Seventh-day Adventist Church Manual for 1986

204 Pages·2013·2.22 MB·English

Seventh-day Adventist
CHURCH
MANUAL
Issued by the
General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
Revised 1986
PRINTED IN U.S.A.
Table of Contents
Preface (cid:9) 15
CHAPTER 1
The Church of the Living God (cid:9) 19
No Wall of Partition (cid:9) 19
The Supreme Object of Christ's Regard (cid:9) 20
The Opposition of the Enemy (cid:9) 21
The Church Complete in Christ (cid:9) 21
CHAPTER 2
Fundamental Beliefs of Seventh-day Adventists (cid:9) 23
CHAPTER 3
Organization Founded on Divine Principles (cid:9) 33
Biblical Basis for Organization (cid:9) 33
Vital Importance of Organization (cid:9) 34
Divine Purpose in Organization (cid:9) 35
CHAPTER 4
The Form of Organization in the Seventh-day Adventist
Church (cid:9) 37
Forms of Church Government (cid:9) 37
Four Constituent Levels in the Seventh-day Adventist Organiza-
tion (cid:9) 38
The Church's Institutions (cid:9) 38
General Conference the Highest Authority (cid:9) 39
CHAPTER 5
Church Membership (cid:9) 41
Membership on a Spiritual Basis (cid:9) 41
Baptism a Gospel Requirement (cid:9) 41
Baptism a Prerequisite to Church Membership (cid:9) 41
Mode of Baptism (cid:9) 42
Ministers Thoroughly to Instruct Candidates Previous to Baptism...(cid:9) 42
Public Examination (cid:9) 43
5
6(cid:9) CHURCH MANUAL
Baptismal Covenant (cid:9) 43
Doctrinal Instruction for Baptismal Candidates (cid:9) 43
Baptismal Vow and Baptism (cid:9) 44
Baptismal Vow (cid:9) 44
Welcoming Candidates (cid:9) 45
Receiving Members Who Are Not Known (cid:9) 45
Baptismal Ceremony (cid:9) 45
Transferring Members (cid:9) 45
Transferring Church Members (cid:9) 45
Method of Granting Letters of Transfer (cid:9) 45
Clerk to Make Out Letter (cid:9) 46
Membership During Interval of Transfer (cid:9) 46
The Receiving of Members Disturbed by World Conditions (cid:9) 47
Counted in Statistical Reports (cid:9) 47
If Member Is Not Accepted (cid:9) 47
No Letters to Members Under Discipline (cid:9) 47
Church Letters Granted Only to Those in Good and Regular
Standing (cid:9) 47
Not to Vote Letter Without Member's Approval (cid:9) 47
Church Boards Cannot Grant Letters (cid:9) 48
Conference or Field Church (cid:9) 48
Organized Companies (cid:9) 49
Queries Concerning Receiving and Dropping Members (cid:9) 49
Receiving Members on Profession of Faith (cid:9) 49
Dropping Names (cid:9) 50
No Retired Membership List (cid:9) 50
Rebaptism (cid:9) 50
Of Converts From Other Religious Communions (cid:9) 50
Of Church Members and Former Seventh-day Adventists (cid:9) 51
CHAPTER 6
Church Officers and Their Duties (cid:9) 53
Their Qualifications (cid:9) 53
Moral Fitness (cid:9) 53
Religious Fitness (cid:9) 53
The Church Must Be Guarded and Fed (cid:9) 54
Respect and Deference Due to Ministers and Officers of the
Church (cid:9) 54
Men Not to Be Hurried Into Office (cid:9) 55
Those Opposed to Unity Not Suitable for Office (cid:9) 56
Unsafe to Choose Men Who Refuse to Cooperate With Others (cid:9) 56
The Church Elder (cid:9) 56
The Office an Important One (cid:9) 56
A Religious Leader of the Church (cid:9) 57
TABLE OF CONTENTS(cid:9) 7
Capable of Ministering the Word (cid:9) 57
Elected for One Year (cid:9) 57
Ordination of Local Elder (cid:9) 57
Work of Church Elder Is Local (cid:9) 58
To Foster All Lines of Missionary Work (cid:9) 58
Relationship to the Ordained Minister (cid:9) 58
Conduct of Church Services (cid:9) 59
The Baptismal Service (cid:9) 59
The Marriage Ceremony (cid:9) 59
To Cooperate With the Conference (cid:9) 59
To Foster Worldwide Work (cid:9) 60
To Foster Tithe Paying (cid:9) 60
To Distribute Responsibility (cid:9) 60
