At this point, you might be asking, "Who is Ellen White?" As a prominent figure in The Hopeful, she played a key role in the founding of the movement, but what is her significance to the church today? Is she merely a relic of the past? The ultimate prophet, placed above or equal to the Bible? Or, as some claim, the leader of a cult? Unfortunately, for those seeking drama, the answer is a resounding no to all of these. Ellen White was, like many others, simply a person dedicated to bringing others closer to God and Scripture. Let’s begin by exploring her story from the start.
We’ve all felt useless before, right? Not good enough at what we do, and not skilled in the right areas... It's often easy to wonder in times of low confidence why we’d ever be chosen for anything – let alone for God’s purpose. What would the God who created the world – the universe – want with us? Ellen White must have asked the same question. A 17-year-old girl, small and frail – few would see her as a choice for anything significant. Why would she be chosen by God to do His work? Why, out of everyone, would He choose her to deliver His message?But God has never cared for actual ability – instead, He takes the weak and makes them strong (Isaiah 40:29). This was no different. Despite White’s physical differences, God clearly had a purpose for her - one that began with visions (Joel 2:28-29).
Ellen White: Who Was She?
Weak, Broken - Called. What is Ellen White’s significance today?
This is the fourth blog in a series on the movie The Hopeful. If you're interested in learning more about the others involved in the movement and their discoveries, read the previous blogs in this series here.
With her family being among the many who were disappointed in the lack of Jesus's return in 1844, her first vision was surrounded by hope – reassuring those of the time that although they had been greatly disappointed during the Millerite movement, they were on the right path: they just had to keep their faith in God’s leadership. Although afraid to share this with the greater community for fear of rejection or harassment, Ellen listened to God’s encouragement – and to her surprise, most people accepted what she had seen. Her gift and her confidence grew. By the end of her life¹, she had received around 2000 visions, written over 49 books, 5000 articles, countless letters, and had spoken to many diverse groups worldwide about the good news of God’s word and Jesus' salvation. Of course, it wasn’t without its difficulties. Ellen’s twin sister, Elizabeth, was never recorded as believing in the movement or being involved with the church. Others, as seen in The Hopeful, often made fun of or disregarded Ellen’s faith community. James and Ellen were extremely poor, as ministers were typically unpaid at the time and often traveled to share their knowledge. They also experienced the painful death of two children (one as an infant and another at sixteen years old).
However, even in the face of these challenges, Ellen's faith in God’s calling stayed true as she embarked on an inspiring journey as a missionary, visiting over twelve countries and traveling across the United States to share her powerful message. Even now, her words ‘I shall not be lost,’ resonate with anyone seeking direction. Ellen’s commitment wasn’t just about deepening her own understanding of God’s word; it was about lighting the way for others, making it her mission to spread hope and wisdom wherever she went—a mission she served until her death in 1915, at the age of 87.
It’s a great life story. To go from being completely insignificant – a young, frail woman in a time where most women lacked respect and authority – to being a leader in the church and a prolific author. That, at the very least, is inspiring.
But inspiring doesn’t mean true. How do we know it’s not just a nice story? A woman inspired, sure, but by God? This is one of the first questions that arise in Ellen White’s story and perhaps the most important to note. To understand whether there’s any legitimacy behind the writings, we must first establish the author: were her visions sent by God, or were they just random musings?Fortunately, the Bible gives us clear instructions on who is or isn’t a prophet. In total, we have five test points for deciding whether someone is a prophet of God:
1.
They must speak in alignment with God’s Word (the Bible) (Isaiah 8:20)
2.
The prophet’s actions and teachings must align with the teachings of Jesus (Matthew 7:18-20)
3.
The prophet must agree that Jesus came to Earth in human form and uplift Him above oneself (1 John 4:1-3; John 3:30)
4.
Each prediction that the prophet makes must come true (Jeremiah 8:9; Deuteronomy 18:21-22)
5.
True prophets should build up and strengthen the church (1 Corinthians 14:4-5)
Ellen White fulfilled all of these criteria - her teachings meant to encourage the church through a focus on always referring back to the Bible as the source of truth and guidance. She also greatly encouraged those she taught to focus on having a character like Jesus – always acting through love and humility with a faith that is demonstrated through one’s actions. She made multiple predictions that came true, such as those pictured in The Hopeful, with the only prophecies that she made that have remained unfulfilled (past their prediction date) being one about a few of those in the Advent movement. She predicted that they would still be alive with Jesus’ second coming. While we now know that this didn't end up happening (with the prophecy having been made too long ago for any of those at that time to still be living), it's regarded as a conditional prophecy, as she also remarked that this was dependent on the world’s² condition. As conditional prophecy is even a Biblical phenomenon, Ellen's authenticity can stand. Even skeptics such as those seen in The Hopeful or others such as Dr Drummond reported that White’s visions must have been legitimate – drawing a likeness between her experience of not breathing during a vision with Daniel’s experience in Daniel 10:17.
