made right with God—because He loves; because He gave; because Jesus made a pilgrimage from heaven to earth; because He sacrificed His life to bridge the chasm chiseled by our pride. Don't apologize for your weak, inconsistent memory. Every human shares it. Surround yourself with what is true—with words of grace. And stay in it. -Bill Knott

A Light in the Pearl of the Indian Ocean: The Faith and Courage of Rosie Le Même One night, a young woman in Mauritius prayed — and her room filled with light. A voice told her to go to Europe. She went. What she found there would change not just her life, but an entire region. Rosie Le Même never set out to start a movement. She simply wanted to follow God with her whole heart. But her quiet courage sparked a faith that spread from a muddy riverbank baptism to churches across Mauritius, Madagascar, Rodrigues, and the Seychelles. One woman. One prayer. A legacy that's still growing.

Hidden Wounds: How Sexual Trauma Shapes Intimacy and Faith She sat alone in a dark church parking lot, desperate to speak but unsure where to begin. Her marriage was loving — so why did she feel frozen, broken, and afraid? Sexual trauma doesn't stay in the past. It follows survivors into their most intimate moments, distorting the very things God designed to be beautiful. In Hidden Wounds, registered clinical counselor Jasmin Stankovic unpacks the hidden shame, misplaced guilt, and spiritual confusion that so many survivors carry silently. If you've ever felt damaged, unworthy, or beyond healing — this conversation is for you. There is a path forward.

What stops our progress, pulls us backward, paralyzing us with shame? The past—our past—the foolish, broken history that trails each of us. None can escape its power: all feel its painful weight. Even those the world calls saints are men and women who know their brokenness most fully. The great apostle Paul famously moaned, “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” (Rom 7:24). When there's no one left to dazzle or impress, we cringe in the half-light of our memories. We're stalked by all the things we've done, and increasingly, by the good we've left undone. What could we have been thinking? But the grace of God shines as bright as the Son: “We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 Jn 2:2). In kindness the Father offered us in Jesus the living, breathing, open-hearted embodiment of grace. Because He willingly embraced the weight of our mistakes while making none Himself, our lives can rise above the shadows and despair. He made His mission unmistakably clear: “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly” (Jn 10:10). Embrace that rich, abundant life. And stay in grace. -Bill Knott

Faith to the Very End: Pastor Jack and His Final Witness He was diagnosed with a rare cancer at 19. Doctors took the muscles from his leg, and he learned to walk — and live — all over again. But Pastor Jack wasn't done. For years he preached, pastored two congregations, and poured himself out for others. Then the cancer came back. What happened in that emergency room on the last night of his life is something you won't soon forget. Dick Duerksen tells the story of his brother — a man whose faith didn't flicker, even at the very end. This one will stay with you.

Selfless Love: How to Infuse Your Marriage With Divinity Most of us enter marriage hoping to be loved well. But what if the real question isn't what can I get — it's what can I give? In this thought-provoking article, Keala Thompson explores why so many marriages drift toward selfishness or cold transaction, and what it looks like when a relationship is anchored in something deeper. Drawing on Scripture, he makes a compelling case that the way we understand God's love directly shapes the way we love our spouse. If your marriage feels more like a negotiation than a gift, this is worth your time.

Sit quietly with grace, and let it work its slow, substantial change. Nothing is more common for those whose hearts have been divinely warmed than to pledge themselves to new, exacting duties. We'll read our Bibles for an hour each day; pray for all our friends and even for some enemies; tell “unconverted” colleagues, neighbors—even strangers—of their task to do as we have done. We move at hyper-speed as if to make up for the months—the years—when we ourselves were unresponsive to the gospel. But what we need—and what our friends and enemies much need—is that we answer the first call of grace: “Be still, and know that I am God” (Ps 46:10). Our rush to vow new righteous duties, work new holy deeds, and tell what we have only started to experience is often just another act of foolish self-atonement. Heaven wisely urges us to quiet. “This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: ‘Only in returning to Me and resting in Me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength'” (Isa 30:15-16). Grace received always grows into grace well-lived. But beware of pledging your good deeds until you've more fully learned all that the Lord has kindly done for you. And stay in grace. -Bill Knott

