1. SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH GOVERNANCE SYSTEM
Presented by:
Ronnie Henry

2. INTRODUCTION SDA CHURCH HAS 4 CONSTITUENCY LEVELS:
LOCAL CHURCH WITH A MINIMUM OF 25 MEMBERS;
LOCAL CONFERENCE (+/ MEMBERS)
LOCAL UNION (+/ 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.

3. 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.

4. DECISION MAKING COMMITTEES
CHURCH BOARD CM, p
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)

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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.

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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!

15. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS