Back in the 1990s when the so-called “celebration” movement was in vogue in certain segments of Adventism, one pastor from California who was then nearly 90 years old—still pastoring, no less—wrote a letter to the Review explaining that lowering standards and focusing on entertainment was not needed at all as a means of attracting young people to church. He spoke of how his own church did nothing but preach distinctive Adventism, and he said, “We have more young people in this congregation than we know what to do with.”

Anyone who wants to see proof of this should pay a visit to GYC. For at least 20 years now, that movement has maintained large numbers of yearly youthful attendees simply by presenting Bible/Spirit of Prophecy truth, maintaining its staying power as God would have it—and flourishing as a result.