Seventh-day Adventist Church Manual for 1951

291 Pages·2013·3.08 MB·English

CHURCH
MANUAL
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Issued by the
General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
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Printed in U.S.A.
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Table of Contents
Preface 19
CHAPTER 1
The Church of the Living God (cid:9) 23
The Supreme Object of Christ's Regard (cid:9) 24
The Opposition of the Enemy 25
The Church Complete in Christ (cid:9) 27
CHAPTER 2
Fundamental Beliefs of Seventh-day Adventists (cid:9) 29
CHAPTER 3
Organization Founded on Divine Principles(cid:9) 37
The Biblical Basis (cid:9) 37
The Vital Importance 39
The Divine Purpose (cid:9) 40
CHAPTER 4
The Form of Organization in the Seventh-day Advent-
ist Church (cid:9) 42
Forms of Church Government (cid:9) 43
Five Steps in Our Organization (cid:9) 43
Relationship Between Organizations (cid:9) 45
General Conference the Highest Authority (cid:9) 45
5
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CHAPTER 5
Church Membership (cid:9) 46
Membership on a Spiritual Basis(cid:9) ________ _ _____ (cid:9) 46
Baptism a Gospel Requirement (cid:9) 47
Baptism a Prerequisite to Church Membership 47
Mode of Baptism (cid:9) 48
Ministers Thoroughly to Instruct Candidates
Previous to Baptism (cid:9) 48
Public Examination (cid:9) 49
Baptismal Covenant (cid:9) 49
Doctrinal Instruction for Baptismal Candidates(cid:9) 50
Baptismal Vow and Baptism (cid:9) 56
Baptismal Vow (cid:9) 56
Welcoming Candidates 58
Baptismal Ceremony(cid:9) ________ 58
Transferring Members 58
Receiving Members Who Are Not Known(cid:9) 58
Transferring Church Members (cid:9) 58
Method of Granting Church Letters (cid:9) 59
Clerk to Make Out Letter (cid:9) 60
Membership During Interval of Transfer (cid:9) 60
The Receiving of Members Disturbed by World
Conditions 61
Counted in Statistical Reports (cid:9) 61
If Member Is Not Accepted 62
No Letters to Members Under Discipline (cid:9) 62
Church Letters Granted Only to Those in Good
and Regular Standing (cid:9) 62
Not to Vote Letter Without Member's Approval 62
Church Boards Cannot Grant Letters (cid:9) 63
Conference Church (cid:9) 63
Organized Companies (cid:9) 64
queries Concerning Receiving and Dropping Mem-
bers (cid:9) 65
Receiving Members on Profession of Faith (cid:9) 65
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TABLE OF CONTENTS(cid:9) 7
Dropping Names (cid:9) 66
No Retired Membership List (cid:9) 67
Rebaptism 67
Of Converts From Other Religious Communions 67
Of Church Members and Former Seventh-day
Adventists (cid:9) 67
CHAPTER 6
Church Officers and Their Duties 69
Their Qualifications (cid:9) 69
Moral Fitness (cid:9) 69
Religious Fitness (cid:9) 69
The Church Must Be Guarded and Fed (cid:9) 71
Respect and Deference Due to Ministers and Of-
ficers of the Church 72
Men Not to Be Hurried Into Office (cid:9) 73
Those Opposed to Unity Not Suitable for Office 74
Unsafe to Choose Men Who Refuse to Cooper-
ate With Others (cid:9) 75
"Fhe Church Elder (cid:9) 75
The Office an Important One _ (cid:9) 75
A Religious Leader of the Church (cid:9) 76
Capable of Ministering the Word (cid:9) 76
Elected for One Year (cid:9) 76
Ordination of Local Elder 77
Work of Church Elder Is Local 77
To Foster All Lines of Missionary Work (cid:9) 78
Relationship to the Ordained Minister (cid:9) 78
Conduct of Church Services 79
The Baptismal Service(cid:9) 79
The Marriage Ceremony 80
To Cooperate With the Conference (cid:9) 80
To Foster Foreign Mission Work (cid:9) 81
To Foster Tithe Paying (cid:9) 81
To Distribute Responsibility(cid:9) 82
Seniority of Elders 82
Elder Not a Delegate Ex Oficio (cid:9) 82
Limitation of Authority 83
