Why Many Adventists Want to Live in the Country

Living in rural areas is something Adventists have historically treasured, though the needs of modern life haven’t always made it possible. Let’s face it, the advantages of city life are pretty obvious: more job opportunities, convenient access to goods and services, a robust social scene, among other benefits.

But from the open air to the solitude and silence, many Adventists feel living in the countryside can make for a more peaceful way of life compared to city living. And because of technology, some of the conveniences of city life can be enjoyed in the country, too.

Living in the country isn’t a requirement to having a relationship with Christ or becoming Adventist, so why is this a common desire within Adventism? What’s the root of the trend toward rural life, and what’s the relevance of country life today?

We’ll dig into the answers to these questions by discussing

• The trend over time
• Practical reasons for country living
• Spiritual reasons for country living

Let’s start with some background on when the trend began and why.

Seventh-day Adventists encouraged into rural life

Ellen G. White at Elmshaven, St. Helena, California, 1915. Photo courtesy of the Ellen G. White Estate

In the late 19th and early 20th century, Ellen G. White, one of the founders of the Seventh-day Adventist church, encouraged Adventists in North America to live in rural areas but to participate in evangelism in the cities.¹ During the Industrial Revolution, more and more Americans—Adventists included—started moving to the cities in part because of increased job opportunities.² Technological innovation really jump-started the urbanization process, and more and more young people were trading in their country life for city life.³

But due to higher crime rates, lack of sanitation, and corruptive influences in cities at the time, living in the country was considered preferable for physical, mental, and spiritual health.,^{4, 5}

Modern city life is obviously much different now, but the conversation about city versus country life still lingers among Christians.

Many Adventists still advocate for country living even though the trend to city living among Adventists continues to mirror what’s happening in American society in general. In 1990, for example, “80.2 percent of Seventh-day Adventists lived in metropolitan areas, and 19.8 percent in small towns and rural areas.” By 2010, Adventists in large city areas increased to 87.7% while Adventists in country areas decreased to 12.3%.⁶

The numbers ebb and flow, and there’s also been a back-and-forth in discussion among Adventists regarding whether city or country living is best. Some discussions even center around moving to the mountains and hills in preparation for the “end times” (we’ll briefly touch on this at the end of the article, so stay tuned).

The Adventist church, however, doesn’t encourage lifestyle decisions based on fear. Instead, “the Adventist church recognizes the autonomy of each individual and their God-given power of choice,”⁷ and each person’s responsibility to prayerfully make the best decisions for themselves and their families with the help of the word of God and the Holy Spirit.

With all of this in mind, let’s look at reasons that many Adventists support moving to the country.

Practical reasons for country living

Adventists believe in holistic living—living that is best for the mind and body. In large part, that has to do with your literal location.

At creation, God’s plan was to dwell with us in a garden that He Himself planted with His own hands (Genesis 2:8). Though we are far removed from that original plan, there are still ways we can enjoy the benefits of living in a place created just for us (Genesis 1:1).

With that in mind, let’s go over some common reasons for living in the country today.

More affordable housing

Gas, clothes, produce, eggs….ugh, the eggs! Everything is so expensive these days, and housing is no exception. It’s no wonder many Adventists want to live where their money can stretch as far as possible.

Country homes can be much more affordable than city homes. You get more for your money. Not only can you get more square footage, but you can also get more land in the country.

More space

More land means there’s more space on your property. True, you might need to buy a lawn mower, but if you’re saving money on housing, chances are you’re more likely to have the money to buy different housing equipment or even a company to take care of your yard for you.

But let’s say you don’t want to have a monthly landscaping bill…no problem! During the clear weather months, mowing your own lawn is just another outlet for exercise. Sure, you might grumble about it, and having more property doesn’t automatically mean you’ll want to mow your own lawn. But if you’re intent on saving money, mowing your own lawn can not only save you money, but there’s also less of a need for gym memberships when you have your own walkable property.

Living in the country is a clever way to get more for your money, and that doesn’t just pertain to space.

