Entropy: A 5-Day Devotional Guide
Based on the Sermon by Dr. Vine
Day 1: Understanding Entropy in the Church
Opening Reflection
“Entropy is the principle that every closed system eventually winds down, and unless you have fresh infusions of energy, what you have will dissipate over time.”
When we think about the second law of thermodynamics, we understand that without fresh energy, everything tends toward disorder and decline. The same principle applies to spiritual movements and organizations. Dr. Vine reminds us that “all human movements throughout history experience what we call entropy” – a gradual cooling of passion, a shift from warmth to cold institutionalism, and a movement from servant leadership to authoritarian control.
In our spiritual lives and in our church, we face this same challenge. The early church burned with passion for the gospel, but Jesus warned that many would “lose their first love” (Revelation 2:4). The Adventist movement began with a powerful vision of prophetic truth, yet we now find ourselves struggling with institutional entropy that threatens to cool our spiritual fervor.
Scripture Reading
Revelation 2:4-5 (NKJV)
“Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.”
Jude 1:3 (NKJV)
“Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.”
Devotional Thought
The law of entropy tells us that everything naturally winds down without fresh energy. Our spiritual lives require daily infusions of the Holy Spirit. Our church institutions require constant reformation to prevent them from becoming cold and controlling.
Dr. Vine identified several dimensions of entropy in our church:
-
The changing relationship between members and pastors
-
The growing distance between members and conferences
-
The disconnect between members and the General Conference
-
The ideological drift among administrators
As faithful Adventists, we must recognize that entropy is not inevitable destruction – it is a call to renewal. When we see our institutions cooling, we are called to be the fresh infusion of the Holy Spirit’s energy.
Questions for Reflection
-
In what areas of your spiritual life have you experienced “entropy” – a cooling of your first love?
-
Have you observed institutional entropy in your local church or conference? How has it affected you?
-
What “fresh energy” can you invite into your spiritual walk today?
Prayer Focus
“Heavenly Father, we thank You that You are the source of all fresh energy and life. Forgive us for the times we have allowed our spiritual passion to cool. Breathe new life into Your church and into my heart today. Help me to be a source of renewal rather than contributing to spiritual entropy. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Today’s Challenge
Identify one area where your spiritual life has cooled and take one specific action today to reignite that passion. Perhaps it’s resuming daily Bible study, reconnecting with a prayer partner, or serving in a ministry you’ve neglected.
Day 2: Pastors and Shepherds – Who is Your Loyalty To?
Opening Reflection
“Something happened during our pandemic here in North America… We came to realize that our pastors were not actually shepherds who we can trust in times of crisis but conference employees whose primary loyalty was to the conference not to the flock.”
The image of the shepherd is one of the most powerful metaphors in Scripture. Jesus called Himself the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep. David wrote, “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.” The shepherd-leader in God’s church is called to defend, guide, and protect the flock – even at great personal cost.
Dr. Vine shared the powerful example of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who returned to Nazi Germany from the safety of America because he understood that “sheep need a shepherd” and “shepherds stick with their flock in hard times, not just in good times.” The pandemic revealed a painful reality in our church: many pastors chose institutional loyalty over shepherding their flock.
Scripture Reading
John 10:11-14 (NKJV)
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.”
1 Peter 5:2-4 (NKJV)
“Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.”
Devotional Thought
The pandemic exposed a fracture in the relationship between pastors and members. Many pastors – perhaps out of fear, confusion, or institutional pressure – failed to stand with their members during the crisis of conscience. When members needed letters of support for religious exemptions, some found more support from Catholic priests than from their own Adventist pastors.
This is not about condemning all pastors – many stood bravely for their flock. But the systemic issue remains: when pastors become primarily conference employees rather than shepherds of souls, the church suffers. The mark of the beast crisis will only intensify this tension. When buying and selling is restricted, the paid pastoral system may fail entirely, and congregations will need to be led by volunteer elders who answer only to God.
Every spiritual leader must ask: “Do I answer to God or to the conference? Do I seek the approval of men or the approval of God?”
Questions for Reflection
-
How can you support and encourage your pastor to be a faithful shepherd rather than a hireling?
-
If you are a church leader, are there ways you have prioritized institutional loyalty over loving service to the flock?
-
What does it mean for you personally to be a “shepherd” to those around you?
Prayer Focus
“Lord Jesus, You are the Good Shepherd who laid down Your life for the sheep. Raise up shepherds in Your church who will faithfully care for Your flock, defend them against wolves, and lead them to green pastures. Forgive us for the times we have been hirelings rather than true shepherds. Help every pastor, elder, and leader to answer first to You and to faithfully care for those entrusted to them. Amen.”
