SEVENTH DAY
ADVENTIST CHURCH
GOVERNANCE
SYSTEM
CONSTITUENCY BASE
CHURCH GOVERNANCE SEMINAR
PRESENTED BY M GWALA
PART TWO
INTRODUCTION
 SDA CHURCH HAS 4 CONSTITUENCY LEVELS:
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LOCAL CHURCH WITH A MINIMUM OF 25 MEMBERS;
LOCAL CONFERENCE (+/- 40 000 MEMBERS)
LOCAL UNION (+/- 120 000 MEMBERS)
GENERAL CONFERENCE WITH ITS DIVISION
EXTENSIONS (+/- 17 000 000 MEMBERS).
 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:
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PASTORAL TEAM (PASTOR\S 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:
 777
 111
 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
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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
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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:
 BIBLICAL 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!
END OF PART TWO