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Church Leader 83
The Deacon 83
Importance of the Office 84
Training Younger Men as Deacons (cid:9) 85
Board of Deacons 85
Deacons Must Be Ordained 85
The Duties of Deacons (cid:9) 85
To Assist in Church Ordinances(cid:9) 86
The Care of the Sick and the Poor (cid:9) 87
The Deaconess 87
The Duties of Deaconesses (cid:9) 88
Board of Deaconesses (cid:9) 89
The Church Clerk (cid:9) 89
An Important Office(cid:9) 89
No Names Added or Dropped Without Vote of
the Church(cid:9) ____ (cid:9) ______________ (cid:9) 90
Transferring Members 90
Corresponding With Members 90
Delegates' Credentials for Conference Session (cid:9) 91
Reports to Be Furnished Promptly 91
Church Records 92
The Church Treasurer 92
A Sacred Work 92
Church Treasurer the Custodian of All Church
Funds 93
Funds to Be Sent to the Conference 94
Sabbath School Funds 94
Missionary Volunteer Society Funds (cid:9) 95
Church Missionary Funds (cid:9) 95
Dorcas Welfare Society Funds 96
Church School Funds 96
Funds of Other Auxiliary Organizations(cid:9) 96
Proper Method for Payment of Money by Mem-
bers 96
Receipts to Church Members (cid:9) 97
Proper Method of Remitting Funds to the Con-
ference (cid:9) 97
Preserving Vouchers (cid:9) 97
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TABLE OF CONTENTS(cid:9) 9
Books Should Be Audited (cid:9) 98
Relations With Members Confidential (cid:9) 98
The Church Board _ (cid:9) 99
CHAPTER 7
The Services and Meetings of the Church (cid:9) 100
Spiritual Worship 100
Reverence for the House of Worship 100
Children to Be Taught Reverence(cid:9) 101
Decorum and Quietness in the Place of Worship 102
Arrangements for Church Meetings(cid:9) 103
Hospitality 103
Unauthorized Speakers in Our Churches (cid:9) 103
The Sabbath Worship Service (cid:9) 104
The Form of Service 104
Longer Order of Worship (cid:9) 105
Shorter Order of Worship (cid:9) 105
Announcements 105
Sacredness of the Sabbath Worship Hour (cid:9) 106
The Sabbath Morning Service (cid:9) 107
Public Prayer (cid:9) _________(cid:9) 109
The Communion Service (cid:9) 110
Announcing the Communion Service(cid:9) 110
Conducting the Communion Service 111
Who May Participate 113
Every Member Should Attend 114
Unfermented Bread and Wine 114
A Memorial of the Crucifixion (cid:9) 114
Ordinance of Foot Washing 115
Suggestive Order for the Communion Service _ 115
Who May Conduct Communion Service (cid:9) 116
Communion for the Sick 116
The Prayer Meeting (cid:9) 117
The Sabbath School 118
The Sabbath School Teachers' Meeting _ (cid:9) 118
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10(cid:9) CHURCH MANUAL
Senior Missionary Volunteer Society (cid:9) 119
Junior Missionary Volunteer Society (cid:9) 120
Church Missionary Meeting (cid:9) 120
Times of Meetings (cid:9) 121
Supplying Literature on the Sabbath (cid:9) 122
Church Board Meetings (cid:9) 122
Work of the Church Board 123
Quorum of the Church Board _ (cid:9) 123
School Board Meetings 123
Parents' Meetings (cid:9) 124
Business Meetings 125
Music (cid:9) 126
Place of Music in Divine Service 126
Sing With the Spirit and the Understanding (cid:9) 127
Selecting Choir Leaders (cid:9) _ __ 127
Membership of Church Choirs(cid:9) _ ______________ (cid:9) 128
CHAPTER 8
Auxiliary Organizations of the Church and Their
Officers 129
The Church Missionary Organization (cid:9) 129
Church Missionary Committee (cid:9) 129
Church Missionary Leader (cid:9) 129
Missionary Secretary 130
Dorcas Welfare Society(cid:9) ______ (cid:9) _____ (cid:9) ______ 133
The Sabbath School 133
The(cid:9) Sabbath School Council _ _____ __________ (cid:9) 134
The Superintendent (cid:9) 135
The Assistant Superintendent (cid:9) 136
The Secretary 137
The Assistant Secretary 138
The Chorister or Song Leader (cid:9) 138