Today’s Challenge
Reach out to your pastor or a church leader today with a word of encouragement. Pray specifically for their courage and faithfulness. If you have been hurt by leadership failures, choose to extend grace while still praying for reformation.
Day 3: The Storehouse and the Tithe – A Biblical Reexamination
Opening Reflection
“Tithe belongs to the Lord. It does not belong to administrators or to any conference. No conference has a divine right to tithe.”
Few topics in the Adventist Church generate as much passion and controversy as the question of tithing. Dr. Vine courageously addressed this sensitive subject, challenging us to think biblically about where and how we return our tithes. His message was not to advocate for withholding tithe but to call for faithful stewardship that honors God.
The tithe is holy – it belongs to the Lord. As we’ve seen institutional entropy corrupting our church structures, we must prayerfully consider whether our tithe is being used to support faithful gospel work or to fund apostasy. Sister White warned: “There are fearful woes for those who preach the truth but are not sanctified by it. And also for those who consent to receive and maintain the unsanctified to minister to them in word and doctrine.”
Scripture Reading
Malachi 3:8-10 (NKJV)
“Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, for you have robbed Me, even this whole nation. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it.'”
Leviticus 27:30 (NKJV)
“And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s. It is holy to the Lord.”
Devotional Thought
The biblical tithe was always agricultural produce – not money. There is not a single instance in Scripture of tithe being paid as currency. When tithe was converted to money, it was specifically to purchase food to eat at the tabernacle.
Dr. Vine shared a provocative challenge: if we want to return a biblical tithe, we could order rice, beans, and olive oil and donate them to the conference as an in-kind contribution. This is still tax-deductible and actually inflation-proofs the tithe. But the deeper point is this: we have theological freedom to direct our tithe to faithful gospel workers.
The NAD Treasurer himself admitted in Adventist Journey (December 2023) that “the Adventist Church defines the storehouse within its own structure as the local conference. That definition is not a theological requirement… It is a polity decision.” This means there is no biblical mandate requiring tithe to flow exclusively through the conference system.
Sister White herself practiced “tithe appropriation” – directing tithe directly to gospel workers without going through the conference treasury, and she declared this did not rob the Lord’s treasury. She also counseled that we should prayerfully consider to whom we return our tithe, not blindly support institutions that maintain unsanctified workers.
Questions for Reflection
-
Do you understand the difference between tithe withholding (not returning any tithe) and tithe appropriation (directing tithe to faithful gospel workers)?
-
How does the biblical pattern of tithing challenge your current practice?
-
Are you comfortable with how your conference uses your tithe? Have you prayerfully considered where your tithe should go?
Prayer Focus
“Lord, the tithe is Yours, and I want to be a faithful steward of all You have given me. Help me to return my tithe in a way that truly honors You and supports faithful gospel work. Give me wisdom to know where You would have me direct my offerings. Protect me from supporting that which You have condemned. May my giving always advance Your kingdom and bring glory to Your name. Amen.”
Today’s Challenge
Research the Standish book “Tithes and Offerings: Trampling the Conscience” available at standishlib.org. Pray about whether the Holy Spirit is leading you to make changes in how you return your tithe. If you feel convicted, take one concrete step toward aligning your giving with biblical principles.
Day 4: Standing Against the Tide of Apostasy
Opening Reflection
“We are a house divided in North American division. We have two worldviews in our division. We have the Bible faithful Adventists. We have the progressive Adventists. And they are mutually incompatible.”
Dr. Vine presented troubling evidence of progressive ideology infiltrating our institutions. From LGBTQ+ advocacy at Loma Linda and La Sierra to theistic evolution in the Pacific Union Recorder, from social justice Marxism to the celebration of Pride Month at Adventist Health, the church is experiencing an ideological crisis.
This is not about political disagreements – it is about fundamental loyalty to the Word of God. When Ellen White wrote that “of those who boast of their light and yet failed to walk in it… Seventh-day Adventists, who have had great light, which are exalted into heaven in point of privilege, shall be brought down to hell” – she was warning us that God will judge those who celebrate what He calls abomination.
Scripture Reading
Romans 1:26-27 (NKJV)
“For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.”
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 (NKJV)
“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.”
Ephesians 5:11 (NKJV)
“And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.”
Devotional Thought
The progressive worldview that has infiltrated our institutions is not merely a different interpretation of Scripture – it is antithetical to biblical Christianity. Critical race theory, which divides the world into oppressors and oppressed and casts all white people as intrinsically evil, is a demonic ideology that leads to hatred and division. Theistic evolution denies the need for a Savior by introducing death before sin. LGBTQ+ affirmation celebrates what God calls abomination.
This is happening in institutions funded by our tithes, on boards where our General Conference leaders serve. When a conference president publicly implies that murder is divine judgment, when universities host “Lavender Graduations” celebrating LGBTQ+ resilience and resistance, when denominational magazines promote Marxist social justice activism – we must speak the truth.
