SEVENTH DAY

ADVENTIST CHURCH
GOVERNANCE SYSTEM
PRESENTED BY:

RONNIE HENRY
 INTRODUCTION

• SDA CHURCH HAS 4 CONSTITUENCY LEVELS:

• LOCAL CHURCH WITH A MINIMUM OF 25 MEMBERS;
• LOCAL CONFERENCE (+/- 40 000 MEMBERS)
• LOCAL UNION (+/- 120 000 MEMBERS)
• GENERAL CONFERENCE WITH ITS DIVISION EXTENSIONS

• GOVERNANCE SYSTEM WITHIN THE SDA CHURCH:

• REPRESENTATIVE FORM OF GOVERNACE
• AUTHORITY RESTS WITH CHURCH MEMBERSHIP
• EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS DELEGATED TO EXECUTIVE BODIES.
 COMPOSITION OF FIRST LEVEL OF
CONSTITUENCY
• CHURCH MEMBERSHIP (Church Manual pp 44-55):
• REGULAR MEMBERS:
• ACTIVE AND INACTIVE
• MEMBERS UNDER CENSURE (Church Manual p.62)

• BODIES WITH DECISION MAKING POWERS:

• CHURCH BOARD (Delegated Authority, CM, p. 124), Meets monthly – CM, p. 126
• CHURCH BUSINESS MEETING (Ultimate Authority – CM, p. 123), Meets at least once
a year – CM p. 123.
 DECISION MAKING COMMITTEES

• CHURCH BOARD CM, p. 124-125

• COMPOSITION:
• ELECTED CHURCH OFFICERS – CM, p. 125
• ADDITIONAL WITH SPECIAL SKILLS – CM, p. 125
• EX OFFICIO MEMBERS - CONFERENCE OFFICERS (NO VOTE, CM, p. 124)

• CHURCH ADMINISTRATION:
• PASTORAL TEAM (PASTOR\S AND ELDER/S)
• SECRETARIAT (CHURCH CLERK)
• TREASURY (CHURCH TREASURER)
• DEACONRY (HEAD DEACON & HEAD DEACONESS)
 OVERSIGHT RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE
CHURCH BOARD
• SPIRITUAL NURTURE (CM, p. 124):
• HEADED BY THE PASTOR/ELDER
• INREACH PROGRAMMES:
• PRAYER BANDS
• COUNSELLING SERVICES
• TITHING REHABILITATION PROGRAMMES

• WEEKS OF SPIRITUAL EMPHASES

• HEADED BY PASTOR/ELDER/PM LEADER & YOUTH MINISTRIES LEADERS
 OVERSIGHT RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE
CHURCH BOARD CONT’D
• EVANGELISM IN ALL ITS PHASES • METHODS OF
(CM, p. 124): EVANGELISM
• STRATEGIES OF EVANGELISM
• MAPPING THE AREA
• TENT
• DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE AREA • DVD
• APPROPRIATE STRATEGIES: • FRIENDSHIP
• PERSON TO PERSON
• BOOK CIRCULATION
• GROUP FOCUS
• CHOICE OF SPEAKERS • SEMINARS
• INVOLVEMENT OF ALL DEPARTMENTS • VOP
 OVERSIGHT RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE
CHURCH BOARD CONT’D
• MAINTENANCE OF DOCTRINAL PURITY (CM, p. 124):
• HEADED BY THE PASTOR, ELDER/S AND DEACONS
• DOCTRINAL PURITY ON THE PULPIT
• DOCTRINAL PURITY ON PRESENTATIONS
• DOCTRINAL PURITY IN BIBLE STUDIES
• PREACHERS MUST BE APPROVED BY THE CHURCH BOARD
• SPEAKERS MUST BE APPROVED BY THE CHURCH BOARD.
 OVERSIGHT RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE
CHURCH BOARD CONT’D
• UPHOLDING CHRISTIAN STANDARDS (CM, p. 124):
• HEADED BY THE PASTOR, ELDERS AND DEACONRY
• CHRISTIAN STANDARDS ON DRESS CODE
• CHRISTIAN STANDARDS ON DIET
• CHRISTIAN STANDARDS ON BEHAVIOUR
• LEADING BY EXAMPLE IN CHRISTIAN STANDARDS
• THE BOARD NEEDS TO DEFINE CHRISTIAN STANDARDS AND SET UP CRITERIA BASED ON:
• BIBLE
• SOP
• CULTURE
OVERSIGHT RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CHURCH BOARD CONT’D

