Church Manual



   

      

 
              

   "The standards and practices of the Church are based upon the principles of the Holy Scriptures. These principles, underscored by the Spirit of Prophecy, are set forth in this 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."     Voted by 59th GC Session - June 27, 2010

 

            Current Church Manual  ( 19th edition )  approved by 60th GC Session, San Antonio

                       Changes to Church Manual made at 61st GC Session in St. Louis - June 2022

                         - -  Changes to Constitution By-Laws made by GC Session in St. Louis

            Church Manual ( 18th edition ) approved by 59th GC Session (about 100 changes)

                 Chapter  1:    Why a Church Manual                  Page 17 to 21

                 Chapter  2:    Church of the Living God              Page 22 to 25

 

     not done yet

                 Chapter  3:    Organization and Authority           Page 26 to 31

                 Chapter  4:    Pastors and Church Employees     Page 32 to 36

                Chapter  5:    Organizing, Uniting, Dissolving Churches   Page 37 to 43

                Chapter  7:    Discipline                                         Page 56 to 67


     Policy  Statements

       Statement on Human Sexuality  --  Voted November 2015

 

               Church Manual of Seventh-day Adventist Church  (17th edition)

         This is the version approved in 2005 and has served the church for five years. The new addition was printed and distributed in March 2011 - we recommend that you visit our Church Manual Changes page.  To see previous editions of the church manual, there is a table of LINKs below.

 

        Texts from the  Writings of Ellen G. White  that have been approved at a GC Session to appear in the Church Manual.

                     Titles reflect the section of the Church Manual in which they appear.

      **   Mystery of the Missing Paragraph - 2010 edition

        Study in Church Governance and Unity
        - 54 page study prepared Sept. 2016
 ( for the October 2016 Annual Council )

        Study in Reinstatement of Membership ( Church Manual, page 67, 68 )  also study in   Discipline of the Innocent 

  next
           Unity in Mission  document approved on Oct. 11, 2016

           --  Unity in Mission procedures approved in October 2018

       Lectures on the Church Manual presented to GYC Conference in Seattle - Nov. 2012
       by Jay Gallimore, President of Michigan Conference   ( six part series - audio files )
       https://www.audioverse.org/english/sermons/recordings/4604/church-authority-part-i.html

       Church Manual Changes
       Changes to church manual voted by General Conference Session - Atlanta, 2010

       Proposed Changes by the 60 GC Session in San Antonio - in Agenda for Session  

      If you want to propose a change to the church manual, you should read this page
      Clarification or change of the Church Manual  

      If you have proposed a change - please tell us about it.  People are interested in your experience.

      Changing a Fundamental Belief  -  at 2015 GC Session
       Contact Fundamental Beliefs Review Committee now

         Church Manual Clarifications
         Discussions of clarifications needed to church manual texts

        Church Manual Quiz - - Discuss and comment on selected church manual texts

       The General Conference (Office of Archives & Statistics) has 16 previous editions of the Church Manual available in PDF format.

      2015 - 19th Edition    2010 - 18th Edition    2005 - 17th Edition
   2000 - 16th Edition     1995 - 15th Edition        1990 - 14th Edition        1986 - 13th Edition    
   1981 - 12th Edition         1976 - 11th Edition          1971 - 10th Edition         1967 - 9th Edition
   1963 - 8th Edition     1959 - 7th Edition        1951 - 6th Edition    1942 - 5th Edition
   1940 - 4th Edition         1938 - 3rd Edition     1934 - 2nd Edition    1932 - 1st Edition


       This will make for some interesting research.

   Working  Policy

   Working Policy L-60 / 10      Misconduct by a pastor

   Working Policy L-60 / 15      Misconduct by an Executive Officer  ( Conference, Union, Division )

 

Related Information

2022 Church Manual Changes Chapter 1 - 18th Edition with changes shown Church Manual Changes Study in Reinstatement of Membership Study of Church Governance and Unity - Sept. 2016 Working Policy L-60 section 15 Writings of EGW in the Church Manual