2015 Seventh-day Adventist Church Manual

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? CHURCH

MANUAL

?

? CHURCH

MANUAL

19TH EDITION REVISED 2015 UPDATED 2016

Published by the Secretariat General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists?

Copyright ? 2016 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.

Published by the Review & Herald Publishing Association.

Printed in U.S.A.

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ISBN ISBN

978-0-8280-2821-9 978-0-8280-2820-2

hardcover paperback

Printed and distributed by the Pacific Press? Publishing Association

Nampa, Idaho 83653-5353

Table of Contents

Why a Church Manual?............................................................................ 15 Authority and Function of the Church Manual ................................... 16 Making Changes .................................................................................. 17 Where to Get Advice ........................................................................... 18 Terms Used in the Church Manual...................................................... 18

Church of the Living God ........................................................................ 20 No Wall of Partition............................................................................. 20 Supreme Object of Christ's Regard ..................................................... 21 Complete in Christ ............................................................................... 22

Organization and Authority..................................................................... 24 Biblical Basis for Organization............................................................ 24 Importance of Organization ................................................................. 25 Purposes of Organization..................................................................... 25 The New Testament Model.................................................................. 26 Church Organization Today................................................................. 26 Outline of Denominational Organization............................................. 27 Role of Institutions .............................................................................. 28 Authority in the Early Church ............................................................. 29 General Conference the Highest Authority.......................................... 29

Pastors and Other Church Employees .................................................... 31 A Divinely Appointed Ministry ........................................................... 31 Conference President ................................................................... 31 Conference Departmental Directors ............................................ 31 Ordained Pastors.......................................................................... 32 Licensed Pastors........................................................................... 33 Bible Instructors ........................................................................... 33 Conference Directs Church Employees ........................................ 33 Credentials and Licenses ..................................................................... 34 Expired Credentials and Licenses ................................................ 34 Retired Employees ........................................................................ 35 Former Pastors Without Credentials............................................ 35

Organizing, Uniting, and Dissolving Churches and Companies ........... 36 Organizing a Church ............................................................................ 36 Organizing a Company ........................................................................ 37 Uniting Churches ................................................................................. 39 Dissolving or Expelling Churches ....................................................... 39 Care of Members, Records, and Funds ................................................ 41

Membership............................................................................................... 43

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CHURCH MANUAL

Baptism ................................................................................................ 43 Mode of Baptism ........................................................................... 44 Thorough Instruction and Public Examination Before Baptism ... 44

Baptismal Vow and Commitment........................................................ 45 Baptismal Vow .............................................................................. 45 Baptismal Covenant...................................................................... 47 Voting Acceptance Subject to Baptism ......................................... 48 Receiving Members Who Are Not Known..................................... 48 Baptismal Preparations ................................................................ 48

Rebaptism ............................................................................................ 49 Individuals From Other Christian Communions .......................... 49 Apostasy and Rebaptism ............................................................... 49 Inappropriate Rebaptism .............................................................. 50

Profession of Faith ............................................................................... 50 Transferring Members ......................................................................... 51

Method of Granting Letters of Transfer ....................................... 51 Clerk to Prepare Letter................................................................. 52 Letter Valid Six Months ................................................................ 52 Alternative Method for Membership Transfer .............................. 52 Membership During Transfer ....................................................... 52 Receiving Members Under Difficult Conditions........................... 53 Counted in Statistical Reports ...................................................... 53 If Member Is Not Accepted ........................................................... 53 Letters Granted Only to Those in Regular Standing .................... 53 No Letter Without Member's Approval ........................................ 53 Church Board Cannot Grant Letters ............................................ 54 Membership in the Conference Church ........................................ 54 Membership Record...................................................................... 55 Discipline ................................................................................................... 56 General Principles................................................................................ 56 Dealing With Erring Members ..................................................... 56 God's Plan.................................................................................... 56 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 ......................................................................... 62 Process of Discipline ........................................................................... 63

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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Discipline by Censure................................................................... 63 Discipline by Removal From Membership ................................... 63 No Additional Tests of Fellowship................................................ 64 Timeliness of Discipline................................................................ 64 Caution About Judging Character and Motive............................. 64 At a Properly Called Meeting....................................................... 64 By Majority Vote........................................................................... 65 Church Board Cannot Remove Members ..................................... 65 Fundamental Rights of the Members ............................................ 65 Lawyers Not to Represent Members ............................................. 65 Transferring Members Under Censure......................................... 65 Members Not to Be Removed for Nonattendance ......................... 66 Members Moving Away and Not Reporting.................................. 66 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 ......... 67 Right of Appeal for Reinstatement ................................................ 67 Local Church Officers and Organizations.............................................. 69 General Qualifications ......................................................................... 69 Moral and Religious Fitness......................................................... 69 Feeding and Guarding the Church ............................................... 70 Respecting Pastors and Officers................................................... 70 Not Hurried Into Office ................................................................ 71 Those Opposing Unity Not Suitable for Office ............................. 71 Unsafe to Choose Those Refusing to Cooperate........................... 71 Local Membership ........................................................................ 71 Setting Tithing Example................................................................ 72 Not Delegates Ex Officio .............................................................. 72 Distributing Responsibility ........................................................... 72 Removal and Readmission ............................................................ 72 Term of Office ..................................................................................... 72 Elders ................................................................................................... 73 Religious Leaders of the Church .................................................. 73 Ordination of Elders ............................................................................ 73 Relationship to the Pastor ............................................................ 73 Work of Elders Is Local ................................................................ 74 Conducting Church Services ........................................................ 74 Baptismal Service ......................................................................... 75 Marriage Ceremony ..................................................................... 75

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CHURCH MANUAL

To Foster Tithing .......................................................................... 75 To Foster Bible Study, Prayer, and a Relationship With Jesus .... 75 To Foster All Lines of Work.......................................................... 75 To Cooperate With the Conference .............................................. 76 To Foster Worldwide Work .......................................................... 76 Training and Equipping of Elders ................................................ 76 Free to Work Effectively ............................................................... 76 First Elder .................................................................................... 76 Limitation of Authority ................................................................. 77 Church Leaders .................................................................................... 77 Deacons ............................................................................................... 77 Board of Deacons ......................................................................... 78 Deacons Must Be Ordained.......................................................... 78 Deacons Not Authorized to Preside .............................................. 79 Duties of Deacons......................................................................... 79 Deaconesses ......................................................................................... 80 Board of Deaconesses .................................................................. 80 Ordination Service for Deaconesses............................................. 80 Deaconesses Not Authorized to Preside ....................................... 80 Duties of Deaconesses .................................................................. 81 Clerk .................................................................................................... 81 No Names Added or Removed Without Vote................................. 81 Transferring Members .................................................................. 82 Corresponding With Members...................................................... 82 Notice of Delegates for Conference Sessions ............................... 82 Reports to Be Furnished Promptly ............................................... 82 Church Records ............................................................................ 82 Treasurer .............................................................................................. 82 Treasurer the Custodian of All Funds .......................................... 83 Conference Funds......................................................................... 83 Sabbath School Funds .................................................................. 83 Local Church Funds ..................................................................... 83 Funds of Auxiliary Organizations ................................................ 84 Safeguarding the Purpose of Funds.............................................. 84 Money for Personal Literature Orders ......................................... 84 Proper Method for Payment of Money by Members..................... 84 Receipts to Members..................................................................... 85 Proper Method of Remitting Funds to the Conference ................. 85 Preservation of Financial Documents .......................................... 85 Books Should Be Audited.............................................................. 85 Relations With Members Confidential .......................................... 86

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