The New Testament uses several metaphors1 to describe the nature of the church, its internal relationships, and its purpose in the mission of God. The apostle Paul, writing to the Ephesians, summarizes God’s plan for the church: “that the multifaceted wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places” (Eph. 3:10, NASB).
However, the New Testament offers limited information about the church as a global organization or its structure and procedures. One may find guidance concerning the structure and operations of a local church, along with insights about the networking of churches. Still, there is rather minimal information about a global system of organization. This article describes the Seventh-day Adventist (hereafter referred to as Adventist) Church structure and operating relationships among its over 100,000 local churches worldwide.
In the beginning
The Adventist Church grew from a very humble start in the nineteenth century. The idea of a formal organizational structure was, at first, resisted by some of the church pioneers. Their energy and emphasis focused on preaching about Christ’s imminent return. However, with growth came the challenges of adopting a formal structure, selecting leaders, owning property, and distributing authority.
About 165 years after the initial steps to formal organization were made, the Adventist Church has grown to a presence in 212 countries and a worldwide membership nearing 23,000,000.2
The organization, governance, and operation of a Christian denomination is described by the term church polity. Three common patterns—episcopal, presbyterian, and congregational—fit many different church structures.
Adventist polity does not fit cleanly within any one of these models.3 Although no standard term has been formally adopted, the Adventist Church has been described as having interdependent functions. What does that mean?
Ecclesiastical unit nomenclature
The local church is the basic unit of the formal Adventist Church structure. A local church is a group of Adventist members who have been granted, by a supervisory level of the structure, status as an official part of the Adventist structure.
A local conference or local mission/field4 serves as the supervisory and coordinating body for a group of local churches within a defined geographical area. The conference/mission has been granted official status by a supervisory body as part of the denominational structure.
The supervisory and coordinating entity for several conferences within a defined geographical area is called a union conference or union mission. It also has been granted, by a supervisory body, official status as part of the denominational structure. In certain areas that have less need for both the local and union supervisory structures, this organizational unit may be identified as a union of churches.
The General Conference represents the largest unit of Adventist Church structure, providing overall supervisory and coordinating functions for unions. The General Conference consists of all the unions worldwide plus any other entities that have been directly attached to the General Conference for geopolitical reasons.
The General Conference has established divisions as regional administrative offices that act on behalf of, and in concert with, the General Conference in defined areas of the world.
A visual representation of Adventist Church organization reveals four layers of structure, with each succeeding layer embracing the units within its territory.
Special purpose entities
In addition, the Adventist Church structure embraces special purpose entities: schools, colleges, universities, food industries, hospitals, clinics, media centers, publishing houses, development and relief agencies, risk management organizations, corporations for property ownership and retirement fund management, and other specific needs. These organizations are separate from the Adventist Church for legal purposes, but they exist to advance the church’s mission.
Key governance and operational principles
Within the Adventist Church structure are several governance and operational concepts that define basic functions and relationships. The principles outlined below illustrate and expand the interdependent model of organization mentioned earlier.
- A membership basis for organization. Every unit of Adventist Church structure has a defined membership (generally referred to as the “constituency”). Local church membership comprises formally accepted members. Membership is not required to attend worship services and local church programs. However, membership, held in only one local church at a time, is required to participate in official decisions and/or to hold elected leadership roles in the local church.
The membership composition of larger organizational units consists of entities rather than individuals. Local churches, rather than individuals, form the membership of the local conference. Similarly, the members of a union organization are the entities in that union. The membership of the General Conference consists of unions around the world, plus any local conferences or missions/fields directly attached to the General Conference. - Conferred rather than self-determined status. Membership in the local church or any other organizational entity is never self-determined. Formal approval by the current members of that body is required to grant membership status to others.
Membership is not automatically perpetual. Membership obligations, if neglected or contradicted, can lead to membership termination. Such a decision can be made only by the same level of organization that initially approved the membership. - Representative form of governance. The Adventist Church defines its internal governance as representative in form. Representation is accomplished by member units choosing delegates with voting power to attend constituency sessions for that organization. Governance between constituency sessions is entrusted to the entity’s executive committee.
- Ultimate authority resides in a group rather than an individual. Differing levels of authority are widely dispersed. Regardless of the leadership role that a person holds, the authority of an individual is ultimately accountable to a group. An executive committee may entrust authority to an individual, but that individual is always answerable to a group.