First Elder (cid:9) 60
Elder Not a Delegate Ex Officio (cid:9) 60
Limitation of Authority (cid:9) 60
Church Leaders (cid:9) 61
The Deacon (cid:9) 61
Importance of the Office (cid:9) 61
Board of Deacons (cid:9) 62
Deacons Must Be Ordained (cid:9) 62
The Duties of Deacons (cid:9) 62
To Assist in Church Ordinances (cid:9) 63
The Care of the Sick and the Poor (cid:9) 64
The Deaconess (cid:9) 64
The Duties of Deaconesses (cid:9) 64
The Board of Deaconesses (cid:9) 65
The Church Clerk (cid:9) 65
An Important Office (cid:9) 65
No Names Added or Dropped Without Vote of the Church (cid:9) 65
Transferring Members (cid:9) 65
Corresponding With Members (cid:9) 66
Delegates' Credentials for Conference Session (cid:9) 66
Reports to Be Furnished Promptly (cid:9) 66
Church Records (cid:9) 66
The Church Treasurer (cid:9) 66
A Sacred Work (cid:9) 66
Church Treasurer the Custodian of All Church Funds (cid:9) 67
Conference Funds (cid:9) 67
Sabbath School Funds (cid:9) 67
Adventist Youth Society Funds (cid:9) 67
Local Church Funds (cid:9) 68
Funds of Auxiliary Organizations (cid:9) 68
Safeguarding the Purpose of Funds (cid:9) 68
8(cid:9) CHURCH MANUAL
Money for Personal Literature Orders (cid:9) 69
Proper Method for Payment of Money by Members (cid:9) 69
Receipts to Church Members (cid:9) 69
Proper Method of Remitting Funds to the Conference (cid:9) 69
Preserving Vouchers (cid:9) 69
Books Should Be Audited (cid:9) 70
Relations With Members Confidential (cid:9) 70
Interest Coordinator (cid:9) 70
CHAPTER 7
The Services and Meetings of the Church (cid:9) 73
Spiritual Worship (cid:9) 73
Reverence for the House of Worship (cid:9) 73
Children to Be Taught Reverence (cid:9) 74
Decorum and Quietness in the Place of Worship (cid:9) 74
Arrangements for Church Meetings (cid:9) 74
Hospitality (cid:9) 74
Unauthorized Speakers in Our Churches (cid:9) 75
The Sabbath Worship Service (cid:9) 75
The Form of Service (cid:9) 75
Longer Order of Worship (cid:9) 75
Shorter Order of Worship (cid:9) 76
Announcements (cid:9) 76
Sacredness of the Sabbath Worship Hour (cid:9) 76
The Sabbath Morning Service (cid:9) 77
Public Prayer (cid:9) 78
The Communion Service (cid:9) 78
Announcing the Communion Service (cid:9) 79
Conducting the Communion Service (cid:9) 79
Who May Participate (cid:9) 80
Every Member Should Attend (cid:9) 81
Unleavened Bread and Unfermented Wine (cid:9) 81
A Memorial of the Crucifixion (cid:9) 81
Ordinance of Foot Washing (cid:9) 81
Suggested Order for the Communion Service (cid:9) 82
Who May Conduct Communion Service (cid:9) 82
Communion for the Sick (cid:9) 82
The Prayer Meeting (cid:9) 82
The Sabbath School (cid:9) 83
The Sabbath School Teachers' Meeting (cid:9) 83
Adventist Youth Society (cid:9) 84
Adventist Junior Youth Society and Pathfinder Club (cid:9) 85
Church Missionary Meetings (cid:9) 85
Times of Meetings (cid:9) 86
(cid:9)(cid:9)(cid:9)(cid:9)
TABLE OF CONTENTS(cid:9) 9
Supplying Literature on the Sabbath (cid:9) 86
The Church Board and Its Meetings (cid:9) 87
Definition and Function (cid:9) 87
Membership (cid:9) 87
Officers (cid:9) 88
Meetings (cid:9) 88
Work of the Board (cid:9) 88
Subcommittees (cid:9) 89
School Board Meetings (cid:9) 89
Horne and School Association (cid:9) 90
Business Meetings (cid:9) 90
Music (cid:9) 91
Place of Music in Divine Service (cid:9) 91
Sing With the Spirit and the Understanding (cid:9) 91
Selecting Choir Leaders (cid:9) 92
Wmbership of Church Choirs (cid:9) 92
CHAPTER 8
Auxiliary Organizations of the Church and Their Officers (cid:9) 93
The Department of Lay Activities (cid:9) 93
Lay Activities Council (cid:9) 93
Lay Activities Leader (cid:9) 94
