On the last Sabbath of every quarter, Adventist churches participate in the 13th Sabbath offering—a special offering that goes to mission fields around the world.
While the previous 12 Sabbaths of the quarter feature an established Adventist ministry and its current giving needs, the 13th is a rotating spot reserved for current mission projects.
This quarterly offering helps the Adventist Church fulfill their goal of serving people in mission fields across the globe.
Want to better understand how this special offering opportunity works?
We’ll explore:
- How tithes and offerings are collected and distributed
- The purpose and history of the 13th Sabbath offering
- How 13th Sabbath offerings have impacted the mission field
Let’s first do a quick review of how the Adventist church makes use of tithes and offerings.
How tithes and offerings are collected and distributed
Photo from Pikwizard
“Tithe” refers to the 10% portion of our income that is returned to God out of gratitude for providing for us, day in and day out (Genesis 14:20, Leviticus 27:30, Malachi 3:10). We do this by paying that 10% to our worldwide church, so it can be distributed throughout and keep its churches and ministries running.
“Offering” refers to free-will donations that are separate from our tithe.
While worldwide church leadership has prayerfully determined where tithe money should go, we decide where our offerings go, since we’re choosing to give more than our tithe as we’re convicted and inspired.
There’s always an option to send our offerings directly to the ministry we want to help. But for those that have chosen to habitually give a little more each Sabbath or every so often, the Adventist Church’s offering calendar helps church members stay apprised of the active ministries in the church and what their current needs are.
A different ministry is featured each Sabbath, and those inspired to give are provided a chance to make a donation through the church when they pass around the offering plate.
The giving process is the same on a 13th Sabbath. What’s different involves how the featured ministry is chosen.
The purpose and history of the 13th Sabbath offering
The purpose of the 13th Sabbath offering is to give Adventist churches the opportunity to focus their attention and offerings on world missions.
Because of their great interest for mission work, many churches put special effort into 13th Sabbath offering calls.
Some churches let children do a special skit or tell a story related to the current mission project.
Some churches show video footage of what’s happening in underserved areas of various countries around the world.
Others might invite someone involved with the mission project to give a short testimony or share recent developments and challenges.
This special mission emphasis began in 1909, when the Adventist Church was deciding the best use for Sabbath school offering funds. They were also discussing how to keep church members better informed of all the mission work happening around the world—specifically what kinds of challenges they faced and the type of help they needed.
As this discussion progressed, an idea began forming. What if there was a designated week each quarter to tell everyone what’s happening in the mission field? And what if that could also provide an opportunity to express specific fundraising needs?
So in 1912, the first recorded 13th Sabbath offering was called for. The funds collected greatly helped the development of the River Plate Academy and School of Theology in Argentina (now River Plate Adventist University).
Ever since, this initiative has helped fund important mission projects around the world. Adventist congregations from every country pool their funds through the General Conference (or World Headquarters) of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Then, 25% of those funds go directly to the featured mission project, and the remaining 75% goes toward all other active mission projects.
Many of these projects involve constructing a building, like a church, school, or medical clinic in an underserved area. Other projects might be digging wells, teaching classes on water purification, or providing a series of Bible classes for kids while also teaching them to read.
Since these are goodwill projects that aren’t directly funded through church operations covered by tithe, they rely on donations. And the 13th Sabbath opportunities give them a way to let the rest of the church know what they’re doing, while also expressing the challenges they’re up against and how donated funds would be put to use.
How have 13th Sabbath offerings impacted the mission field?
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
Thirteenth Sabbath offerings have helped the Adventist Church establish schools, churches, hospitals, clinics, and other ministries across the world, funding mission fields in each Division of the Adventist World Church. These funds provide much-needed support for areas of the world facing disasters, hardships, or unique location-related challenges.
Looking back at the school in Argentina that received the first-ever 13th Sabbath offering, today the campus has grown to include an elementary school, high school, and university, with 3,500 total students enrolled.1
A much more recent offering, in 2013, built two clinics in the wilds of Papua New Guinea.2 The South Pacific division selected the Bahula village in Morobe Province and the Arufi village in Western Province because no other basic medical facilities existed nearby. So you can imagine how great of an impact those clinics have made in those communities!