Fresh air

If you’re doing more movement outside, that means you’re also combating the obesity epidemic and getting fresh air while you do it. City planner Jeff Speck says one of the causes of the obesity epidemic is “environmental-induced inactivity.”⁸ Where you live impacts your activity level, and whether or not you live in a more walkable location or a less walkable location can have significant effects on your overall health.

Speck also comments on the asthma epidemic in the U.S. American pollution used to mainly come from factories, but now it’s from tailpipes. “The amount that people are driving in your city…is a good prediction of the asthma problems in your city.”⁹

Living in the country can give you more opportunities for exercise and provide a better environment for your lungs because there are fewer cars, more space, and cleaner air.

Work (with your hands and your mind)

Photo by Jed Owen on Unsplash

It’s no secret that working outdoors can help reduce risks of cancer and heart disease, anxiety and depression, and can provide benefits to your overall health and mood.¹⁰ Whether your day job has you working outside, you like grounding,¹¹ or you enjoy gardening, living in the country provides more opportunities to get your hands dirty and reap the many benefits of being outdoors.¹²

Maybe this is why God “took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it” (Genesis 2:15, ESV). He knew how being in the dirt would benefit us.

But technology and innovation took people away from country life. Ironically, though, it’s that same technology that’s helping draw people back to the country. Finding a job is still a common reason to move to the city. But the increase in remote work has drastically reduced the need to live in the city where, historically, these opportunities were.

So not only can living in the country help you work more with your hands, it can also give you the ability to keep working with your mind in your field of choice.

But industrial engineer manager Julio Gil echoes a perspective that many people hold: “If you could live in a place with a lower crime rate and more space and a lower cost of living and less traffic, of course many people would want that, but they feel they don’t have a choice. You have to live in the city.”¹³

But….do you?

Technology makes country living more possible so now you can get the best of both worlds.

Quiet

Maybe it’s better to describe this benefit as “a different kind of noise.” The city can have a lot of noise (some cities have noise all through the night!), like honking horns, planes overhead, sirens, traffic, and people.

These same sounds exist in the country, too, of course, but usually on a smaller scale and much less frequently. Because of this (and the larger amount of nature that’s around), you can hear more birds, crickets, and other sounds from nature in the country. Noise pollution is less likely in the country.

So it might not be hush-hush quiet, but the sounds can be much less disruptive. And less disruption means…

Sleep!

We all know how important sleep is. The conditions under which we sleep affect how much rest we actually get while sleeping, and the type of sounds around us can significantly increase (or reduce) our quality of sleep.

Your sleeping patterns are less likely to be interrupted by light pollution if you live in the country because it’ll be darker at night. And, bonus, being further away from artificial sources of light lets you see the stars better, too!¹⁴

Are you the type of person who likes to fall asleep to rustling leaves, or flowing brooks, or rain? The country has these in abundance! And these sounds can reduce cortisol—the stress hormone—in your body to make sure you get the best sleep possible.

No need to grab your headphones to have a synthetic experience…you can just crack open a window and sleep to the natural sounds right outside because you can actually hear them.

And if you prefer complete silence, you’re more likely to experience that more frequently in the country.

One benefit of country living just seems to lead to another, and another, and another, until you have a chain link of benefits just based on where you live. And these benefits can impact every facet of your life, including your spiritual life.

Spiritual benefits of country living

Whether we realize it or not, we are influenced by who we spend time with and, yes, where we live. Thankfully, God is omnipresent, which means no matter where we are, God is with us, and we can have a strong relationship with Him no matter the location.

But there are spiritual benefits that we can enjoy in the country that may not be as easily accessible anywhere else.

Nature is God’s canvas

From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible talks about nature—God’s creation (Genesis 1:8-25; Isaiah 45:12)—revealing God to us. Romans 1:20 says it explicitly: “For His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world, being understood through what He has made” (CSB).

Being in nature means standing in God’s library about Himself (Psalm 19:1). This is a powerful reason why many Adventists choose to live in the country: there are constant opportunities to learn about the creation of God and to interact with the Person of God.

Less distraction, more interaction

Image by zinkevych on Freepik

Whether you live in a busy city or the quiet countryside, having an active relationship with God is important for healthy spirituality. It’s possible anywhere, but the country provides natural ways to interact with God without many of the distractions that come with living in busier places.

