SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH GOVERNANCE SYSTEM PRESENTED BY

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 (PASTORS 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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