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Church Manual
Church Manual Changes - 2010
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18th Edition ( 5 ) - Organizing Churches
Changes are in bold dark red type
| Chapter 5: Organizing, Uniting and Dissolving Churches |
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page 37 to 43
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| Organizing a Church |
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A church is organized by an ordained pastor on the recommendation of the conference executive committee. (For the procedure for organizing a company, see p. XX.) Since so much is involved in the organization of a church, the local conference president should be invited to be present.
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When a company of baptized believers is prepared to assume the responsibilities of an organized church, it must consult with the conference president and obtain approval from the conference executive committee prior to seeking a date for the organization to take place.
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When the baptized believers assemble on the agreed upon date, the individual officiating should first present a brief review of the Fundamental Beliefs of Seventh-day Adventists.
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| Then the one presiding should make a call asking all who are in agreement with these principles and who desire to unite in church fellowship to come forward. The name of each person should be recorded. If any are already members of the conference church or another congregation, the one officiating should present letters of transfers they have secured. Those transferring form the nucleus of the congregation. |
| If, however, there are no transferring members, then three members (preferably established Sabbathkeepers among those present) should be selected as a nucleus. They may be asked these questions: Do you accept Christ as your personal Savior? Are you in full harmony with the principles of faith that have just been presented? Have you been baptized by immersion? Are you in regular standing and enjoying one another's confidence? |
| If they answer these questions in the affirmative, the three are declared the nucleus of the new church. Then one after another the names that were recorded are called, each person is asked the questions listed in the preceding paragraph, and the presiding person takes a vote among the nucleus to received each individual into church fellowship. Each person ( page 38 ) thus received becomes a member of the church and is qualified to vote on the next name. Care should be taken to see that full fellowship and brotherly love exist among those received into membership. Should any difficulty arise in any case over a question either of doctrine or of fellowship, action should be deferred unless the matter can be adjusted kindly and tactfully. |
| When the nucleus has voted on all potential members, the church is a complete entity and ready for election of officers. Members then choose a nominating committee, with the officiating pastor serving as chairperson. The nominating committee brings in nominations to fill the various church offices. When these have been elected, the elders should be ordained, unless they have already been ordained as elders. A similar but shorter service should take place for ordination of deacons and deaconesses. The church then is fully organized and ready for service. |
| Before the organizing meeting ends, the members should vote to request the conference to receive the newly organized church into the sisterhood of churches at the next conference session. |
| To maximize success of the new congregation, conference and local leaders see that all officers are fully instructed concerning their duties. The church also should have the materials needed for the communion service, whihc, if possible, should be celebrated as part of the organizational meeting. The treasurer, the clerk, and the other officers should receive all the necessary records or equipment needed to carry out their responsibility. |
| Organizing a Company |
| Where a number of isolated believers reside near one another or where they belong to a small group, house church planting core group, they should consider forming a company of believers for fellowship, worship, and mission with the objective of growing into an organized church or multiplying house churches in that geographical area. |
| Company status is approved by vote of the conference committee, which, should it become necessary, may subsequently dissolve the company. |
| Under construction |
| Continue to Chapter 6 - Membership |
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