Adventist Review Podcasts

We walk the Passion story slowly, knowing it will seem to end as far too many stories end—with pain, with shame, with lonely death. The palm fronds we waved wildly on Sunday were woven into simple brooms that swept up 30 tarnished silver pieces; in ropes that tied Messiah to the blood-stained lashing post on Friday. All things trudge slowly toward His end, as if no other fate could be. Of Himself, the Saviour said: “The Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn Him to death . . . They will mock Him, and spit upon Him, and flog Him, and kill Him” (Mk 10:32-33).   But never miss the finish of His prophecy: the future of the world hangs on it, or actually, on Him. “And after three days He will rise again” (vs 33). There is no darkness, long or dull, that Light can never penetrate. It’s not a story that must end with grief on Friday afternoon. “If we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him” (Rom 6.8). Keep walking through His Passion, then, for it will end as you will end—with hope, with light, with joy, with life. The morning dawns, and so will you. Now stay in grace. -Bill Knott

Ever long for the bad old days when you could at least depend upon yourself? We tire of grace when we’re tempted by the easy arrogance of effort. “If I just say another prayer; read another Bible verse; light another candle—then I can pull the love of God toward me and close up any distance.” We think to work our way back toward His will with scrupulous self-discipline—with vegetables, and fasting, and money given to the homeless. We want connection, but without the cross. As satisfying as it can feel to deliberately make the life of faith more painful and intense, the gospel shines with clarifying grace: “We proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles” (1 Cor 1:24). The self-denial for which Christ calls isn’t made of beets or gruel or things we naturally dislike. It’s the denying of our own efforts, of the value of our “good deeds,” and yes, of our own homemade theology to which the Saviour calls us. “Christ made us right with God; He made us pure and holy, and He freed us from sin. Therefore, as the Scriptures say, ‘If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord’” (I Cor 1:30-31). “Jesus answered them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent’” (John 6:29). Now stay in grace. -Bill Knott

The great illusion of our age is that the world must be divisible into clans and races and nations who inevitably hate each other.  The histories of some countries—and entire political careers—have been built on this dangerous idea.  Left versus right; rich opposed to poor; theists against atheists; the educated despising the illiterate. Trillions of dollars, euros, yen and rubles have been invested to sustain this pernicious illusion, for much money can be made by channeling hatred and distrust.  So it is that grace, which teaches us that “God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us” (Rom 5:5)—grace will always seem so strange and otherworldly to people who believe that they have been fated to hate those different from themselves. The gospel declares of Jesus, “For He is our peace; in His flesh He has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us” (Eph 2:14). Grace is the promise that we can learn to love without divisions, without malice, without hate. And when it comes to you, you’ll stay in grace. -Bill Knott

Welcome to Episode 6 of unScripted — live real talk on what's happening in the Seventh-day Adventist Church right now. Shawn Boonstra and Justin Kim unpack the latest Adventist Review, Bible truths, and jaw-dropping mission stories. This episode covers: New March 2026 Adventist Review spotlight: Superstition cover story + Justin's editorial "etcetera" on Daniel 3—why the Bible's repetitive lists poetically shout God's total supremacy over every power and ritual. The One Voice global initiative: Coordinated revival and evangelism in 2026, studying Daniel chapter-by-chapter (March on Daniel 3). Fresh insights, reading tips, and why prophecy matters. Inspiring testimony: "From Iran to God's Ultimate Freedom"—Raha flees oppression in Iran, finds a loving God through providential SDA connections in Polish refugee centers. Exclusive PNG follow-up: After PNG for Christ’s massive baptisms (250,000+ reported), Shawn and Kyle went on-site. Hear Philip's transformation—from rebel/prisoner to baptizing 50 and leading a home for abused kids. Lay-led revival in action. No fluff, just honest encouragement on faith, prophecy, and God's leading. Your thoughts? Comment below—we read and respond! Suggest next topics? 🔔 Subscribe for weekly unfiltered SDA updates, testimonies, and Bible dives. 👍 Like if these stories fire up your mission spirit! 💬 Share your "God was working all along" story. #unScripted #SDAChurch #AdventistReview #Daniel3 #OneVoice #PNGBaptisms #PNGforChrist #MissionStories #IranToChrist #SeventhdayAdventist #BibleProphecy #Revival2026 #AdventistNews Timestamps (approx. ~32 min total runtime): 0:00 - Intro banter, jacket crest fun, new Adventist Review tease 2:30 - Why subscribe to AdventistReview.org + flagship global voice 4:45 - Justin's "etcetera" editorial: Daniel 3 lists & God's supremacy 9:30 - One Voice / Daniel study push + deeper Bible reading tips 14:00 - Daniel criticisms, prophecy accuracy, personal impact 18:15 - "From Iran to God's Ultimate Freedom" refugee testimony 24:00 - PNG baptisms exclusive: Philip's full story & lay-led impact 29:00 - Wrap-up: future mission push + amen! Subscribe at AdventistReview.org for the full March issue and global church pulse!