• RECOMMENDING CHANGES IN CHURCH MEMBERSHIP (CM, p. 124):

• MEMBERSHIP AUDIT – ONCE A YEAR
• REGULAR STANDING
• ACTIVE/INACTIVE
• MISSING MEMBERS – 2 YEARS+
• DISCIPLINED MEMBERS:
• CENSURE – STARTING AND ENDING DATES
• REMOVAL FROM CHURCH MEMBERSHIP
• APOSTACY
• DEATH
• REQUEST
 OVERSIGHT RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE
CHURCH BOARD CONT’D
• CHURCH FINANCES (CM, p. 124):
• HEADED BY THE CHURCH TREASURER, PASTOR & ELDERS
• CAPACITY MAPPING
• BUDGET FOR THE YEAR
• FINANCIAL STATEMENT
• REQUISTION FORM
• PAYMENTS ACCOMPANIED BY A BOARD ACTION
• FINANCIAL REPORT
• STEWARDSHIP COMMITTEE
• VISITATION COMMITTEE
• MONITORING AND EVALUATION
 OVERSIGHT RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE
CHURCH BOARD CONT’D
• PROPERTY MANAGEMENT (CM, p. 124):
• HEADED BY DEACONRY, PASTOR AND ELDER/S
• CLEANING
• FLORAL ARRANGEMENT
• ELECTRICITY
• REPAIRS
• COPY OF THE TITLE DEED
• MAINTENANCE OF CHURCH YARD
• PARKING
• GATES
• LOCKING SYSTEM
• SECURITY SYSTEM
 OVERSIGHT RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE
CHURCH BOARD CONT’D
• COORDINATION OF CHURCH DEPARTMENTS (CM, p. 124):
• HEADED BY THE PASTOR AND ELDERS
• MISSION AND VISION STATEMENTS
• PLANS
• BUDGETS
• EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS
• GOALS
• MEETING TARGETS
• ASSESSMENT/EVALUATION TOOLS
• MONITORING AND EVALUATION SUB-COMMITTEE
 OVERSIGHT RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE
CHURCH BUSINESS MEETING
• GOVERNING BODY OF THE LOCAL CHURCH (CM, p. 124):
• WORKS WITHIN DEFINED ROLES:
• BIBLICALLY SOUND
• SOP SOUND
• FOUNDATIONAL BELIEFS SOUND
• POLICY SOUND
• MEMBER UNDER CENSURE - NO VOTE NO VOICE
• CALLING OF THE MEETING:
• A WEEK OR TWO IN ADVANCE
• BY EITHER A PASTOR OR CHURCH BOARD
• CHAIRED BY PASTOR, ELDER OR CONFERENCE PRESIDENT
 OVERSIGHT RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE
CHURCH BUSINESS MEETING CONT’D
• QUORUM:
• THE CHURCH DETERMINES THE QUORUM

• WHO CHAIRS THE BUSINESS MEETING:

• ORDAINED PASTOR (CM, p. 33)
• LICENSED PASTOR (CM, p. 34)
• ELDER (MANDATED BY ORDAINED PASTOR) OR CONFERENCE PRESIDENT – (CM, p. 123)

• CAN AN INTERN PASTOR PRESIDE OVER DISCIPLINE:

• YES HE CAN, PROVIDED HE IS APPOINTED AS AN ELDER BY THE CHURCH IN QUESTION!
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS