SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST Church Manual - rmcsda.org

213 Pages·2011·0.93 MB·English

S E V E N T H - D A Y A D V E N T I S T
Church
Manual
S E V E N T H - D A Y A D V E N T I S T
Church
Manual
❖
REVISED 2010
18TH EDITION
Published by the Secretariat
General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
Copyright © 2010 by the Secretariat,
General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
Unless otherwise noted, Bible texts are from the New King James
Version. Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Texts credited to KJV are from the King James Version.
Printed in U.S.A.
15 14 13 12 11 5 4 3 2 1
ISBN 978-0-8280-2569-0 hardcover
ISBN 978-0-8280-2570-6 paperback
Printed and distributed by the
Review and Herald® Publishing Association
Hagerstown, Maryland 21740
Table of Contents
CHAPTER 1
Why a Church Manual? ........................................................................17
Authority and Function of the Church Manual..................................18
Making Changes..............................................................................19
Where to Get Advice ......................................................................20
Terms Used in the Church Manual....................................................20
Church..........................................................................................20
Conference, Mission, Section, Delegation, Field, Union of Churches ....20
Pastor and Minister........................................................................20
Abbreviations ................................................................................21
Scripture Quotations ......................................................................21
CHAPTER 2
Church of the Living God..................................................................22
No Wall of Partition........................................................................22
Supreme Object of Christ’s Regard..................................................23
Complete in Christ..........................................................................24
CHAPTER 3
Organization and Authority ..............................................................26
Biblical Basis for Organization..........................................................26
Importance of Organization..............................................................27
Purposes of Organization..................................................................27
The New Testament Model ............................................................28
Church Organization Today............................................................28
Outline of Denominational Organization ........................................29
Role of Institutions..........................................................................30
Authority in the Early Church ........................................................30
General Conference the Highest Authority......................................31
CHAPTER 4
Pastors and Other Church Employees..............................................32
A Divinely Appointed Ministry........................................................32
Conference President ......................................................................32
Conference Departmental Directors....................................................32
Ordained Pastors............................................................................33
Licensed Ministers..........................................................................34
Bible Instructors..............................................................................34
Conference Directs Church Employees ..............................................34
Credentials and Licenses ..................................................................35
Expired Credentials and Licenses......................................................35
Retired Employees..........................................................................36
Former Pastors Without Credentials..................................................36
CHAPTER 5
Organizing, Uniting, and Dissolving Churches and Companies..37
Organizing a Church........................................................................37
Organizing a Company....................................................................38
Uniting Churches ............................................................................40
Dissolving or Expelling Churches ....................................................40
Loss of Members ............................................................................41
Discipline......................................................................................41
Care of Members, Records, and Funds............................................42
CHAPTER 6
Membership..........................................................................................44
Baptism............................................................................................44
A Prerequisite to Membership ..........................................................44
Mode of Baptism............................................................................45
Thorough Instruction and Public Examination Before Baptism..............45
Baptismal Vow and Commitment....................................................46
Baptismal Vow..............................................................................46
Vow ..............................................................................46
Alternative Vow........................................................................47
Baptismal Covenant........................................................................47
Commitment ............................................................................48
Voting Acceptance Subject to Baptism................................................49
Receiving Members Who Are Not Known ........................................49
Baptismal Preparations....................................................................49
Rebaptism........................................................................................49
Individuals From Other Christian Communions ............................50
Apostasy and Rebaptism ................................................................50
Inappropriate Rebaptism..................................................................50
Profession of Faith............................................................................51
Transferring Members......................................................................52
Method of Granting Letters of Transfer..............................................52
Clerk to Prepare Letter....................................................................52
Letter Valid Six Months ................................................................53
Alternative Method for Membership Transfer......................................53
Membership During Transfer............................................................53
Receiving Members Under Difficult Conditions ..................................53
Counted in Statistical Reports..........................................................53
If Member Is Not Accepted..............................................................54
Letters Granted Only to Those in Regular Standing ..........................54
No Letter Without Member’s Approval ............................................54
Church Board Cannot Grant Letters ................................................54
Membership in the Conference Church..............................................55
Membership Record ........................................................................55
CHAPTER 7
Discipline..............................................................................................56
General Principles............................................................................56
Dealing With Erring Members ........................................................56
God’s Plan....................................................................................57
Authority of the Church..................................................................58