Have you ever been to a retreat? They’re usually geared toward giving people a place to unwind, reflect, and get away from their busy lives. People often come away from a retreat feeling rejuvenated and renewed, partly because retreats are typically in quiet places and provide spaces for outdoor activities.

Jesus often retreated to quiet places to pray and talk to God: “So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed” (Luke 5:16, NKJV). These places included the wilderness (Mark 1:35), or a mountain (Luke 6:12; Matthew 14:23), or a garden (Matthew 26:36).

These landscapes were part of the communities Jesus grew up and ministered in, so they were readily available to Him. But He understood the importance of getting away from distractions so that He could really focus on His relationship with God and God’s will for His life.

And we know this to be true, too. It’s much easier to have a conversation with someone in a quiet place with little movement around us than it is in a busy, loud setting. And when we put our devices away, that increases our ability to really pay attention and listen even more.

Living in the countryside can be like living in a retreat where there are ample opportunities to “get away from it all” and spend quality time with God.

Voice recognition

When we spend more time with God, we get used to how He likes to best communicate with us. There can be a lot of voices in our heads at any given time—the voice of our parents, the voice of societal expectations, our own inner voice, the voice of our friends, etc. With all of these voices ringing in our ears, God’s voice can sometimes get lost in all that noise.

When we know someone’s voice, we can hear it among all other voices. It’s like hearing your mother’s voice at a crowded dinner party, or hearing your baby’s cry in a room full of crying babies. When you know it, you just know it. And the more time you spend with that person, hearing their voice and how they communicate, the easier it becomes to recognize their voice no matter what’s going on.

The more intentional time we spend with God, the more we start to recognize His voice above all other voices. Living in the country can provide more quiet opportunities in nature to hear Him without distraction and get used to His voice. This can also enhance our desire to submit to Him (James 4:7), intercede on behalf of others (1 Timothy 2:1; Matthew 5:44), and embrace intentional quality time with Him (1 Chronicles 16:11).

What about the end times?

Of course, we have to mention the end times—a time in history that is fast approaching (many would argue that we’re already in it) that’s often discussed from a point of view based on fear. You may have heard people talking about running to the hills or fleeing to the mountains, which many feel describes how God’s people will seek safety and refuge during the end times.

But God doesn’t encourage us to make decisions out of fear; He wants us to be aware of the season in which we live and use our intellect and discernment to make decisions based on His will for our lives. Scripture says, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and sound judgment” (2 Timothy 1:7, CSB).

So the end times isn’t a time to fear; rather, it’s a time to pay close attention to because it signifies the nearness of Jesus’ return.

Many Adventists feel that living in the country is a better place to prepare for such a time, partly because country living offers more opportunities to spend quiet time with God and clear any cobwebs from their judgment. Spending time with God is one of the strongest ways to prepare for or battle anything, whether it’s something inside of you, like anxiety or depression, or something outside of you, like religious hypocrisy or unhealthy attitudes (2 Timothy 3:1-5).

It’s understandable why many Adventists prefer country living to city living. For many, country living provides an environment that they feel better suits their desired lifestyle and values.

Ultimately, where you choose to live is a personal decision. Just like any other major life decision, where you choose to live should be made prayerfully and based on the needs of you and your family. Whether that leads to city or country living is up to each individual. And no matter where you live, there are a plethora of ways to have a strong, spiritual life.

For a more detailed look into country living,

1. Andrews Study Bible, Andrews University Press, 2010, comment on Luke 10:30, p. 1348 [↵]
2. Nichol, F.D., “Luke”, The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 6 (Revised edition.), p.125-126, https://archive.org/details/SdaBibleCommentary1980/SdaBc-5%20%2842%29%20Luke/page/n126/mode/1up [↵]
3. Andrews Study Bible, comment on Luke 10:35, p. 1349. [↵]
4. Ibid [↵]
5. West, Brian; Varacallo, A. Matthew, Good Samaritan Laws. StatPearls [Internet], updated September 12, 2022, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK542176/ [↵]

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