During the sixty-first General Conference Session that took place in St. Louis, Missouri, United States in 2022, the Seventh-day Adventist Church approved updates in the Seventh-day Adventist Church Manual. The new electronic version is available for free download at https://www.eldersdigest.org.
WHY A CHURCH MANUAL?
The Seventh-day Adventist Church Manual has an essential role within the church organization. It reminds us of the church’s purpose, local organization, and relationship with the world church. It also describes the implementation of various departments and ministries at the local level; the primary objective of the church’s existence is to serve the community and make disciples.
God is a God of order, and God does all things well. “With God, disorder and chaos give way to order and peace.”1 Since the beginning of the creation, the chaos became “very good” (Gen 1:31). Order and peace are evidenced also through redemption. Consequently, order is an integral part of His church. “Order is achieved through principles and regulations that guide the Church in its internal operations and in the fulfillment of its mission to the world. In order for it to be a successful ecclesiastical organization at the service of the Lord and humanity, it needs order, rule, and discipline. Scripture affirms that ‘all things be done decently and in order’ (1 Cor. 14:40).”2
According to Robert Pierson, former president of the General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, “Rules and policies we must have in our church program. Every administrator and pastor has experienced the strength that is his when he faces difficult decisions and is able to turn to the Church Manual or the denominational policy book and there find counsel.”3
The Church Manual deals with church organization and authority, the pastoral role, congregational governance, and the meaning of membership (duties and responsibilities). It also covers details about discipleship, worship service, liturgy, Christian lifestyle, and many other themes related to the daily life of congregations, such as church discipline and many other operational specifics of the local church.
CHANGE OF DIRECTION
Church leaders did not quickly produce a book of rules for church governance, even though the General Conference Session met annually during the church’s early years and delegates voted on matters of church order and life. They feared a manual might formalize the church and take from its pastors their freedom to deal with issues of order as they desired.
When discussion of a manual had first arisen at the General Conference Session in 1878, what had been requested was really a policy book with “Constitution and By-Laws” and guidance on parliamentary procedure. However, the 1882 session specifically asked for a manual that would provide “instruction to church officers” at the local church level. Thus, the proposed manual addressed both.
It specifically dealt with issues of local church order and governance but also policy. The manual was basically descriptive, as indicated by the frequent use of such phrases as “it is customary among Adventists,” “at the present time,” and “experience has shown.” The manual also included Uriah Smith’s summary “Statement on Fundamentals.”4
A survey of the Advent Review and Sabbath Herald of 1882– 1883 indicates that the young denomination was working hard at developing a consensus on matters of church polity, teaching, and practice. Considerable diversity of practice and sometimes confusion existed among the churches.5
When the first sample of the manual was presented in 1883, the General Conference Committee rejected the adoption of a manual. The main concerns were to move in the direction of “the formation of a creed, or a discipline, other than the Bible,” which the denomination had “been opposed to.”6
Even though there was a need to standardize church-related procedures and to establish guidelines, and the denomination continued to take actions at the local and General Conference sessions, it took fifty years for the denomination to overcome those fears—not that they did not exist anymore, but the circumstances and needs to adopt a manual surpassed the worries.
A couple of years after the rejection of the manual, J. H. Waggoner brought back the issue to the General Conference, and it was recommended that it should be published under the author’s name. A couple of decades later, as the denomination was facing serious internal challenges, John N. Loughborough took the challenge to write The Church: Its Organization, Order, and Discipline. It was extremely helpful as a practical guide to the church. Even though it was not a church manual, over the next twenty years it served as one in a practical way. “The book touched on local church issues,” focusing “on the church as a broad organization as opposed to the individual worshiping congregation,”7 although it also gave practical recommendations on procedures, structure, and offices.
As the church worldwide grew rapidly in the early twentieth century, it increasingly recognized the need for a manual for worldwide use by its pastors and lay members. In 1931 the General Conference Committee voted to publish a church manual. J. L. McElhany, later president of the General Conference, prepared the manuscript, which was published in 1932.8
The opening sentence of the preface of that first edition observed that “it has become increasingly evident that a manual on church government is needed to set forth and preserve our denominational practices and polity.” This was no attempt to suddenly create and impose upon the church a whole pattern of church governance. Rather it was an endeavor first to preserve all the good actions taken through the years and then to add rules required by the church’s increasing growth and complexity.9 Maybe some of the fears of the pioneers still existed, especially the challenges of having a manual that would be more prescriptive than descriptive.