Church’s Responsibility ..................................................................58
Unconsecrated Resist Discipline........................................................58
Safeguarding Unity of the Church ....................................................59
Reconciliation of Differences..............................................................59
Settlement of Grievances of Members Against the Church....................61
Settlement of Grievances of the Church Against Members....................61
Reasons for Discipline......................................................................61
Process of Discipline ........................................................................62
Discipline by Censure ....................................................................62
Discipline by Removal From Membership..........................................63
No Additional Tests of Fellowship....................................................63
Timeliness of Discipline ..................................................................63
Caution About Judging Character and Motive....................................63
At a Properly Called Meeting..........................................................64
By Majority Vote ..........................................................................64
Church Board Cannot Remove Members ..........................................64
Fundamental Rights of the Members ................................................64
Lawyers Not to Represent Members..................................................65
Transferring Members Under Censure................................................65
Members Not to Be Removed for Nonattendance................................65
Members Moving Away and Not Reporting ......................................65
Members Not to Be Removed for Pecuniary Reasons ..........................66
Removing Members at Their Request................................................66
Notification to Those Removed From Membership..............................66
Reinstating Those Previously Removed From Membership ..................66
Right of Appeal for Reinstatement....................................................67
CHAPTER 8
Local Church Officers and Organizations........................................68
General Qualifications......................................................................68
Moral and Religious Fitness ............................................................68
Feeding and Guarding the Church....................................................69
Respecting Pastors and Officers ........................................................69
Not Hurried Into Office..................................................................70
Those Opposing Unity Not Suitable for Office ..................................70
Unsafe to Choose Those Refusing to Cooperate..................................70
Local Membership ..........................................................................70
Setting Tithing Example ................................................................71
Not Delegates Ex Officio................................................................71
Distributing Responsibility ..............................................................71
Removal and Readmission ..............................................................71
Term of Office ................................................................................71
Elders ..............................................................................................71
Religious Leaders of the Church ......................................................71
Ordination of Elders ......................................................................72
Relationship to the Pastor................................................................72
Work of Elders Is Local..................................................................73
Conducting Church Services ............................................................73
Baptismal Service............................................................................73
Marriage Ceremony........................................................................73
To Foster Tithing ..........................................................................74
To Foster Bible Study, Prayer, and a Relationship With Jesus ............74
To Foster All Lines of Work ..........................................................74
To Cooperate With the Conference ..................................................74
To Foster Worldwide Work ............................................................75
Training and Equipping of Elders ....................................................75
Free to Work Effectively..................................................................75
First Elder ....................................................................................75
Limitation of Authority ..................................................................75
Church Leaders................................................................................75
Deacons............................................................................................76
Board of Deacons............................................................................76
Deacons Must Be Ordained ............................................................77
Deacons Not Authorized to Preside..................................................77
Duties of Deacons ..........................................................................77
Assistance at Services and Meetings..............................................77
Visitation of Members ................................................................77
Preparation for Baptismal Services................................................77
Assistance at Communion Service................................................77
Care of the Sick and Aiding the Poor and Unfortunate ..................78
Care and Maintenance of Property ..............................................78
Deaconesses......................................................................................78
Board of Deaconesses......................................................................78
Ordination Service for Deaconesses....................................................78
Duties of Deaconesses......................................................................79
Greeting and Visiting Guests and Members ..................................79
Assistance at Baptisms................................................................79
Arrangements for the Communion Service......................................79
The Care of the Sick and the Poor ..............................................79
Care and Maintenance of Property ..............................................79
Clerk ..............................................................................................79
No Names Added or Removed Without Vote....................................80
Transferring Members......................................................................80
Corresponding With Members..........................................................80
Notice of Delegates for Conference Sessions........................................80
Reports to Be Furnished Promptly....................................................80
Church Records..............................................................................80
Treasurer..........................................................................................80
Treasurer the Custodian of All Funds ..............................................81
Conference Funds ..........................................................................81
Sabbath School Funds ....................................................................81
Local Church Funds ......................................................................81
Funds of Auxiliary Organizations....................................................81
Safeguarding the Purpose of Funds....................................................82
Money for Personal Literature Orders................................................82
Proper Method for Payment of Money by Members ............................82