Lay Activities Secretary (cid:9) 94
Dorcas Society (cid:9) 95
Adventist Men (cid:9) 96
Community Services Center (cid:9) 96
The Sabbath School (cid:9) 96
The Sabbath School Council (cid:9) 97
The Superintendent (cid:9) 98
The Assistant Superintendent (cid:9) 99
The Secretary (cid:9) 99
Assistant Secretaries (cid:9) 100
The Music Director (cid:9) 100
The Pianist and/or Organist (cid:9) 100
Sabbath School Offerings (cid:9) 100
Expense Money (cid:9) 100
The Quarterly Report (cid:9) 101
Adventist Youth Society (cid:9) 101
Objectives (cid:9) 102
Officers of the AY Society 103
The AY Society Council 103
Youth Leader and Associate Youth Leader 104
Secretary-Treasurer and Assistant 104
The AYS Sponsor (cid:9) 105
10(cid:9) CHURCH MANUAL
AY Features (cid:9) 105
The Adventist Junior Youth Society (cid:9) 105
AJY Pledge (cid:9) 106
AJY Law (cid:9) 106
AJY Classes (cid:9) 107
AY Honors (cid:9) 107
Pathfinder Club (cid:9) 107
Education (cid:9) 108
Philosophy (cid:9) 108
Objectives (cid:9) 108
Church Education Secretary (cid:9) 108
Home and School Association (cid:9) 109
Purpose (cid:9) 109
Membership (cid:9) 110
Officers (cid:9) 110
Leader and Assistant Leader (cid:9) 110
Secretary-Treasurer (cid:9) 110
The Church School Board (cid:9) 110
Membership (cid:9) 110
Officers (cid:9) 111
Relation of Union School Boards to the Local Churches (cid:9) 111
Term of Office (cid:9) 111
Meetings (cid:9) 111
Qualifications (cid:9) 111
Duties of the Officers (cid:9) 112
Functions (cid:9) 112
Communication (cid:9) 112
Importance of Effective Communication (cid:9) 112
The Organization (cid:9) 112
The Communication Secretary and His Work (cid:9) 113
The Communication Committee (cid:9) 113
Relation to Other Departments of the Church (cid:9) 113
In Large Adventist Centers (cid:9) 114
Qualifications (cid:9) 114
Department of Health (cid:9) 114
Church Health and Temperance Leader (cid:9) 114
Associate Church Health and Temperance Leader (cid:9) 115
Church Health and Temperance Council (cid:9) 115
Health and Temperance Activities (cid:9) 115
Health and Temperance Society (cid:9) 116
World Health and Temperance Sabbath Offering (cid:9) 116
Department of Stewardship and Development (cid:9) 116
Church Stewardship Secretary (cid:9) 116
TABLE OF CONTENTS(cid:9) 11
CHAPTER 9
Ministers and Workers in Relation to the Church (cid:9) 119
A Divinely Appointed Ministry (cid:9) 119
The Conference President (cid:9) 119
Pastors and District Leaders Not Executives (cid:9) 119
President and Committee Direct Departmental Secretaries (cid:9) 120
Work of Departmental Secretaries Not Administrative (cid:9) 120
Relation of Ordained Minister to Church Work (cid:9) 120
Churches Do Not Elect Pastor (cid:9) 121
Licensed Ministers (cid:9) 121
Bible Instructors (cid:9) 122
Adventist Book Center Managers (cid:9) 122
The Pastor Should Assist the Evangelist (cid:9) 122
President and Committee Direct Conference Workers (cid:9) 122
Credentials and Licenses (cid:9) 123
CHAPTER 10
The Church Election (cid:9) 125
Nominating Committee (cid:9) 125
When the Nominating Committee Is Chosen (cid:9) 125
How the Nominating Committee Is Chosen (cid:9) 125
Who Should Be Members of the Nominating Committee (cid:9) 126
Work of the Nominating Committee (cid:9) 126
Nominating Committee to Interview Prospective Officers (cid:9) 128
Appearing Before the Nominating Committee (cid:9) 128
Nominating Committee Discussions Are Confidential (cid:9) 128
Reporting to the Church (cid:9) 128
Objecting to the Report of the Nominating Committee (cid:9) 128
Vacancies (cid:9) 129
Election of Delegates to Local Conference Session (cid:9) 129
Choosing Delegates (cid:9) 129
Duty of Delegates (cid:9) 130