The process of the creation of the first official manual is not clear. In 1926, James L. McElhany was asked to prepare a draft, and he had strong support from General Conference officers to execute the project. It was a combination of some principles used by Loughborough and others from Brother Stevens, in addition to a variety of suggestions and principles to address local church challenges.
AUTHORITY AND FUNCTION OF THE CHURCH MANUAL
The Seventh-day Adventist Church Manual has existed in its current format since 1932. Since its adoption, the Church Manual has been widely used and very helpful to give guidance, structure, and strength to the worldwide church. It describes the operation and functions of local churches and their relationship to the denominational structures in which they hold membership. The Church Manual also expresses the church’s understanding of Christian life, church governance, and discipline based on biblical principles and the authority of duly assembled General Conference Sessions. “God has ordained that the representatives of His church from all parts of the earth, when assembled in a General Conference, shall have authority.”10
The Church Manual is divided into two types of material. The content of each chapter is of worldwide value and is applicable to every church organization, congregation, and member. Recognizing the need for variations in some sections, additional explanatory material, presented as guidance and examples, appears as notes at the end of the Church Manual.
The standards and practices of the church are based upon the principles of the Holy Scriptures. These principles, underscored by the counsel offered in the writings of Ellen G. White, are set forth in the Church Manual. They are to be followed in all matters pertaining to the administration and operation of local churches. The Church Manual also defines the relationship that exists between the local congregation and the conference or other entities of Seventh-day Adventist denominational organization. No attempt should be made to set up standards of membership or to make, or attempt to enforce, rules or regulations for local church operations that are contrary to these decisions adopted by the General Conference in session and that are set forth in this Church Manual. 11
UPDATING AND MAKING CHANGES
The denomination developed a system to preserve and update church policies and documents. There is an ongoing process to review and update these documents through the diligent work of committees and sub-committees that report to larger committees formed by worldwide delegation. Through this procedure, the church has ownership in the decision-making process, and the Holy Spirit can reveal God’s will through the principle of “many advisers bring success” (Prov 15:22, NLT).
The General Conference through the years voted important changes concerning the Church Manual. Realizing the importance of conducting the worldwide work of the church “decently and in order,” the 1946 General Conference Session voted that “all changes or revisions of policy that are to be made in the Manual shall be authorized by the General Conference Session.”12
Careful control of the changes made to these documents allows us to see how the documents have evolved and to ensure that the most recent version is used. Reviewing these documents, making necessary changes, and communicating the updates to the worldwide church facilitates the denomination’s unity and identity. By following this strategy, the church can ensure that its documents and policies are up-to-date and accurate, which can help to improve efficiency, reduce errors and conflicts, and enhance the overall quality and effectiveness of the work.
WHERE TO GET ADVICE
From the beginning of its adoption in 1932, “it stated that the manual was set forth ‘as a guide’ in matters of church administration. It was not, however, just to set forth ‘denominational practices and polity’— but also to ‘preserve’ these.”13
Church officers and leaders, pastors, and members should consult with their conference for advice pertaining to the operating of their congregation or on questions arising from the Church Manual. If they do not reach mutual understanding, they should consult with their union conference/mission for clarification.14
Even though Seventh-day Adventists reluctantly adopted a church manual, the benefits of this decision can be seen as a robust worldwide church. On the other hand, some reasons that prevented the pioneers from moving forward in that direction are still present today. Therefore, it is up to the leaders of this denomination to learn from the past and wisely fulfill their call with humility and an open heart to continue receiving God’s guidance.
1 “What Does the Bible Say about Order vs Chaos?,” Got Questions, accessed December 8, 2023, https://www.gotquestions. org/order-vs-chaos.html.
2 General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, Seventh-day Adventist Church Manual, 20th ed. (Silver Spring, MD: Review and Herald, 2022), 16.
3 Robert H. Pierson, “The Letter of the Law,” Ministry, November 1964, 13–14.
4 Uriah Smith, “Statement on Fundamentals,” Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, June 5–September 25, 1883.
5 Gil Valentine, “The Road to a Church Manual, Part 1,” Ministry, April 1999, 14.
6 Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, November 20, 1883, 733.
7 Gil Valentine, “The Stop-Start Journey on the Road to a Church-Manual,” Ministry, June 1999, 19.
8 Seventh-day Adventist Church Manual, 17.
9 Ibid.
10Ibid.; Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church (Mountain View, CA: Pacific Press, 1909), 9:261.
11Seventh-day Adventist Church Manual, 17–18.
12Ibid., 18; General Conference Report 8 (June 14, 1946), 197.
13Valentine, “Road to a Church Manual,” 22.
14Seventh-day Adventist Church Manual, 19.
Gerson P. Santos is an associate secretary of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States.