Without these opportunities for mission projects to be featured, many important initiatives would fall through the cracks.
There are thousands of people that want to give toward much-needed mission services around the world. But it can be an overwhelming search to try to find out all the active mission information on your own.
That’s why a regularly featured offering opportunity like this is so vital. It connects these generous donors with the very type of projects they’re inspired to give toward.
If you’d like to know which mission projects are featured for 13th Sabbath offerings this year,
Find a Church
If you’re interested in finding a local Adventist church near you, you can use the Adventist Locator provided by the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.
Related Articles
More Answers
Moviegoers’ Guide to The Hopeful: The Facts Behind the Film
Learn where and when you can watch The Hopeful and how to get tickets. Already seen it? We’ll uncover the real story that inspired this film.
How Are Seventh-day Adventists Different from Other Protestants?
As a Protestant Christian denomination, the Seventh-day Adventist Church regards the Bible as the ultimate guide and looks to Jesus Christ as the only way to salvation. We do have some differences of belief or interpretation when it comes to topics like Bible prophecy, end-time events, the Sabbath, and a person’s state after death.
How Adventists Handle Death and Funerals
Most Seventh-day Adventist funeral services are similar to those of other Protestant denominations, such as Methodists, Baptists, or Presbyterians, but you might find a few differences or unique nuances.
Do Seventh-day Adventists Believe Only They Will Go to Heaven?
No, Adventists definitely don’t believe they’re the only ones that will go to heaven. As a matter of fact, we don’t believe admittance into heaven is ever based on which church or denomination we belong to. People all over the world from different Christian denominations, religions, and walks of life will be welcomed by Jesus.
What Is Children’s Sabbath School in the Adventist Church?
Children’s Sabbath School is a Bible program offered every Sabbath at Adventist churches for children from birth to age 18. These classes give children the chance to learn Bible stories, make new friends, and participate in fun activities.
Do Adventists Observe Easter-Related Holidays?
Jesus Christ’s resurrection, celebrated on many Easter-related holidays, is central to the beliefs of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. And that means we seek every opportunity to remember it.
An Overview of Seventh-day Adventist Higher Education
The Seventh-day Adventist Church has about 118 tertiary schools around the world. Though many of them are within North America, you’ll also find Adventist universities in countries across the world—places like Croatia, Austria, Brazil, Madagascar, and the Philippines.
The Ten Commandments from a Seventh-day Adventist Perspective
Ever eaten a salad and gotten a big piece of green stuck in your teeth? And you didn’t realize it was there until you looked in the mirror? (Because no one ever told you!)
The Benefits of A Seventh-day Adventist Academy
Adventist academies are high schools (grades 9-12) that are owned and operated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Are Seventh-day Adventists Christians?
Yes, the Seventh-day Adventist Church is a Protestant Christian denomination formed in 1863. Just like other Christians, we believe that Jesus Christ is our Savior and seek to follow the principles of the Word of God.
Adventist Movies: Where Faith and Film Meet
The Seventh-day Adventist Church’s mission from the beginning has been to share God’s truth in the Bible. And as times have changed, we’ve explored new ways of doing this—one of those being movies.
Do Adventists Celebrate Christmas?
In general, most Seventh-day Adventists do celebrate Christmas.
Since our denomination doesn’t have specific guidelines about holidays, it’s up to each member to decide whether to celebrate it based on their personal convictions and study of the Bible.
What Does the Bible Say About Modesty
Seventh-day Adventists and Christians in general try to ensure their outward presentation and lifestyle glorify God. This often involves daily habits like the ways we hold conversations, the ways we dress and accessorize, and the ways we regard other people when we’re out and about.
How Do Adventists Make Movie and Music Choices?
We have entertainment at our fingertips. With just a tap on our smartphones, we can access all the latest movies, music, YouTube videos, and more.
