SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH GOVERNANCE SYSTEM

CONSTITUENCY BASE CHURCH GOVERNANCE SEMINAR PRESENTED BY M GWALA

PART TWO

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 (+/- 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:     PASTORAL TEAM (PASTOR\S AND ELDER/S) SECRETARIAT (CHURCH CLERK) TREASURY (CHURCH TREASURER) DEACONRY (HEAD DEACON & HEAD DEACONESS)

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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  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:  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