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ELDER’S TRAINING SEMINAR. Based on the Elder’s Handbook. Ministerial Association of the General Conference www.ministerialassociation.com. The Church and Its Organization. Chapter 1. Church organization. The Church is God’s Idea God created the church.
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ELDER’S TRAINING SEMINAR Based on the Elder’s Handbook Ministerial Association of the General Conference www.ministerialassociation.com
The Church and Its Organization Chapter 1
Churchorganization • 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.
Churchorganization • Organizational Structure From the Beginning • FAMILY - Patriarchal system • NATION - God’s people • CHURCH - Community of Christians
What is thechurch? • The Bible uses many images to represent the church: • 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 thechurch? 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.
What is thechurch? • 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.
OrganizationofTheChurch • BIBLE MODELS • The Israel Model:theocratic nation • Paul Model:body • Jesus Model:eklesia
How to meet the challenge? • Revelation 14:6- “nation, tribe, language, people” • Mark 16: 15- “all creation” • Global • Multicultural • Multinational
How to meet the challenge? • The challenge can only be met by: • Good organization of resources • Delegation of authority • Flexibility, evaluation and control
God’sresons for organization • Ellen G. White: • To support the gospel ministry. • To carry on the work of preaching in new fields. • To protect both churches and the ministry from unworthy members’ action. • For holding church property. • To publish the truth via the printing press.
Forms of Church Government • Papal:The Pope has supreme authority. • Episcopal:The final authority rests with church bishops. • Congregational:Full authority within its domain rests with the local congregation. • Representative:Authority rests with church members. Planning and coordination is delegated to other administrative levels, reviewed at periodic “sessions.”
Levels of SDA church organization • 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).
Delegation • The Old Testament Delegation Process: • God. • Moses. Counsel from Jethro (Exodus 18) • 70 Men. Qualification of the 70 (Numbers 11) • In the King James Version, the term ELDER is used 194 times.
EarlyChurchofficers • The New Testament Leadership: • Apostles: ordained • They cared for the overall teaching, planning, administration, and evangelism of the church. • They were generally itinerant workers.
Early Church officers • 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 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
Local officers/howimportant ! 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.”
TheImportanceof Local officers 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.