Dec. 23 - The "Why" Of Success

[The kingdom of God] is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; but when it is sown, it grows up and... shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade. Mark 4:31, 32, NKJV.

One factor that makes a movement successful is that it makes sense to both those inside and outside of its borders. Here is a point at which some millennial groups have a problem. After all, apocalyptic movements tend to attract two personality types. On the one hand we find the rationalism that unpacks the biblical prophecies and develops the apocalyptic scheme of events. On the other congregate the emotional types that gravitate toward the excitement of the apocalyptic expectancy and often dive into fanatical, irrational extremism.

A movement disintegrates whenever the rational forces are not strong enough to stem the forces of irrationalism and emotionalism. It was in that area that the spiritualizer  wing of Adventism came to nothing. To put it bluntly, once the fanatics and "nuts" get in charge, the movement spins out of control and loses direction.

One of the strengths of Millerism was its rational development of its central doctrine. That element drew believers to its cause through its very logic. Millerism at its best, however, also made room for religious emotionalism, but that emotionalism ideally took place within the bounds of a rational approach to life. The combination gave both vitality and stability to the movement and heightened its appeal.

Seventh-day Adventism has partaken of the same balance, although at times it appears to wander too far toward the purely rational pole. Both Millerism and Seventh-day Adventism, of course, have had their excitable and fanatical elements, but the stability of their success can largely be attributed to their ability to appeal to the rational element in people. Thus they have aimed at converting people to the "truth."

And I have to admit that as an adult convert from a reasoned agnosticism to Seventhday Adventism, one thing that appealed massively to me in the Adventist message was that it made sense in a mixed-up world. As a 19-year-old I found the logic and coherence of the denomination's major teachings to be compelling. They not only made sense, but they held together as a package--a package of hope in a God of love who will bring about the end of the mess of sin in a manner that is in harmony with His character.