If you should meet a person happy with his life, or joyful in her story, you’ve likely met someone experiencing the deep security of living in the grace of God. He can look upon the rubble of his past with clarity but without shame—for he has found the liberating power of forgiveness. She can candidly assess the threats and stress the future may portend without the customary fear: her “life is hid with Christ in God” (Col 3:3). They do not take themselves too seriously, for they are quick to tell that all they have and all they are is given them in mercy. You watch them pour themselves into the broken, fear-filled lives of those around them, for grace never was for them alone. Their peace shines like a steady and unblinking light in all the aching darkness. Mark them well, for this is who you want to be—who you can be—by saying “Yes” to grace. “Since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us” (Rom 5:1). And when your life is also glad and free, you’ll stay in grace. -Bill Knott

Can the SDA Church ever be wrong? Was Hitler really a Christian? And was that "impression" from God... or just last night's pizza? 😅 In this raw, no-holds-barred episode of unScripted, Shawn Boonstra sits down with Adventist Review assistant editor Jonathan (the guy with the fancy logo code we all envy) for real talk straight from the heart of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. We dive into: Audrey Anderson's powerful GC article: "Could the Church Be Wrong?" – Yes, mistakes happen, but God still uses a broken people (home for sinners being mended). Shawn's deep-dive article: "Was Hitler a Christian?" – Unpacking the occult, theosophy roots (Ellen White warned about this!), pagan influences, and why it's not biblical Christianity that fueled the horror. Wes Peppers' "Pizza or Providence?" – Don't over-spiritualize everything! Discern real providence from bad digestion, gut feelings, or random crows flying over.  Plus: Jonathan shares his journey from Austria to the Review, the vital role of Adventist artists in mission (submit your work to art@adventistreview.org!), why the Review focuses on positive mission (not stone-throwing), and how slow change can be a blessing. Real questions. Honest answers. No scripts. Just unScripted truth for today's SDA world. 📖 Read the articles: Could the Church Be Wrong?  Was Hitler a Christian?  Pizza or Providence?  Subscribe to the Adventist Review print + digital:  Make AdventistReview.org your browser homepage for daily positive, mission-focused content! Follow us: Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X, TikTok, WhatsApp channels (multiple languages coming soon). Drop your thoughts below: Have you ever over-spiritualized something? What's one "small stuff" church battle you let go? 👇 #unScripted #SDAChurch #AdventistReview #SeventhdayAdventist #Discernment #ChurchMistakes #Mission Adventist Review – the official voice of the Seventh-day Adventist Church since 1849. Grounded in the Bible. Focused on mission.

It’s the critic’s counterclaim, the “faithful doubter’s” last redoubt: “Say less about the grace of God, and more of human duty.” Afraid that others may secure by gift what they haven’t won by long, intensive effort, persistent voices challenge those who speak and preach of grace.  “You make it all too easy,” they complain. “Where’s the struggle, pain, and sacrifice? Where are the nights of deep uncertainty when you despair of ever being right with God?”  There’s just one answer for such fears, and it originated in the mind of God: “God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God” (Eph 2:8).  Only the Word that comes from God can overcome the human pride that needs its efforts recognized. The apostle Paul, filled with the truth that rests in God, emphatically declared: “For we hold that a person is justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law” (Rom 3:28). Those who truly grasp God’s grace are never slow to live His love. The life of holiness begins when we receive what we can never earn.  So stay in grace. -Bill Knott