Pastor Ted Wilson, former GC president, courageously declared at Annual Council: “If you as a leader cannot accept the word of God as it reads, I urge you to resign your position.” This should be the standard for all who lead in God’s church.
Questions for Reflection
-
Are you aware of progressive ideology affecting your local church or conference institutions?
-
How can you lovingly but firmly stand for biblical truth when it is under attack?
-
What would it cost you to speak up against apostasy in your church?
Prayer Focus
“Father, Your Word is truth. I pray for the leaders and educators in our Adventist institutions who are leading people astray. Open their eyes to the truth of Your Word. Raise up courageous voices who will contend for the faith once delivered. Protect our young people from being deceived by ideologies that lead away from You. Bring reformation and revival to Your church. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Today’s Challenge
Educate yourself about the issues facing our church. Read the Spirit of Prophecy warnings about apostasy and the final crisis. Consider how you can be a faithful witness in your local church, speaking truth in love while maintaining a spirit of humility and grace.
Day 5: The Call to Reformation – What Can We Do?
Opening Reflection
“I want to say today, be of good courage. You may think you’re on your own, but God has his 7,000 who’ve not yet bowed the knee to Baal. We are not fighting against our church because we are the church. We are contending for the pure faith that’s been passed on to us.”
The challenges facing our church are real and serious. But despair is not the response of faith. God has always had His remnant, His faithful ones who refused to compromise. Today, we are called to be that remnant – not through anger or rebellion, but through faithful witness and prayerful action.
Dr. Vine concluded with a call to action that was both challenging and hopeful. He identified four conditions that must be met for the church to experience healing:
-
Dissolve our relationship with the United Nations and its statements
-
Apologize for the reaffirmation statement that hurt so many
-
Uphold what we believe in all our institutions
-
Stop the cancellation culture against Bible faithful preachers
Scripture Reading
Revelation 3:14-19 (NKJV)
“And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, “I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing”—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.'”
Ephesians 6:13 (NKJV)
“Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”
Devotional Thought
The Laodicean message is both a warning and a promise. The church is lukewarm, self-satisfied, and spiritually impoverished. But Jesus still loves His church – He rebukes and chastens those He loves. The call is to “be zealous and repent.”
What can we do as members?
First, we can pray earnestly. Prayer is not passive resignation – it is active warfare. We must intercede for our leaders, our institutions, and our fellow members.
Second, we can speak the truth in love. We need not be angry or divisive, but we must be faithful witnesses. The truth is a prerequisite for healing.
Third, we can be faithful in our stewardship. Return your tithe to faithful gospel workers. Support independent ministries that uphold truth. Use your resources to advance the kingdom of God.
Fourth, we can stand together. “Be of good courage,” Dr. Vine urged. “You may think you’re on your own, but God has His 7,000 who’ve not yet bowed the knee to Baal.” We are not alone.
Dr. Vine reminded us that “one day there aren’t going to be any denominational walls… It’s only a question of how you get outside the walls.” Whether we are inside the structure today or outside, what matters most is whether we are within the faith.
Questions for Reflection
-
What specific action is the Holy Spirit calling you to take in response to this devotional?
-
How can you be a voice of truth without becoming a voice of division?
-
Are you willing to stand firm even if it costs you comfort, reputation, or relationships?
Prayer Focus
“Heavenly Father, I pray for reformation and revival in Your church. Grant wisdom to our leaders, courage to our members, and a great outpouring of Your Spirit. Help me to be faithful in whatever You call me to do. Give me the courage to stand for truth, the love to speak with grace, and the faith to trust You with the results. I pray that Your church might be purified, unified in truth, and ready for the coming of Jesus. In His precious name, Amen.”
Today’s Challenge
Take one concrete action today:
-
Write a letter of encouragement to a faithful church leader
-
Contact a Bible faithful ministry to offer your support
-
Begin prayerfully studying how you can direct your tithe to faithful gospel work
-
Share this devotional with someone who needs encouragement
-
Commit to regular prayer for the healing and reformation of God’s church
Closing Benediction
“The time has come for you and I to stand together, to stand up, and to stand tall for God. And if our cause is just, who can be against us?… My prayer, my yearning, my desire is that we can have reconciliation not around the writings of Marx but at the foot of the cross, and that we will once again uphold and share with the world the pure love of the everlasting gospel.”
May God bless you as you contend earnestly for the faith, love your fellow believers, and prepare for the soon coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Additional Resources
-
Standish Library: standishlib.org (Tithes and Offerings: Trampling the Conscience)
-
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship
-
Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy
-
Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, Volume 5
“Be of good courage. If the cause is just and God before us, then who can be against us?”