“This is not your own doing” (Eph. 2:8). One author calls it “the most contrary line in human history”—six words that run against our culture, schooling, and experience. We push ourselves from bed to answer the alarm we set just hours before. We wash and eat and ready clothes for work, conscious that one slip in our performance may unravel all the day. We move ourselves to work to push through hours built on grit and weary bodies. Then we cycle back again, preparing for the round that starts with that insistent first alarm. What, in all of this, is not of our own doing? And yet the Scripture is insistent: none of this, for all its stress and sometime glory, can make us right with God—even if our work is feeding homeless people or lighting candles in a church. But the phrase that cuts against the grain begins with something only God can do: “By grace you have been saved through faith” (Eph. 2:8). In undeserved mercy, each of us is offered hope and light and daily joy if we will trust Christ's hand to make us whole. Even the alarm sounds kinder; the labor of the day becomes our gift of gratitude. “Salvation belongs to the Lord” (Ps. 3:8). Only He can turn grit into grace, our work dirge to a song, our inability into witness. So stay in grace. -Bill Knott

What if a church leader you trusted made a serious mistake—how would you respond without causing division or gossip? In this timely, practical guide, veteran pastor Shane Anderson shares hard-won wisdom from decades of denominational service: the three common pitfalls to avoid (assumptions, social media, withholding tithe) and four Christlike steps that actually bring resolution. Learn how prayer, genuine love, private clarity-seeking, and Matthew 18 principles can turn conflict into redemption—without splitting churches or derailing mission. Whether you're frustrated, confused, or simply want to respond like Jesus, this article offers courage and clarity for every thoughtful member. A must-hear roadmap for healthier leadership accountability. Listen now.

What makes your eyes light up with glee, or stirs you to an unforced smile? Is it the 4-year old who stomps through puddles—without boots? Is it the lily blooming on some sun-drenched bank, so hidden no one else can find it? Is it the ballad from your youth that fills your thoughts with gentle love?  So grace delights us when we learn that it is God's first way of seeing us—that He is glad to see us dancing in the rain, and loving every growing thing, and finding hope in much-loved songs. It is His joy to know our joy: He made us for receiving love and sharing it with others.  And when we chide the gleeful child, or calculate the price of flowers, or brush away the tenderness we knew, we turn our backs on His warm grace to find cold comfort in self-righteousness. Only God is always right, and only God is always gracious. Jesus said of His Father, “He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matt 5:45).  Receive His gift. Enjoy His grace. And stay in it. -Bill Knott

What if two ordinary fishermen in a tiny boat appeared out of nowhere during a deadly Mozambique flood—only to vanish without a trace? Young pastor Simoque was drowning in the raging Limpopo River, praying desperately for his family, when strong hands pulled him to safety and carried him home through the storm. But when he rushed back with money to thank them… no boat, no footprints, no sign they had ever existed. Just two angels, fishing for a desperate servant of God. This gripping true story of divine rescue will strengthen your faith and remind you that God still sends heavenly help exactly when we need it most. Listen now.

Frustrated with your church? Thinking about leaving? You're not alone. Many Christians — especially in the Seventh-day Adventist community — are wrestling with that very question as their churches shift in directions they never expected. But what if leaving is exactly the wrong move? In Protesting the Church, the case is made that true Protestants don't walk out — they stay, speak up, and work for renewal from within. From Martin Luther to the apostle Paul, history's greatest reformers chose presence over protest. Your voice matters. Your vote matters. Your influence matters. Before you go — listen to this first.

What if the most heartbreaking grief in the book of Job wasn't just Job's—but his wife's silent agony beside him? She lost everything too: ten children, security, and now watched her husband suffer in ashes. In one raw moment she cried out, “Curse God and die!”—words born not of rebellion, but overwhelming pain. Yet God never rebuked her. No condemnation, only merciful silence and later restoration. This powerful reflection reveals how divine compassion makes room for imperfect, grief-stricken honesty. Discover fresh hope for anyone crushed by loss: God hears angry prayers, understands broken faith, and writes a better ending. A must-listen for every hurting heart. Listen now.

