Your Ultimate Guide To Barbados

Seventh Day Adventist

The East Caribbean Conference of Seventh-day Adventists has its genesis in the Leeward Islands Mission which was organized in 1926. At the time, this consisted of the territories of the Leeward Islands, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Dominica, the Dutch Islands, the origin Islands. Over time a number of adjustments were made as the work grew resulting in what we know today as the East Caribbean Conference. French Islands organized as a separate mission called the French West Indian Mission in 1929.

Early Beginnings

Barbados and St. Lucia aligned with the Leeward Islands Conference from the South Caribbean Conference on January 1, 1930. Territory: Barbados to US Virgin Islands. North Caribbean Conference organized January 1, 1976 leaving the East Caribbean Conference Territory as Barbados, Dominica, St. Lucia, Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines aligned with the East Caribbean Conference from the South Caribbean Conference on January 1, 1976. Grenada became an Administrative unit of the East Caribbean Conference, January 1, 1981. Grenada organized as a Mission - January 19, 1983.

Theirs is a conference whose goal is the furthering of the Advent message in the Islands of Barbados, Dominica and St .Vincent. Their head office is located in the island of Barbados and from this base the armies of God go forth. Our present membership stands at over 10'000 and is growing as men an women hunger for truth. Membership is based in the three (3) territories in over 120 churches, groups and companies. The work is not limited to spiritual things and many children have passed through our four (4) primary schools and three (3) secondary schools. Other institutions include nursing homes, (In 1970 the Cave Memorial Diagnostic Clinic was established), various ministries and book centers in all our territories. In Barbados two well stocked book stores which also feature a wide variety of vegetarian food is available to the public.

Belief System

Seventh-day Adventists accept the Bible as their only creed and hold certain fundamental beliefs to be the teaching of the Holy Scriptures. These beliefs, as set forth here, constitute the church's understanding and expression of the teaching of Scripture. Revision of these statements may be expected at a General Conference session when the church is led by the Holy Spirit to a fuller understanding of Bible truth or finds better language in which to express the teachings of God's Holy Word.

The Trinity

There is one God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, a unity of three co-eternal Persons usually called the Trinity. God the Father is the Creator, Source, Sustainer, and Sovereign of all creation. God the eternal Son became incarnate in Jesus Christ, through Whom all things were created; the character of God is revealed; the salvation of humanity is accomplished; and the world is judged. God the Holy Spirit draws men and women to Himself and gives spiritual gifts to the Church.

Christ Our Hope

In Christ's life of perfect obedience to God's will, His suffering, death, and resurrection, God provided the only means of atonement for human sin, so that those who by faith accept this atonement have eternal life.

Christ's Return

The second coming of Christ is the blessed hope of the Church, the grand climax of the Gospel. His coming will be literal, personal, visible, and world-wide. When He returns the righteous dead will be resurrected and together with the righteous living will be glorified and taken to heaven. The unrighteous - those who have rejected divine grace - will die.

The Church

The Church is the community of believers who confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. In it men and women join together for worship, fellowship, instruction in the Word, the celebration of the Lord's Supper, service to our neighbours, and the world-wide proclamation of the Gospel.
The Holy Scriptures
The Old and New Testaments are the written Word of God, given by divine inspiration through holy men of God who spoke and wrote by the Holy Spirit. The Scriptures are the infallible revelation of God's will.

Baptism

Baptism by immersion is a symbol of our union with Christ, the forgiveness of our sins, and our reception of the Holy Spirit.

The Ten Commandments

The Ten Commandments, the great principles of God's law, are exemplified in the life of Christ. They express God's love, will, and purposes concerning human conduct and relationships. Salvation is all of grace and not of works, but its fruitage is obedience to the Commandments, not in hopeless effort to earn salvation, but in grateful harmony with the life and will of Him whose perfect obedience has brought us confidence and acceptance as His sons and daughters.

The Sabbath

The seventh day of the week, Saturday, is observed as the day of rest, worship, and ministry in harmony with the teaching and practice of Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath. The Sabbath is a day of delightful communion with God and one another. We joyfully observe this holy time from Friday evening to Saturday evening, from sunset to sunset, as a celebration of God's creative and redemptive acts.

The New Earth

On the new earth, in which righteousness dwells, God will provide a glorious home for the redeemed with a perfect environment for everlasting life, love, joy and learning. God Himself will dwell with His people, and suffering and death will exist no more.

Further information on the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Barbados can be sourced at the following website http://www.eastcarib.org.