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 (CM, p. 124): STRATEGIES OF EVANGELISM MAPPING THE AREA DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE AREA APPROPRIATE STRATEGIES: PERSON TO PERSON GROUP FOCUS CHOICE OF SPEAKERS INVOLVEMENT OF ALL DEPARTMENTS METHODS OF EVANGELISM TENT DVD FRIENDSHIP BOOK CIRCULATION SEMINARS 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!

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