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 its 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
“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
In 2013, the offerings helped build: 2
- A classroom block for Baraton Elementary in Kenya and Lukanga
- Adventist University in Congo
- Housing for teachers and married students at the University of Eastern Africa in Kenya
- A lay training center and two children’s worship centers in Kinshasa, Congo
- The Mwanza Adventist Hospital in Tanzania
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,
Related Articles
More Answers
Do Adventists Celebrate Christmas?
In many parts of the world, Seventh-day Adventists celebrate Christmas as a way to remember the birth of Christ. In certain parts of Africa, though, Christmas is much more low-key for Adventists, having less to do with religion and more to do with family time.
What Is ASI (Adventist-Laymen’s Services and Industries)?
ASI, which stands for Adventist-laymen’s Services and Industries, is a membership-based organization that provides support for Seventh-day Adventist laypeople (Adventist professionals who aren’t pastors).
Sola Scriptura—What Does It Mean, and Why Is It So Important?
Sola scriptura is a term that originated during the Protestant Reformation. It represents the way many Christians view the Bible and its authority.
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.
What Does the Bible Say About Modesty
The Bible teaches that modesty, a form of humility and respect, is a valuable quality in everyone—men, women and children. It has to do with how we present ourselves, which should exemplify our inner relationship with 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.
Everything You Need to Know About an Adventist Church Potluck
Every so often, usually on a schedule ranging from once a week to once a month to once a quarter, an Adventist church will have “fellowship dinners,” often casually referred to as potlucks.
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 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.
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.
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.
Do Seventh-day Adventists Believe in the Secret Rapture
The secret rapture belief asserts that the followers of Jesus will be suddenly and stealthily “raptured” from earth and taken to heaven. Then, any people left on earth will face a period of great difficulty—before Christ’s second coming actually happens.
The Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal
The Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal is a songbook used worldwide by many Adventist congregations during their worship services. Since its publication in 1985, it has helped foster praise to God while reminding church members of our mission and drawing them closer to Jesus.
Do Adventists Have Their Own Bible?
Adventists have some unique beliefs—you might be able to name some of them right now. The seventh-day Sabbath. Death as a sleep. Hell as nonexistence.
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.
How do Adventists choose what to eat?
Every day, parents go through the ritual of getting their kids to eat what is healthy and good while trying to steer them away from what can hinder the growth of their developing bodies. Nutritionists work with their clients to make better food choices.
What Are Seventh-Day Adventist Sermons Like?
In nearly every Seventh-day Adventist Church, the sermon is the focal point of the main service—similar to many Protestant Christian denominations. It is a time of biblical instruction by the pastor, who shares what they’ve been studying in the Bible and preparing over the previous week.
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.