In this episode of unScripted from the Adventist Review, Shawn Boonstra sits down with associate editor Sikhu Daco to unpack the powerful February 2026 issue. They dive deep into: Emily Gibbs' raw testimony: diagnosed with a brain tumor while pregnant — "Not One Miracle" explores why God sometimes works beyond physical healing. Dr. John Shin (Loma Linda oncologist): "Dying to Live" — what if the SDA health message isn't primarily about living longer on earth? James & Ellen White's real marriage: poverty, arguments, ministry strain, wayward kids, and deep mutual respect. Whether you're wrestling with health challenges, supporting someone who is, questioning the health message, or navigating family/marriage pressures — this conversation brings honest hope grounded in Scripture and Adventist experience. Timestamps: 0:00 – Fun intro & guest intro 2:30 – Sikhu's journey from Zimbabwe to Adventist Review 8:00 – February issue overview & why get the physical magazine 12:00 – "Not One Miracle" – Emily Gibbs brain tumor story 18:00 – Shawn's personal health crisis testimony 25:00 – Dr. John Shin "Dying to Live" – health message purpose 35:00 – Stewardship, science discernment & compassion for the suffering 45:00 – James & Ellen White marriage: real struggles & respect 55:00 – Closing thoughts & call to subscribe Subscribe to Adventist Review for more real talk on faith, mission, and church life. Get your February issue → https://adventistreview.org (or search "Adventist Review subscribe") #SeventhdayAdventist #SDAHealthMessage #AdventistReview #Unscripted #EllenWhite #FaithAndHealing #ChristianMarriage #BrainTumorTestimony #LomaLinda #EndTimes

Grace seems to fail a million times an hour. In every place where mercy isn’t honored and accepted, grace appears an unwise use of heaven’s kindness and forgiveness.  Hard hearts chill with chosen hate. Clenched hands will not open to the gift. Death and dryness multiply.  But grace is never limited by how it is received. Like some deep-hidden spring whose source cannot be found, grace flows to sinners and to saints, without regard to worthiness. Some are only temporarily dampened by the flow, but remain defiantly unchanged. Others are made soft and pliable by the same unending grace—new clay from which the Lord will fashion recreated men and women.  So grace is neither a reward for good behavior nor a prompt to honor good intentions. Grace is the decision of our God—who cannot fail—to offer all of us what we have not deserved, have often not desired, and certainly could never earn. It flows from God’s unending heart of love.  “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’ And let everyone who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let everyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift” (Rev 22:17). Now stay in it. -Bill Knott

Join Shawn and Justin on Unscripted from the Adventist Review for honest talk about life in the SDA Church in 2026. From exploding interest in astrology (80% of young people believe it!) to how Daniel 2 battles false worldviews with real prophecy. Highlights with timestamps: 1:29 Astrology apps, NASA data + AI, and the spiritual vacuum it reveals   3:13 Postmodern search for meaning – prophecy answers what horoscopes can't 4:40 Ancient zodiac echoes in Israel's tribes? Connecting Daniel to today  6:50 Adventist Review origin: Ellen White's 1848 vision of streams of light going global – now digital!  9:38 No AI in our writing – authentic human voices only  10:38 Shane Anderson at Annual Council: humility, service, education networks, and sleeping leaders (travel is brutal!)  17:05 Prexad meeting insights & Erton Kohler's mission focus  19:48 Dr. Shin (Loma Linda oncologist) on anointing, miracles that fade, and health for service – not escape from death  26:03 Eternal life as quality now, not just quantity later  Visit AdventistReview.org or scan the QR for full articles. Share your story: Have you seen healing prayers answered – or not? Let's discuss below. Subscribe for weekly real talk on Adventism, prophecy, health, and church life. #SeventhdayAdventistChurch #UnscriptedAdventistReview #Daniel2Astrology #SDAHealthMessage #AnnualCouncil2025 #EllenWhiteVision #BibleAndAstrology #MedicalMinistry #AdventistFaith #JesusIsComing

Review Hosts Shawn Boonstra and Justin Kim dive into candid, unfiltered conversations about faith, ministry, and the global Seventh-day Adventist Church. In this episode: Justin Kim shares his journey from wanting to be a doctor to becoming Editor of the Adventist Review. Explore the January 2026 Adventist Review issue: "Have We Reached the World Yet?" – featuring a stunning global church growth map (1 Adventist per 341 people worldwide). Discussion on One Voice 27 – the 2027 initiative to proclaim the gospel worldwide, marking 2,000 years since Jesus' baptism. Justin's editorial on the "Three Natans" of Daniel chapter 1 (God gives victory, favor, and knowledge). Balance between faithfulness and numbers in evangelism – stories from Jesus' ministry to modern challenges. Powerful insights on reading Ellen White in context (avoiding misapplication). Plus, why art and visuals matter in sharing the gospel! Whether you're a longtime Adventist or exploring faith, this episode will inspire you to engage with the world church's mission. Subscribe for more episodes! Watch on Adventist Review TV: https://adventistreview.tv Read the full January issue: https://adventistreview.org Learn about One Voice 27: https://onevoice27.org #AdventistReview #Unscripted #SeventhDayAdventist #OneVoice27 #DanielAndRevelation #ChurchGrowth #EllenWhite #FaithJourney Timestamps: 00:00 Intro & Welcome 1:11 Justin Kim's Background & Journey 3:35 Global Adventism: Surprises & Similarities 5:40 The January Issue & Church Growth Map 7:13 Have We Reached the World Yet? 11:56 The Three Natans of Daniel 16:50 Numbers vs. Faithfulness in Evangelism 26:31 Reading Ellen White in Context 28:26 Wrap-up & QR Code Adventist Review Spanish Whatsapp—  https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vb34ag4CXC3FajyBo00x

