Government of the Seventh-day Adventist Church
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The governance (polity) of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is based on democratic representation, and therefore resembles the Presbyterian system of church organization. The organizational structure of the church consists of the following levels:
- The global church is called the General Conference.
- The General Conference is made up of 13 divisions.
- Divisions are comprised of union conferences (100 total).
- Union conferences consist of local conferences (555 total).
- Local conferences include local church districts. These are generally ministered to by one pastor each.
- Local districts can contain one to many local churches (congregations). In the United States, these numbers tend to be smaller (2-4 churches per district, perhaps), while in most of the worldwide church, the numbers tend to be larger (5+ per district and per pastor, sometimes as many as 15 or more).
Each level of organization holds a "general session" at certain intervals, when elected representatives gather to vote on general decisions and church business. The president of the General Conference, for instance, is elected at the General Conference Session every five years.
At the local churches, decisions are made by elected committees through vote of members. The day-to-day running of churches is governed by a church board formed by members of that church, together with the pastor of that congregation.
In contrast to congregational polity, the conference corporation owns church property, employs and pays ministers, and receives tithes from members. In contrast to episcopal polity, the ministers or pastors are a single level of ordained clergy and there are no bishops; elders and deacons are lay ministries.
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[edit] Global Church offices
[edit] General Conference President
A President is elected at the General Conference Session every 5 years. Presides over the Executive Committee.
[edit] General Conference Secretary
[edit] Division President
[edit] Local Church offices
There are a number of church offices that are elected by the church body as specified by the Church Manual. Positions must be filled by baptised members who attend regularly and the position is held for a 12 month term, except in special circumstances where the church chooses to elect offices once every 24 months. Offices are never elected permanently, although persons my be reelected.
[edit] Pastor
The most prominent church office is that of the pastor or minister. Adventists believe that pastors are divinely called to ministry and they are ordained by the church for their ministry. The position of church pastor is not elected by the local church, but rather appointed by a local conference. Adventists believe in clerical marriage and not a celibate priesthood. Women may serve as ministers, however they may not be ordained as pastors. In the majority of cases the pastor works with the head elder of the church and is responsible for guiding the church's spiritual direction, chairing the church board and leading out in services.
[edit] Elder
Working with the pastor in the local church is the elder who is appointed by the local church and ordained by the local pastor. Female elders may also be ordained. The elder is seen as a religious leader in the local church and is able to conduct ordinances. The elder, or elders in some cases (who are led by a "head elder"), is largely responsible for the running of the church and the distribution of responsibility in the church.
[edit] Deacon
The deacon, like the elder, is an elected and ordained role. The deacon's primary roles are the assistance in running of services, the visitation of members, the care of the sick and the maintenance of church property.
[edit] Deaconess
The deaconess holds a similar position to a deacon, however no provision is given for their ordination. The duties of a deaconess are very similar to the deacon, with particular emphasis placed on assistance in running services and the care of the sick.
[edit] Church Clerk
The clerk is an elected position, and is responsible for the keeping of church records. The clerk facilitates the addition and removal of members from church records at the request of the church and helps with the generation of church reports to be presented to the conference.
[edit] Treasurer
The treasurer is an elected position responsible for the keeping of church funds. The treasurer is responsible for keeping accounts and the safeguarding of the money.
The officially endorsed abbreviation of "Seventh-day Adventist" is "Adventist", not "SDA".[1]
[edit] See also
- General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
- Seventh-day Adventist Church
- History of the Seventh-day Adventist Church
[edit] References
- ^ Use of the Church Name. Seventh-day Adventist Church. Retrieved on 2007-01-11.
[edit] External links
- Adventist Yearbook The Official Organizational Directory