Responsibility of Conference Officers (cid:9) 130
Conference Committee Members to Represent the Entire Confer-
ence (cid:9) 130
CHAPTER 11
Gospel Finance (cid:9) 133
Stewardship (cid:9) 133
The Tithe (cid:9) 134
Systematic Benevolence and Unity (cid:9) 135
How the Tithe Is to Be Used (cid:9) 135
How the Tithe Is Handled (cid:9) 135
(cid:9)
12(cid:9) CHURCH MANUAL
Conference Workers and Church Officers to Set Example in
Returning Tithe (cid:9) 135
Tithe Paying a Scriptural Obligation (cid:9) 135
Offerings 136
Sabbath School Offerings (cid:9) 136
Other Offerings (cid:9) 136
Special Gifts to Fields (cid:9) 136
Assisting the Needy (cid:9) 136
Church Budget for Local Expenses (cid:9) 137
Sample Budget (cid:9) 137
Church Budget (cid:9) 137
Estimated Receipts (cid:9) 137
Estimated Expenses (cid:9) 137
General Counsel (cid:9) 138
On Solicitation of Funds (cid:9) 138
On Questionable Methods for Raising Church Funds (cid:9) 139
On Tithes and Offerings Not a Personal Trust Fund (cid:9) 139
On Avoiding Debt (cid:9) 139
On Financing Church Buildings (cid:9) 139
On Handling and Accounting for Funds (cid:9) 140
On Auditing (cid:9) 140
CHAPTER 12
Standards of Christian Living (cid:9) 141
The High Calling of God in Christ Jesus (cid:9) 141
Bible Study and Prayer (cid:9) 142
Community Relationships (cid:9) 142
Sabbathkeeping (cid:9) 143
Reverence for the Place of Worship (cid:9) 143
Health and Temperance (cid:9) 144
Dress (cid:9) 145
Simplicity (cid:9) 146
Reading (cid:9) 146
Radio and Television (cid:9) 147
Recreation and Entertainment (cid:9) 147
Music (cid:9) 148
Social Relationships (cid:9) 148
Chaperonage (cid:9) 150
Courtship and Marriage (cid:9) 150
Conclusion (cid:9) 151
CHAPTER 13
Church Discipline (cid:9) 153
General Principles (cid:9) 153
(cid:9)
TABLE OF CONTENTS(cid:9) 13
Dealing With Erring Members (cid:9) 153
To Seek Reconciliation (cid:9) 154
The Authority of the Church (cid:9) 156
Church Responsible for Dealing With Sin (cid:9) 156
Unconsecrated Resist Church Discipline (cid:9) 157
Rules and Regulations Necessary (cid:9) 157
Self-appointed Organizations (cid:9) 157
Safeguarding Unity of the Church (cid:9) 158
Settlement of Differences Among Members (cid:9) 158
Settlement of Grievances of Members Against the Church (cid:9) 159
Settlement of Grievances of the Church Against Members (cid:9) 160
Administering Discipline (cid:9) 160
Censure Defined (cid:9) 161
Disfellowshiping Defined (cid:9) 161
Reasons for Which Members Shall Be Disciplined (cid:9) 162
Caution in Disciplining Members (cid:9) 163
Ministers Cr Churches Not to Establish Tests of Fellowship (cid:9) 163
At a Duly Called Meeting (cid:9) 163
Majority Vote (cid:9) 163
Church Board Cannot Disfellowship (cid:9) 164
Right of the Member to Be Heard in His Own Defense (cid:9) 164
Lawyers Not to Represent Members (cid:9) 164
Members Not to Be Dropped for Nonattendance (cid:9) 164
Members Moving Away and Not Reporting (cid:9) 164
Members Not to Be Dropped for Pecuniary Reasons (cid:9) 165
Dropping a Member on His Own Request (cid:9) 165
Notification to Disfellowshiped Members (cid:9) 165
Reinstating Disfellowshiped Members (cid:9) 165
Right of Appeal for Reinstatement (cid:9) 166
CHAPTER 14
Organizing, Uniting, and Disbanding Churches (cid:9) 167
Organization of a Church (cid:9) 167
Uniting Churches (cid:9) 168
Disbanding or Expelling Churches (cid:9) 169
Loss of Members (cid:9) 169
Disciplinary Reasons (cid:9) 170
Apostasy or Rebellion (cid:9) 171
Care of Members 171
Conference or Mission Session to Act in All Cases (cid:9) 172
Church Assets, Funds, and Records (cid:9) 172
CHAPTER 15
Divorce and Remarriage (cid:9) 173