Ministry Magazine Podcast · Ministry, International Journal for Pastors

“They don’t preach that anymore!” Sermons less commonly preached by Adventist pastors — Robert K. McIver and Neil Thompson

January 19, 2026·22 min·2 clips

Discover which core Seventh-day Adventist doctrines 25% of pastors haven't preached on in the last year.

1. Ministry Magazine Podcast presents a read-aloud of an academic article examining gaps in Seventh-day Adventist sermon coverage, drawn from a global pastor survey. 2. The article is authored by Robert K. McIver, doctoral-level professor at Avondale Seminary and Director of the Scripture, Spirituality, and Society Research Center, and Neil Thompson, Ministry Practicum Director and Associate Lecturer at Avondale Seminary, New South Wales, Australia. 3. The core question the episode addresses is: which SDA doctrines are being systematically under-preached, and what should church leaders do about it? 4. Data comes from the Global Adventist Pastors Survey (GAPS), with a sample size of approximately 7,065 responding pastors worldwide. 5. Most-preached topics include 'the experience of salvation through Jesus' (66% preached it 5+ times), 'the Second Coming' (55% preached it 5+ times), and 'the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus' (46% preached it 5+ times). 6. Among least-preached topics, 25% of pastors reported never preaching on 'education' in the last 12 months, and 19% never preached on what appears to be a related lifestyle or institutional topic. 7. The Sanctuary and 1844 doctrine was skipped by 16% of pastors, and the gift of prophecy was omitted by 14% — two doctrines the authors describe as markers of Adventist identity. 8. The Trinity was never preached by 13% of respondents, which the authors flag as particularly concerning given 'anti-Trinitarian views are unsettling many' within the denomination. 9. Even the Sabbath — arguably the defining SDA distinctive — was never preached in the last year by 4.6% of pastors, and the Three Angels' Messages were skipped by 6.9%. 10. The authors offer some explanatory context: conference education directors or visiting speakers may cover some topics so the local pastor does not repeat them. 11. On the positive side, 93% of Adventist pastors (76% strongly agreeing) reported including something on salvation and conversion in every sermon, fulfilling Ellen White's instruction to 'put Christ into every sermon.' 12. The article quotes Ellen White twice: 'Let the signs of salvation be the burden of every sermon' and 'Jesus is the living center of everything.' 13. The authors note significant regional variation: the Second Coming and the Sabbath are preached more frequently in some divisions of the global church than others, though salvation is consistently emphasized everywhere. 14. A theological argument is made that all SDA doctrines are interconnected — losing regular preaching on the Second Coming risks losing 'the church's sense of urgency in mission.' 15. The Sabbath is cited as an example of a doctrine that must be contextualized differently across cultures: in Western societies it may be framed around 'breaking stress cycles,' while elsewhere it relates to 'peace from heavy physical labor.' 16. The authors argue that doctrinal consistency and cultural relevance are not mutually exclusive — 'the best sermons are not only culturally relevant but also theologically sound.' 17. The episode is delivered as a straight read-aloud of the printed article, with no host commentary, questions, or dialogue; tone is academic and prescriptive. 18. The pacing is measured and data-heavy, moving through multiple tables of percentage figures before shifting to editorial commentary and practical advice. 19. Adventist pastors, seminary students, and church elders seeking data-informed guidance on sermon planning would find this directly applicable. 20. Listeners outside the Seventh-day Adventist tradition or those looking for narrative or conversational content will find little here for them.

As heard by us

A survey-based look at what Adventist pulpits emphasize, and what slips through.

Robert K. McIver and Neil Thompson ask a practical question: what gets preached in Adventist churches over a year, and what quietly falls away?

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Why you'd press play

When your sermon calendar needs a doctrinal reality check from Adventist survey data.

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