ELDER’S TRAINING SEMINAR

Ministerial Association of the Ministerial Association of the General Conference General Conference

www.ministerialassociation.comwww.ministerialassociation.com

Based on the Elder’s Handbook

The Church and

Its Organization Chapter 1

ChurchChurch organizationorganization

The Church is God’s Idea

• God created the church.

• Everywhere God is at work there is organization.

• People who want to be part of God’s plan, but not part of an organization, do not understand how God works.

Since God is the originator and He is in the work of saving sinners, He put together an organization to

help in acomplishing that task.

Organizational Structure From the Beginning

• FAMILY - Patriarchal system

• NATION - God’s people

• CHURCH - Community of Christians

ChurchChurch organizationorganization

What is the church?What is the church?

The Bible uses many images to represent the church:

1. A church is a group of Christian people.

2. A church is a group of Christian people called out from the world, learning to love God and each other.

The CHURCH is not a museum, but a living workshop.

What is the church?What is the church?

The Bible uses many images to represent the church:

3. A church is a group of Christian reaching out to the world, inviting others in.

4. A church is a place for healing the hurts of life.

Every church member, in receiving the Holy Spirit, receives a spiritual gift to be used in soul winning ministry.

• A MISSION:: a group of disciples sent to reach out to the world inviting others in.

• A HOSPITAL: a place for healing the hurts of life.

• THE HOUSE OF GOD: God is the Father and people are His children.

What is the church?What is the church?

Organization of The ChurchOrganization of The Church

BIBLE MODELS

• The Israel Model: theocratic nation

• Paul Model: body

• Jesus Model: eklesia

Revelation 14:6Revelation 14:6 - “nation, tribe, language, - “nation, tribe, language, people”people”

Mark 16: 15Mark 16: 15 - “all creation”- “all creation”

1. Global

2. Multicultural

3. Multinational

How to meet the challenge?How to meet the challenge?

The challenge can only be met by:

1. Good organization of resources

2. Delegation of authority

3. Flexibility, evaluation and control

How to meet the challenge?How to meet the challenge?

Ellen G. White:

1. To support the gospel ministry.

2. To carry on the work of preaching in new fields.

3. To protect both churches and the ministry from unworthy

members’ action.

4. For holding church property.

5. To publish the truth via the printing press.

God’s resons for organizationGod’s resons for organization

Forms of Church Government

1. Papal: The Pope has supreme authority.

2. Episcopal: The final authority rests with church bishops.

3. Congregational: Full authority within its domain rests with the local congregation.

4. Representative: Authority rests with church members. Planning and coordination is delegated to other administrative levels, reviewed at periodic “sessions.”

1. Local Congregations. This includes the organized church and organized company.

2. Local Field. Conference/Mission.

3. Union. Conference/Mission.

4. General Conference. The world field with 13 Divisions (Regional Representatives).

Levels of SDA church organization

The Old Testament Delegation Process:

1.1. God.God.

2.2. Moses. Counsel from Jethro (Exodus 18)Moses. Counsel from Jethro (Exodus 18)

3.3. 70 Men. Qualification of the 70 (Numbers 11)70 Men. Qualification of the 70 (Numbers 11)

In the King James Version, the term ELDER is used 194 times.

DelegationDelegation

Early Church officersEarly Church officers

The New Testament Leadership:

1. Apostles: ordained

• They cared for the overall teaching, planning, administration, and evangelism of the church.

• They were generally itinerant workers.

The New Testament Leadership:

2. Elders: ordained

• They were lay persons.

• They exercised their spiritual gifts in the local congregation.

• They provided a ministry that gave strength and direction to the local church.

Early Church officersEarly Church officers

The New Testament Leadership:

3. Deacon: ordained

• They were responsible for visiting sick members

• They took care of the needs of the congregation

• They were witnesses

Early Church officers

Local officers/how important !Local officers/how important !

Church Manual

“In the work and organization of the church, if a

pastor has not been provided by the conference or

mission, the office of elder ranks as the highest and

most important.”

Church depends upon elders:

There are approximately 25,000 ministers available to serve more than 15 million Seventh-day Adventist members in 130,000 congregations.

Only through the faithful ministry of local church leaders can churches thrive.

The Importance of Local officersThe Importance of Local officers