What if true victory over evil comes not through raw power, but through the suffering of a Lamb? Jesus faced every temptation to “win” the easy way—by force, presumption, or compromise—yet chose the costly path of unselfish love instead. In Gethsemane He refused the sword; on the cross He conquered by dying. This powerful article reveals the stark contrast between the dragon's way of domination and the Lamb's way of sacrificial love. Discover why the methods we use are inseparable from the message we proclaim—and why following Christ means rejecting every shortcut of coercion, even when it promises quick results. A timely call to faithful witness. Listen now.

If you can't recall the day or the hour you came to faith, you're in good company. Millions of believers candidly describe both deep faith in Jesus as their Saviour and an inability to recall just when it happened—a “sunrise experience” as one author calls it. This is the way that grace unfolds, for “Damascus Road” conversions are far fewer than we claim. That road, it should be noted, was 150 miles long, requiring six days of travel. Grace had been working every mile to soften the heart of the angry man who would become its chief apostle. So grace also walks with the prodigal as he leaves home; in his disturbing revelries; when he finally “comes to himself”; and when he ultimately is encircled by the father's arms, and once again wears ring and robe. “For this is how God loved the world: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Grace is the long arc of the Father's kind intentions—and it may take months or years before that seeking love brings us to clarity and gratitude. You have always been loved. You have always been sought. And your faith is an equally long arc of learning just how deeply Jesus values you. Now stay in grace. -Bill Knott

What if a shattered childhood in secular Seattle, followed by an unwilling move to 120-degree Saudi Arabia, could forge one of the most mission-driven leaders in the Adventist Church today? In this heartfelt episode, Shawn Boonstra sits down with General Conference Secretary Rick McEdward. From culture shock in a military compound, to a powerful call into ministry, to serving in the Middle East and now helping steer global mission, Rick's journey reveals how God turns ordinary lives into extraordinary witnesses. Hear inspiring stories of faithfulness, the vision for One Voice 2027, and practical ways every member can join the work of reaching eight billion people. You won't want to miss this encouraging conversation—tune in now and let it stir your own calling!

What if returning just 10% of what God has already given you could transform your trust in Him—and fuel a global mission? Far from a burden or ancient ritual, biblical tithing reveals a God who owns everything yet invites us to test His faithfulness. This thoughtful exploration shows how the Adventist Church's unique solidarity-based system supports pastors, teachers, missionaries, schools, and media across continents, turning our giving into practical partnership with Jesus. Discover why tithe isn't about buying blessings but learning daily dependence, experiencing miracles, and advancing God's kingdom together. A fresh, encouraging look at how money and faith belong together. Listen now.

I sing because I'm happy; I sing because I'm free; For His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me. The soprano's voice soars above the swell of the orchestra, her eyes caught up to heaven. Every heart in the concert hall leans forward, drawn by an ache, a longing. Why do such moments move us so deeply—in seasons of faith, or in our midnight struggles? Why does our hope cling more tightly to the lyrics of an old hymn than to a hundred bright and restless tunes? Because we bear reminding—every day—that the God who flung the stars in their courses still sees us; still chooses to see us—in all our tired, ordinary uniqueness. In heaven's chosen language, there is no “same as that” or “same as them.” Even our unvoiced whispers are heard, fully understood, gently answered. This is the grace that watches over us, that's never weary, never indifferent. Jesus made it very clear: “Look at the birds. They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren't you far more valuable to Him than they are?” (Matt 6:26). Grace sees our tears, knows our stress, and comforts our distresses. And grace gives us a song that carries us through every hour to come. Hope is your sign of grace. So stay in it. -Bill Knott

What if your faith story feels too ordinary for God to use? In this raw, unfiltered episode of unScripted, Shawn Boonstra sits down with assistant editor Hannah Drewieck to talk about staying connected to your world church — and why the quiet, everyday faith might actually be the most powerful kind. Hannah shares her surprising journey from Hope Channel International to Adventist Review, how she shepherds powerful “experiences” stories (heritage, mission, testimonies), and the devotional that stopped the whole team in their tracks: Daniel's secret to lion's den courage wasn't one big miracle — it was something he did three times every day. Plus: • The vulnerable adoption story that will make you rethink what “God's plan” really looks like • The 19th-century missionary who risked everything with no salary, no backup, and started something that's still growing in India today • Why fear of rejection or “messing up” shouldn't stop you from sharing your faith (and what to do instead) If you've ever wondered whether your steady, non-dramatic walk with God counts… this one's for you. Subscribe to the FREE Friday email newsletter (it drops the new unScripted episode the second it goes live): → AdventistReview.org/connect Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro & Hannah's journey 06:00 – What she actually does at Adventist Review (Experiences category) 12:30 – The Friday newsletter explained 18:45 – Hannah's devotional: Amazing Race dreams vs. steady faith 25:10 – Daniel 6:10 and the faith that endures 32:00 – “Four Foot Home Expansion” adoption story 40:15 – “She Opened the Way” – Georgia Burris in India 50:20 – “Fear and Faith at the Doorstep” – facing evangelism fears 58:00 – How to submit your own story Raw. Real. Off the record. This is unScripted. Hit subscribe, turn on notifications, and never miss what's really happening in your world church. Drop a comment: What's one “ordinary” thing God uses in your daily faith?

