SIXTH SESSION OF BUSINESS Fifty-Sixth General Conference Session Utrecht, Netherlands July 2, 1995, 2:10 p.m. THE CHURCH'S INSTITUTIONS - CHURCH MANUAL AMENDMENT Voted, To amend the Church Manual page 38, Church's Institutions, paragraph 2, to read as follows: In Seventh-day Adventist theology and philosophy of church operations, such institutions have been from their inception integral parts of the church, direct instruments in the carrying out of its divine commission. Therefore, the Seventh-day Adventist Church makes use of its denominationally owned and operated institutions such as health care institutions,* publishing houses, health food industries, and educational institutions as integral parts to fulfill health, literature, and teaching ministries; therefore, they are indispensable to and inseparable from the total ministry of the church in carrying the gospel to all the world. *(For North American Division, see Church Manual, NAD Supplement, page .) BAPTISMAL VOW AND BAPTISM, BAPTISMAL VOW - CHURCH MANUAL AMENDMENT Voted, To amend the Church Manual pages 44 and 45, Baptismal Vow and Baptism, Baptismal Vow, to read as follows: Baptismal Vow Candidates for baptism or those being received into fellowship by profession of faith shall affirm their acceptance of the doctrinal beliefs of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the presence of the church or other properly appointed body (See p. 43). The minister or elder should address the following questions to the candidate(s), whose reply may be by verbal assent or by raising the hand. Commitment 1. Do you believe there is one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, a unity of three coeternal Persons? 2. Do you accept the death of Jesus Christ on Calvary as the atoning sacrifice for your sins and believe that by God's grace through faith in His shed blood you are saved from sin and its penalty? 3. Do you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and personal Saviour believing that God, in Christ, has forgiven your sins and given you a new heart, and do you renounce the sinful ways of the world? 4. Do you accept by faith the righteousness of Christ, your Intercessor in the heavenly sanctuary, and accept His promise of transforming grace and power to live a loving, Christ-centered life in your home and before the world? 5. Do you believe that the Bible is God's inspired Word, the only rule of faith and practice for the Christian? Do you covenant to spend time regularly in prayer and Bible study? 6. Do you accept the Ten Commandments as a transcript of the character of God and a revelation of His will? Is it your purpose by the power of the indwelling Christ to keep this law, including the fourth commandment, which requires the observance of the seventh day of the week as the Sabbath of the Lord and the memorial of Creation? 7. Do you look forward to the soon coming of Jesus and the blessed hope when ``this mortal shall . . . put on immortality''? As you prepare to meet the Lord, will you witness to His loving salvation by using your talents in personal soul-winning endeavor to help others to be ready for His glorious appearing? 8. Do you accept the biblical teaching of spiritual gifts and believe that the gift of prophecy is one of the identifying marks of the remnant church? 9. Do you believe in church organization? Is it your purpose to support the church by your tithes and offerings and by your personal effort and influence? 10. Do you believe that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit; and will you honor God by caring for it, avoiding the use of that which is harmful; abstaining from all unclean foods; from the use, manufacture, or sale of alcoholic beverages; the use, manufacture, or sale of tobacco in any of its forms for human consumption; and from the misuse of or trafficking in narcotics or other drugs? 11. Do you know and understand the fundamental Bible principles as taught by the Seventh-day Adventist Church? Do you purpose, by the grace of God, to fulfill His will by ordering your life in harmony with these principles? 12. Do you accept the New Testament teaching of baptism by immersion and desire to be so baptized as a public expression of faith in Christ and His forgiveness of your sins? 13. Do you accept and believe that the Seventh-day Adventist Church is the remnant church of Bible prophecy and that people of every nation, race, and language are invited and accepted into its fellowship? Do you desire to be a member of this local congregation of the world church? CHURCH MEMBERSHIP, REGULAR STANDING - CHURCH MANUAL ADDITION Voted, To add a new section to the Church Manual, Regular Standing, to Chapter 5, Church Membership, following Baptismal Ceremony, on page 45, to read as follows: Regular Standing All church members are considered to be in regular standing unless they are under church discipline. (See pp 159, 160, 53-56.) REGULAR STANDING - CHURCH MANUAL DIRECTIVE Voted, To approve a directive to amend the Church Manual in all references to ``good and regular standing'' to now read ``regular standing. '' TRANSFERRING MEMBERS, TRANSFERRING CHURCH MEMBERS - CHURCH MANUAL AMENDMENT Voted, To amend the Church Manual page 45, Transferring Members, Transferring Church Members, to read as follows: Transferring Members Transferring Church Members When a church member moves to a different area, the church holding membership should write to the secretary of the relevant conference/mission requesting that a pastor in the new locality make a pastoral visit to the individual. This pastoral intervention may facilitate the transfer process. The church holding the membership should also notify the member of its intention to give the member's new address to a pastor in the new locality. A church member who moves from one locality to another for a period of longer than six months, should make immediate application for a letter of transfer to a church near his or her new place of residence. In the case of a member locating in an isolated area with no church within a reasonable distance, the customary plan is to make application to join the conference or local field church. Such a letter of transfer is valid for six months from date of issue, and unless acted upon within that time is void. ORGANIZED COMPANIES - CHURCH MANUAL AMENDMENT Voted, To amend the Church Manual pages 49 and 50, Organized Companies, to read as follows: Organized Companies Where a number of isolated believers reside in proximity to one another, a company of believers may be organized for fellowship and worship with the objective of growing into an organized church. Such a group of believers may be organized as a company by approval of the