How does God’s grace invade our daily conversations? Certainly not by retreating to our separate corners and hurling brickbats at each other.  Of all the “stuff” we absorb from our angry culture, the habits of accusing and deriding are undoubtedly the worst. But as grace finds a home in us, we grow more willing to admit that we might be mistaken.  Receiving grace requires we confess we are wrong, and always have been.  We’ve misunderstood the love of God, imagining Him as only angry, always disappointed. We’ve wandered into deeds that brought us shame and guilt.  We’ve argued for ideas that were vanquished at the cross.  “All we like sheep have gone astray” (Is 53:6). So grace prepares us for a new way of talking with each other, even when we disagree—especially when we disagree.  “You could be right”—"I might be wrong”: these are the tools of reconciliation and renewal.  Look carefully at grace before you look your opponent in the eye. There is no greater joy than laughing with a former enemy.  So stay in grace. -Bill Knott

And so you’ve got him “dead to rights,” as old books used to say. You’ve caught him in the lie, the theft, with poison pills he slipped into the office water cooler. There’s no way he can wriggle free from how he injured you and hurt your reputation. Now all your moral juices seethe because—for once—you have the power. This is the crucible where what we understand of grace is seen and fully known. If grace has found a home in us, it pries our fingers off the iron mace of moral superiority, of glorying in punishments we can exact. Grace places us just where our enemy now stands. He has done wrong—just as we do. He has told lies—as we have done. He has betrayed a confidence—and which of us has not? Grace always has a claim on justice, but chooses not to push that claim. The Bible says, “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). If God, whom we supremely injured, sees us with such rich love that He accepts the death of Christ in place of what we fully earned, grace can be learned—by us, in us, through us, for others. Grace lets us first unclench our fists so we may offer enemies our open hands. So stay in grace. -Bill Knott

Eyelids flutter, and we sense—more than we see—how differently light looks than when we fell exhausted into bed. Awareness jabs at everything—the too-hard pillow; the blanket thin against the chill; the shoulder sore from hours of unmoving. Awake—too soon; too late; too urgently. The undone stuff of yesterday grabs our first thoughts. Oh no! Not that! How much? How soon? And in those fitful moments, the impulse to be grateful for our lives so easily departs—chased out by hot adrenaline. Should we—could we—offer thanks for grumpy children shepherded to school; for spouses facing drama at the office; for traffic ribbons of red taillights? Yet waking up is still a grace, and drawing breath is still a gift. Everything we count as sameness and routine is proof that life still offers possibilities; that things don’t stay just as they were; that hope—and hopeful people—still endure. Grace saves more than souls and minds—the planned, deliberate parts of us. Grace floods our zone with oxygen; with joys too small to write them down; with love as wordless as an infant’s fingers curled about our own. And gratitude—perhaps a prayer we’ve memorized; an easy sigh of heavenward contentment—gratitude equips us for the journey of these hours, this life, and on to life eternal. “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10), Jesus says to all who put their mornings in His care. Awake to life and love and grace. And stay in it. -Bill Knott

Below our deepest hurt and darkest shame, there is the grace of God—forgiving us, rebuilding us, repairing all that’s broken. Above our highest joy and most euphoric moments, there is the sheer delight of God—applauding us, encouraging, enlarging celebration. Through every stage of every journey—in trust, in fear; in faith, in doubt; in youth, in gray maturity—we’re never left alone or told to make it on our own.  Despite appearances, the road is never empty. Around us each are Jesus’ everlasting arms—sustaining us, protecting us, embracing us. His hands are ever on us. “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things” (Rom 11:36). “Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? . . . No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Rom 8:39). We are befriended by the One who rules all time and space.  Receive the gift.  And stay in grace. -Bill Knott