The interdependence of Adventist Church functioning is further highlighted by the distribution of authority throughout the organization. Every unit of organization depends on the functioning authority of other organizations. The authority distribution table illustrates examples of specific authority distributed in the Adventist structure. - Shared rather than presidential administration. Executive responsibility in Adventist ecclesiastical structure is shared among an officer team (generally three individuals: president, secretary, treasurer), with the president considered first among equals. A presidential model of administration may be more evident in church institutions.
- Unity of entities based on mission. All Adventist Church entities see themselves as part of a much larger organization engaged in the mission of God. This mindset instills cooperation and collaboration among diverse branches of organization.
- Resource sharing. The Adventist Church has adopted a system of resource-sharing (both human and financial) that enables individual members, as well as organizational units, to participate in supporting church mission activity far beyond their local boundaries.
- Separate identities but not independent. Church structure recognizes a vast array of entities with separate identities for legal and administrative purposes. However, these separate identities do not mean isolation and independence. Belonging to Adventist Church structure elicits a consciousness of being simultaneously local and global.
Church governance documents
The representative nature of church governance and the distribution of authority throughout the denominational structure are based on foundational governance documents. Of primary importance is the church’s commitment to the Bible as its source of understanding in personal and communal life. There is no human authority that supersedes Scripture.
The Adventist Church has summarized its understanding of the Bible in 28 fundamental beliefs.5 These statements give definite shape to Adventist doctrine, teachings, and lifestyle while also stimulating further Bible study and fresh articulation of how the Bible is relevant to all times and places.
A third governance document is the General Conference Working Policy. The General Conference Executive Committee has been granted the authority to adopt/amend policy. Such policy then serves as “the authoritative voice of the Church in all matters pertaining to the mission and to the administration of the work of the Seventh-day Adventist denomination in all parts of the world. . . The General Conference Working Policy shall be strictly adhered to by all organizations in every part of the world field.”6 An updated edition of the General Conference Working Policy is published annually.
The Seventh-day Adventist Church Manual serves as a primary governance document for local churches. It addresses the structure and operations of the local church and its relation to the conference in which it holds membership. General Conference Working Policy pertains to the structure, operations, and relationships of all other entities.
Additions or amendments to the Church Manual can be approved only by a General Conference session. An updated edition of the Church Manual is published after each regular session.
Constitutions and bylaws represent the fourth governance document for denominational entities. The General Conference Working Policy contains model constitutions and bylaws for ecclesiastical entities (conferences and unions) and model operating policies for missions/fields.
What holds the church together?
With a highly developed global infrastructure that operates in many differing cultural, linguistic, and political environments, a question arises as to what holds the church together. Though precise definitions vary, unity is a primary value to Adventists. Infrastructure design and operating policies contribute significantly to the realization of unity. However, the glue that holds the worldwide Adventist Church together comes primarily from other lines of consideration.
First among these is a commitment to the Bible and the leadership, blessing, and guidance of the Holy Spirit. This permits church entities to journey together toward growth, reform, and renewal in understanding, structures, and performance.
Secondly, a collective commitment to worldwide mission helps each person and entity recognize that they cannot accomplish the gospel commission on their own. “Together we can do more” has long served as an engaging invitation to think and act beyond local boundaries.
A third feature that helps bind the Adventist Church together is the long-standing practice of sharing resources—both human and financial. Self-denial on behalf of others is a defining characteristic in the life and ministry of Jesus. The principle of the strong supporting the weak has been a huge blessing to those areas of the world with lesser access to resources needed in church life and mission.
Finally, though the ideal of unity may be elusive, Christ’s followers are called to oneness. This is, ideally, one of the most significant ways that the gospel is portrayed with power to a fractured world. “You are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:28, NASB).
Strength and fragility
The Adventist Church is both strong and fragile. Its strength as a faith-based denomination comes from its dependence on divine resources to transform individuals and communities into practical demonstrations of the lordship of Jesus Christ. Its strength as an organization comes from the collective will to continually pursue best practices for efficiency and effectiveness in mission while being mindful of the interdependence among all entities. Its fragility derives from the ability of any leader, member, or organization to undermine its messaging, values, and code of conduct. A collective mindset and collaborative intent are essential in every member and leader for success in an organization designed for mission.