Does the Seventh-day Adventist Church Believe in Paying Tithe?
Seventh-day Adventists believe in paying tithe and offerings based on the biblical command and our commitment to being wise stewards of God’s resources. These donations help fund the mission of the Adventist Church by supporting pastors, missionaries, church expenses, and evangelistic projects, among other things.
Seventh-day Adventist World Population and Demographics
Did you know that the Seventh-day Adventist Church has more churches around the world than all the Pizza Hut, McDonald’s, and Subway restaurants combined.
What Is a Seventh-day Adventist Camp Meeting?
Although camp meetings didn’t begin with the Seventh-day Adventist Church, they’re as much an Adventist thing as haystacks.
Camp meeting is an extended event for Adventists (and non-Adventists) of all ages to gather and participate in spiritual seminars and activities. During the event, attendees often camp in tents, campers, or RVs.
How to Join the Seventh-day Adventist Church
Whether you heard about the Seventh-day Adventist Church through a traveling evangelist, during your online searches, or through a loved one or relative, you might be considering joining yourself.
How Do Adventists Do Baby Dedications?
For Christians, dedication ceremonies for babies, also for older children, are an important time for parents and the church. It’s a special part of the worship service when parents present their young children to God and the church family. Both parents, along with the congregation, regard this as a solemn promise to be a Christ-like example to the child.
Do Adventists Celebrate Communion and Foot Washing?
Like many Christian denominations, Adventists regularly participate in communion, also referred to as the “Lord’s Supper” or the “Last Supper.” They also practice foot washing (John 13:1-20), or the “ordinance of humility,” during the service—which isn’t as common.
What is the Concept of “Present Truth” and Why is it Important?
Present truth is the principle that certain biblical truths are relevant to God’s people at specific times in history. God sends the Holy Spirit to reveal truths that help us better understand how to interpret and apply His Word in a present moment.
Do Seventh-day Adventists Celebrate Easter
Yes, many Seventh-day Adventists do celebrate Easter.
Does the Adventist Church Have Youth Ministry Programs?
The Seventh-day Adventist Church has been organizing and operating youth ministry programs since 1879.
In our opinion, youth ministry is one of the most important ministries a church can have.
Do Adventists Celebrate Birthdays?
Yes, most Seventh-day Adventists do celebrate birthdays because we see them as excellent reminders of the life God has blessed us with. And we celebrate them the same way everyone else does—with friends, family, presents, and a special meal.
Sola Scriptura—What It Means and Why It Matters
Sola scriptura is a term that originated during the Protestant Reformation. It represents the way many Christians view the Bible and its authority. While the idea is simple enough, there is so much more to sola scriptura than its basic definition.
What Do Adventists Offer for Young Adults?
In recent years, the age group often classified as “young adults” has been trickier to engage. It’s been a significant concern for Christian churches around the world. Though interestingly enough, similar observations regarding young adults have been coming up in conversations about the economy, the entertainment industry, politics, and more.
Do I Need to be an Adventist to be Saved?
The answer to this question is simply, “no.”
When it comes to salvation in Jesus Christ, all that is required of a person is to acknowledge Jesus’ sacrifice for us, believe that He has saved us, and claim the free gift of salvation that is always available to us. Salvation is not based on denomination.
Do You Have to Be Vegetarian to Be Adventist?
Of course not. Membership in the Seventh-day Adventist Church has never included any dietary requirements. However, there might be some reasons people might think that. So many Adventists are vegetarians or even vegan, and a plant-based lifestyle has many health benefits.
All About Seventh-day Adventist Colporteurs
The Seventh-day Adventist Church uses a variety of methods to spread the hope of the gospel to the world. One of these ways is through colporteuring, also called “canvassing” or “literature evangelism.”
Didn’t find your answer? Ask us!
We understand your concern of having questions but not knowing who to ask—we’ve felt it ourselves. When you’re ready to learn more about Adventists, send us a question! We know a thing or two about Adventists.