Receipts to Members........................................................................83
Proper Method of Remitting Funds to the Conference..........................83
Preservation of Financial Documents..................................................83
Books Should Be Audited................................................................83
Relations With Members Confidential ..............................................83
Interest Coordinator ........................................................................84
Departments and Other Organizations..............................................84
Children’s Ministries........................................................................85
Children’s Ministries Coordinator and Committee..............................85
Resources ......................................................................................86
Communication ..............................................................................86
Communication Secretary ................................................................86
Communication Committee..............................................................87
Central Communication Committee..................................................87
Education ........................................................................................87
Education Secretary ........................................................................87
Home and School Association ..........................................................87
Church School Board......................................................................88
Family Ministries..............................................................................89
Family Ministries Leader(s)..............................................................90
Family Ministries Committee ..........................................................91
Resources ......................................................................................91
Health Ministries..............................................................................91
Health Ministries Leader ................................................................91
Health Ministries Council................................................................91
Health Ministries or Temperance Society............................................91
World Health Ministries Sabbath Offering ........................................92
Resources ......................................................................................92
Music ..............................................................................................92
Selecting Music Coordinators............................................................92
Selecting Musicians ........................................................................92
Public Affairs and Religious Liberty ................................................92
Religious Liberty Leader..................................................................93
Religious Liberty Associations..........................................................93
Resources ......................................................................................93
Publishing Ministries........................................................................93
Selling Through Literature Evangelists ..............................................93
Giving Away (Sharing) by Church Members......................................93
Publishing Ministries Coordinator ....................................................93
Publishing Ministries Council ..........................................................94
Resources ......................................................................................94
Sabbath School and Personal Ministries............................................94
Sabbath School ................................................................................94
Officers of the Sabbath School Council..............................................94
Sabbath School Superintendent and Other Sabbath School Officers........95
Sabbath School Division Leaders......................................................96
Sabbath School Teachers..................................................................96
Sabbath School Offerings ................................................................97
Resources ......................................................................................97
Personal Ministries............................................................................97
Personal Ministries Council..............................................................97
Personal Ministries Officers..............................................................98
Adventist Men ..............................................................................98
Bible School Coordinator ................................................................98
Community Services/Dorcas Society Leader ......................................98
Ministry to People With Disabilities ................................................98
Resources ......................................................................................99
Stewardship Ministries......................................................................99
Stewardship Ministries Leader..........................................................99
Resources ......................................................................................99
Women’s Ministries..........................................................................99
Women’s Ministries Leader and Committee ....................................100
Resources ....................................................................................100
Youth Ministries ............................................................................100
Adventist Youth Society (AYS)......................................................100
Adventist Youth Ministries Committee............................................102
AYS Committee..........................................................................102
AYS Officers ..............................................................................102
AYS Sponsor ..............................................................................103
Adventist Youth Features..............................................................103
Adventist Junior Youth Society (AJY) ............................................103
Ambassador Club ........................................................................103
Pathfinder Club............................................................................104
Adventurer Club..........................................................................104
Resources ....................................................................................105
Induction Service ..........................................................................105
CHAPTER 9
Elections
Nominating Committee and the Election Process..........................106
When and How the Nominating Committee Is Appointed ................106
How the Process Works ................................................................107
Who Should Be Members of the Nominating Committee ..................107
Work of the Nominating Committee ..............................................107
Nominating Committee to Get Consent of Prospective Officers ..........108
Members May Appear Before the Nominating Committee..................108
Nominating Committee Discussions Are Confidential........................108
Reporting to the Church................................................................108
Objections to the Report of the Nominating Committee ....................109
Filling Vacancies Between Elections ................................................109
Delegates to Local Conference Session ..........................................109
Choosing Delegates ......................................................................110
Duty of Delegates ........................................................................110
Responsibility of Conference Officers................................................111
Conference Executive Committee....................................................111