It seems, at first, a profoundly foolish question: “Do you want to be healed?” Jesus once asked it of a paralyzed man who for 38 years had lingered beside a legendary pool. The answer feels self-evident: who wouldn't instantly reach out for healing, for wholeness, for a mended body and the restoration of fractured relationships? But Jesus knows how tenderly we caress our wounds; how suffering weaves itself into our core; how grief and bitterness pulse with dark, compelling energy. So He lingers before He heals, honoring the sacred freedom He gave to every soul: “Do you want to be healed?” (John 5:6). “Do you want to live beyond your pain? Do you want to live without rehearsing narratives of those who injured you, or why your bitterness is justified?” It was not an easy question then; it never is an easy question now. Yet Jesus asks again, for His grace is neither hurried nor forced. Will we be remade, renewed, restored? Or will we settle again onto familiar broken ground, grimly content to recount the ancient wounds that now define us? Grace passes by your mat today. The question stirs your waiting place, echoing around your pool. Take the hand that reaches for you. Respond with faith—yes, even trembling faith—and grace will lift you to your feet. Then stay in it. -Bill Knott

What if God's radical love turns messy, broken lives into cherished members of His family? In this engaging episode, Shawn Boonstra and Siku Dako explore the powerful April issue of Adventist Review, centered on the theme of adoption. Discover how one family's real-life adoption story reveals breathtaking truths about God's costly, inconvenient love for us—while we were still sinners. They also unpack President Erton Kohler's timely call for right motives and Christlike methods (especially online), plus a vivid retelling of Jesus washing the disciples' feet that challenges pride and invites humility. Rich in theology, testimony, and practical faith—this conversation will stir your heart. Don't miss it—tune in now and let adoption reshape how you see yourself and God!

What if your faithful tithes and offerings are quietly fueling a massive global push to finish God's work? In this special edition of Unscripted, recorded live from Spring Meeting at the General Conference, Shawn Boonstra and Justin Kim break down the latest financial reports with surprising transparency and hope. Discover how the church is staying fiscally responsible amid global uncertainty, exceeding goals for One Voice 2027—the bold initiative marking 2,000 years since Jesus' baptism—and redirecting every extra dollar straight into mission. You'll feel encouraged by stories of stewardship, clean audits, and leaders challenging each other to do even more. Don't miss this uplifting 28-minute deep dive—tune in now and see how your giving is making a worldwide difference!

So you don't have perfect faith. There are moments—even hours or days—when trusting God's continued goodness seems beyond your reach. You wonder if the effort of this life of trust is wise—or yields anything. Join the crowd—the great, blood-washed crowd of those who say they follow Jesus. Unlike the spiritually intimidating stories we often tell each other, there are no sturdy souls who never know a moment's doubt—who always sing the sun up in the morning and bless the coolness of the night. We invent such myths in hope that we might yet grow into them, more righteous than our peers. But real life has real tests—when our money, strength, or patience come up short; when secretly we envy the ultra-rich, the ultra-smooth; the carefree media influencer. With the psalmist we complain: “Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocence” (Psa 73:13). The same gracious Word that voices our human frustration also gives us words to say to our Creator when faith is thin or weak: “Yet I still belong to You; You hold my right hand. You guide me with Your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny” (Psa 73:23-24). Grace plucked us from our foolishness: “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil 1:6). Trust the Lord who called you on to life eternal. And stay in grace. -Bill Knott