conference or mission committee, and may subsequently be dissolved by action of the conference or mission committee. When a conference or mission committee approves the organization of a company, such organization may be effected by the district pastor or by some other minister appointed by the conference or mission committee, who, in counsel with the local members, shall appoint from the baptized membership of the company a leader and a treasurer. All other appointments such as Sabbath School officers, lay activities officers, and Adventist Youth Society officers should be made by vote of the baptized members of the company at a meeting presided over by the district leader or by such person as may be authorized by the conference or mission committee. The leader of such a company shall not be ordained to that office and shall not have the authority to perform those functions that are vested in an elder of the church. However, where exceptional circumstances warrant, the conference may appoint a person of church experience and leadership ability to serve as elder of that company. The treasurer of the company shall keep careful record of all moneys received and disbursed. He or she shall send promptly each month all tithes and offerings, other than funds collected for local purposes, to the conference or field treasurer, who is also the treasurer of the conference or field church. Since all baptized members of an organized company are members of the conference or field church, the company does not possess the right to administer church discipline. All such matters must be referred to the conference or field committee, which constitutes the board of the conference, or field church, the president being the elder of that church. Such a company of believers should grow and eventually develop to the point that would call for a regular church organization. The company leadership should therefore promote and foster all the church campaigns and activities that are usually carried forward by regular churches, thus preparing the members for the wider responsibilities that are associated with full church organization. QUERIES CONCERNING RECEIVING AND DROPPING MEMBERS, RECEIVING MEMBERS ON PROFESSION OF FAITH - CHURCH MANUAL AMENDMENT (Receiving Members on Profession of Faith - Church Manual Amendment) Voted, To refer the proposed amendments to the Church Manual page 50, Queries Concerning Receiving and Dropping Members, Receiving Members on Profession of Faith, to the standing Church Manual Committee for further study. CHURCH OFFICERS AND THEIR DUTIES, TERM OF OFFICE - CHURCH MANUAL ADDITION Voted, To add a new section to the Church Manual, Term of Office, to Chapter 6, Church Officers and Their Duties, at the bottom of page 56, to read as follows: Term of Office The term of office for officers of the church and auxiliary organizations shall be one year, except where the local church in a business meeting votes to have elections every two years in order to facilitate continuity and development of spiritual gifts and eliminate the work involved in having yearly elections. While it is not advisable for one person to serve indefinitely in a particular position, officers may be reelected. TERM OF OFFICE - CHURCH MANUAL DIRECTIVE Voted, To approve a directive to amend the Church Manual in all references to church and auxiliary officers serving one year (excluding Home and School Association) so as to allow the local church to elect officers for one- or two-year terms. THE CHURCH ELDER, ELECTED FOR ONE YEAR - CHURCH MANUAL AMENDMENT Voted, To amend the Church Manual page 57, The Church Elder, Elected for One Year, to read as follows: Term of Office Like all other church officers, the elder is elected for one or two years as determined by the local church. (See p 56.) It is not advisable for one person to serve indefinitely, but the elder may be reelected. The church is under no obligation, however, to reelect, but may choose another for eldership whenever a change seems advisable. Upon the election of a new elder, the former elder no longer functions as elder, but may be elected to any other church office. THE CHURCH ELDER, ORDINATION OF LOCAL ELDER - CHURCH MANUAL AMENDMENT Voted, To amend the Church Manual page 57, The Church Elder, Ordination of Local Elder, to read as follows: Ordination of Local Elder Election to the office of elder does not in itself qualify one as an elder. Ordination is required before an elder has authority to function in that office. During the interim between election and ordination, the elected elder may function as church leader but not administer the ordinances of the church. The ordination service is only performed by an ordained minister with credentials from the local conference. It may be a courtesy to invite a visiting ordained minister to assist in the ordination. However, only on the specific request of the local conference officers would a visiting ordained minister or a retired ordained minister conduct the ordination. The sacred rite of ordination should be simply performed in the presence of the church and may include a brief outline of the office of elder, the qualities required, and the principal duties the elder will be authorized to perform for the church. After the exhortation, the minister, assisted by other ordained ministers and/or local ordained elders who are participating in the service, will ordain the elder by prayer and the laying on of hands. Having once been ordained as a church elder, ordination is not required again upon reelection to office as an elder, or upon election as elder of another church, provided that good and regular standing in the church has been maintained. One who has been ordained as elder is thereby qualified to serve subsequently in the deaconate office. THE CHURCH ELDER, TRAINING AND EQUIPPING OF LOCAL ELDERS - CHURCH MANUAL ADDITION Voted, To add a new section to the Church Manual, Training and Equipping of Local Elders, in the section, The Church Elder, page 58, following, Ordination of Local Elder, to read as follows: Training and Equipping of Local Elders The Ministerial Association, in cooperation with the departments, promotes the training and equipping of local church elders. While the pastor has the primary responsibility for training local elders, conferences/missions/fields are encouraged to schedule periodic meetings designed for training them. In order to support a pastor-elder team relationship it is recommended that pastors also attend these meetings. Leaders of companies who function in the place of local elders should also be invited to attend. Adjourned. Alfred C McClure, Chairman Lowell C Cooper, Secretary Rowena J Moore, Recording Secretary