Adventist Review Podcasts

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!