One hundred years ago, the world knew all about ticker-tape parades. Returning war heroes, major politicians, and sometimes even aviators and athletes would be honored by a slow-motion ride in an open-topped limousine through the canyons of New York City’s financial district, showered by literally millions of paper fragments from stock ticker machines. It was the ultimate symbol of popular success.  No wonder so many dreamed of that day when they would ride in the convertible, waving slowly to the thousands lining the way. But when it comes to how our lives find meaning and renewal, we aren’t the hero in this parade. Though our egos, our music, and so much of our “faith talk” put us in the spotlight, reveling in the shower of ticker-tape, this celebration isn’t about us. This parade is for Jesus, “the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting Him, He endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now He is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne” (Heb 12:2). Grace isn’t just about making us feel special, celebrated or affirmed: those are fortunate results, not purposes. Grace truly understood is the grateful cheer going up from millions of rescued hearts to the One who made it happen through His sacrifice and love.  There’s just one hero in this story. And it’s not me—or you. Now stay in grace. -Bill Knott

We celebrate achievement in every arena of our daily lives, and rightly so. Parents rejoiced when we first slept through the night; the first time we rolled over in the crib; when we finally tolerated the puréed squash; when we took our first tottering steps. We were congratulated for learning our numbers; mastering the alphabet; riding a bicycle; reading a sentence. People cheered when we scored the soccer goal; sank the jump shot; hit the home run. Accolades flowed if we exceeded our peers in history, algebra, languages, or physics. Employers nodded appreciatively at résumés crammed with academic and professional excellence. That’s why we find ourselves so unprepared for the unexpected gift of grace, for which we didn’t work, and which we never earned. t takes us days, months—often years—to quiet our over-trained and striving souls long enough to receive what God says only He can provide. “God saved you by His grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece” (Eph 2:8-19). Grace is the story of what Jesus has achieved for us. Accept His gift, and He will take you further than you’ve ever dreamed. So stay in grace. -Bill Knott

A famous journalist once wrote, “The true secret of editing is to know what to place in the wastebasket.” That’s good counsel for those who seek to live in grace during 2026 as well. The secret of successful living is knowing what to throw away, what to forget, what to discard. In the desk of life from 2025 there are likely many things you’d do better to be without. Throw away the slights and the insults you received in the old year. Hanging on to them this long has already caused you to be something less than the kind and gracious person you’ve wanted to be. Throw away the grudges you’ve nourished during the last 12 months. Though they’ve probably provided you with many moments of bitter satisfaction, they haven’t deepened your faith or your kindness even a little. In 2026, collect coins if you wish; collect stamps; collect postcards; collect tropical fish. But don’t collect grudges. They are part of what lies behind that ought to be forgotten. And finally, throw away your sins when you’ve repented of them, for Jesus promises to do the same: “I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more” (Heb 8:12). “As far as the east is from the west, so far He removes our transgressions from us” (Psa 103:12). Grace lets us lean into the future with joy and expectation. So stay in it. -Bill Knott

So here’s the greatest cause for Christmas joy—not that you deck your house with hundreds of lights or fill your home with dozens of gifts—but that the Lord of heaven and earth entered into the commonness of our lives to be our Saviour from sin and self-absorption. He’s the reason why at every Christmas a song rises from millions of redeemed men and women to mingle with the anthem of those long-ago angels—a hymn of gratitude and grace. We discover that life can be something better than a mean little existence between the cradle and the grave. We learn that our day-to-day experience can be full of joy and possibilities, of hope and healing. The glow that began in the midnight fields near Bethlehem has become a radiance none can extinguish: “In Him was life, and the life was the light of all people” (John 1:4). The gift given us in Jesus is why we search each Christmas for the words of that angel hymn: “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will toward all.” Gratitude is just another way of saying “Thanks” for grace. So stay in grace. -Bill Knott

Had He arrived with fanfare from some royal balcony, with heralds officiously announcing His nativity to thousands massed to hear the news, He might have changed the politics of one small corner of the world for 40, even 50, years. Had He been born in some rich villa spilling down the hillside to the sparkling Aegean, we might find passing mention of His name in annals of the empire. Had He been birthed and raised among the scholars and the gifted, all that He said and all He taught might yield a footnote in the history of earth’s wisdom. But heaven was both gracious and strategic. When God gave us His unique and irreplaceable Son, He gave Him to the ones without the power, wealth, or learning. From that first night, the hiddenness of grace that brought Him to the poor, the common, the forgotten has made the story of His birth the fulcrum of all history. He is the truly unforgettable Man. This Child born to us is fully ours, however we are ranked by those who seem to rule the world. In Jesus, grace became embodied, changing lives, forgiving sins, renewing hope for all who trust the gift He is. Be strong in grace; be rich in grace; be wise in grace this Christmas. And stay in it. -Bill Knott