As we see above, Ellen White has fulfilled the essential tests of prophecy, making her visions and insights worthy of trust as divine inspiration. But as we dive deeper, we encounter some pressing questions. What about her more controversial writings? Did she genuinely intend to guide the church toward a deeper relationship with God, or was she more focused on establishing her own authority within the church? And in today's rapidly changing world, is her message still relevant?
Let’s begin at the core of the argument – the intent. What was White aiming for in her writings? Did she expect to be considered equal, or even above the bible in her more specific points of instruction?The short answer is: No.
The intent of her work – according to White herself – was to be a ‘lesser light’: pointing others toward God’s Word and simply acting as a form of understanding for them. As she stated in the Review and Herald on the 20th of January 1903: “Little heed is given to the Bible, and the Lord has given a lesser light to lead men and women to the greater light.” She aimed to be a guide, never the final destination. This is an important fact to remember, especially when it seems that her work may be blown out of proportion in terms of importance. While Ellen White’s work was revolutionary for the time, she makes it clear that she is not the Bible. Her work may have been inspired but was not given as the ultimate instruction.
This isn't just relevant to White’s work but to anyone who is speaking of spiritual ideas. Even the most inspired leaders have gotten it wrong sometimes (for example, Moses and the rock in Numbers 20:2-13). We’ve been blessed with a literal manual as to what God wants us to be and believe: the Bible. Let’s check it for all guidance, new and old.This leads into the next part: what is Ellen White’s relevance to the church today?
Ellen White was one of the founding members of the Seventh-day Adventist church. Similar to a founding member of any other institution, she helped to develop and discover the main principles from which the church would operate. This includes some of the core beliefs of the church (for example, The Great Controversy), the church’s main mission in terms of the immediacy of our need to share Jesus’ love and news of His gift of salvation, and using means such as health institutions and education systems to help us do so.In terms of other current relevance, however, it is also important to remember that White was extremely progressive – for her time. She was an advocate for health, encouraging many practices that have only recently been widely adopted, such as the holistic health mindset. Further, she believed that all should receive the chance for education, including marginalized communities, and was an advocate for women’s involvement in ministry.
However, while Ellen White is often celebrated for her insights, it's important to remember that she was also human and subject to error, with not every view being of equal standing as her inspired prophecies. She herself knew this, and encouraged others to double-check their understanding of the teachings of the Bible and to allow new developments in thinking! For example, White’s views on topics such as women’s rights and science³ evolved as she gained new knowledge and perspectives, where she encouraged increased roles for women in ministry and began to understand the effective use of science. Additionally, some of her teachings, such as her stance against interracial marriage, were shaped by the cultural context of her time. While they are still relevant in some areas, they don’t apply in the same way for many communities today. For instance, while her concerns for the negative impact on children in interracial families were completely valid in an era marked by social and legal barriers along with racial violence, contemporary society has somewhat dissipated many of these issues – allowing for a re-evaluation of our understanding of a viewpoint that was inspired by a cultural context.
Ellen’s courage to confront her fears and follow God’s guidance into uncharted territory was pivotal in the founding of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Her influence extended far beyond her actions; it was her character that made a lasting impact. She helped curate a ministry that still helps millions today, and perhaps most importantly, taught both the church and the broader community not to judge others based on superficial traits like gender or age—after all, God has the power to work through anyone.
To read more in-depth about this topic, go to our course, The Hopeful.
¹To read more about Ellen White's life in detail, go to our free course on Ellen White and The Hopeful.
²Ellen G. White Estate The Predictions of the 1856 Vision³Pfandl, G. (2003) Ellen G. White and Earth ScienceThis is the fourth blog in a series on the movie, The Hopeful. To read more about the early Adventists' and their discoveries, read the next blog here.
About the Author
Azaria is a passionate young writer devoted to exploring and sharing the truth of God’s Word. With a heart for faith and a love for storytelling, she seeks to inspire and engage readers on their spiritual journeys.
Azaria Jones
NSW, Australia