The Organist 139
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TABLE OF CONTENTS(cid:9) 11
Sabbath School Offerings 139
Expense Money 139
The Quarterly Report (cid:9) 140
The Senior Missionary Volunteer Society (cid:9) 140
Objective 141
Membership in the Senior Missionary Volunteer
Society (cid:9) 142
Senior Membership Pledge 142
The Officers of the Senior Society (cid:9) 143
The Missionary Volunteer Society Executive
Committee (cid:9) 144
Leader and Assistant Leader (cid:9) 145
Secretary-Treasurer and Assistant (cid:9) 146
The Missionary Volunteer Sponsor (cid:9) 147
Missionary Volunteer Features (cid:9) 148
Missionary Volunteer Bands (cid:9) 148
The Junior Missionary Volunteer Society (cid:9) 148
Object 148
The Work of the Junior Missionary Volunteer
Society 148
Missionary Volunteer Pathfinder Clubs (cid:9) 149
Board of Counselors 149
Membership (cid:9) 150
The Junior Missionary Volunteer Pledge (cid:9) 150
The Junior Missionary Volunteer Law (cid:9) 151
Units 151
Missionary Volunteer Classes _ 151
Missionary Volunteer Honors (cid:9) 151
Leadership 151
The Executive Committee . 152
Parents' Societies (cid:9) 153
Home and School Association or Christian Home
Council 154
Purpose _____ __ ____ _ ___________ — (cid:9) ______ (cid:9) 154
Officers ___ (cid:9) ______ - (cid:9) 155
Leader and Assistant Leader (cid:9) 155
Secretary and Assistant Secretary _________ ____---- _ 155
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The Church School Board (cid:9) 156
Membership (cid:9) _ 156
Officers _(cid:9) 157
Relation of Union School Boards to the Local
Churches ------------------(cid:9) _____________ __________ 157
Term of Office(cid:9) _____ ________ __________ (cid:9) __________ _ 157
Meetings 158
Qualifications 158
Duties of the Officers 158
Functions 159
CHAPTER 9
Ministers and Workers in Relation to the Church (cid:9) 160
A Divinely Appointed Ministry (cid:9) 160
The Conference President (cid:9) 160
Pastors and District Leaders Not Executives (cid:9) 161
President and Committee Direct Departmental Sec-
retaries 161
Relation of Ordained Minister to Church Work(cid:9) 162
Work of Departmental Secretaries Not Administra-
tive (cid:9) 162
Churches Do Not Elect Pastor (cid:9) 163
Licensed Ministers (cid:9) 163
Bible Instructors 165
Book and Bible House Secretaries 165
The Pastor Should Assist the Evangelist (cid:9) 165
President and Committee Direct Conference Work-
ers (cid:9) 166
Credentials and Licenses (cid:9) 167
Expired Credentials (cid:9) 168
Relieving a Minister of His Office (cid:9) 168
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TABLE OF CONTENTS(cid:9) 13
Sustentation Workers (cid:9) 169
Ministers Without Credentials Serving in Our
Churches (cid:9) 169
CHAPTER 10
The Church Election 170
Nominating Committee 170
How Nominating Committee Is Appointed (cid:9) 170
Who Should Be Members of the Nominating
Committee(cid:9) 171
Work of the Nominating Committee (cid:9) 172
Nominating Committee to Interview Prospec-
tive Officers (cid:9) 174
Appearing Before the Nominating Committee _ 174
Nominating Committee Discussions Are Confi-
dential (cid:9) 174
Reporting to the Church (cid:9) 175
Objecting to the Report of the Nominating
Committee (cid:9) 176
Vacancies 176
Self-appointed Organizations (cid:9) 177
Election of Delegates to Local Conference Session (cid:9) 177
Choosing Delegates (cid:9) 178
Duty of Delegates 179
Responsibility of Conference Officers (cid:9) 179
Conference Committee Members to Represent the
Entire Conference (cid:9) 180
CHAPTER 11
Gospel Finance (cid:9) 181
Stewardship(cid:9) _______ (cid:9) --------------------------- 182
The(cid:9) Tithe _ ______ (cid:9) ___________(cid:9) _______ . ____________(cid:9) 183
Systematic Benevolence and Unity (cid:9) 184