Kuhn 1!

Daniele Kuhn
Mr. Cosmin
English 102
16 February 2015
Seventh-Day Adventist Church History and Government
Adventist World Magazine published an article entitled How Your Church Works
writing about how the Adventist church was founded, organized, its current unity, structure and
authority. In the introduction, the author Ted Wilson stated: The 18-million member SeventhDay Adventist Church, present in 208 countries, represented by 13 world divisions and one
attached field, with tens of thousands of Churches, thousands of schools, hundreds of hospitals
and clinics, numerous publishing houses, and more, (How Your Church Works 1) started with
nothing but a small group of believers who searched for truth as for a hidden treasure (White,
Testimonies to Ministers 24). It is hard to imagine that just over 150 years ago none of this
existed. Nothing. Founded by people searching for truth, the Seventh-Day Adventist Church and
its government was founded and functions solely on Biblical principles.
The Adventist Church started with a small group of believers who searched for truth as
for a hidden treasure (White, Testimonies to Ministers 24). Ellen White, one of the early
believers and pioneer of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, wrote:
We would come together burdened in soul, praying that we might be one in faith and
doctrine; for we knew that Christ is not divided. . . . The Scriptures were opened with a
sense of awe . . . earnest supplications went up to heaven that God would help us to see

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eye to eye, that we might be one as Christ and the Father are one. (White, Testimonies to
Ministers 26)
The prayers that were sent up by the believers were honest cries. Jesus promised His followers
when He was on earth: And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father
may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it (John 14:13). The
early Church claimed Gods promises and studied Scripture to discover Gods truth and His
purpose for their time:
As the little group of Advent believers diligently studied Gods Word and prayed, they
became one in mind and spirit, and their numbers gradually increased. At first they met in
private homes, in large kitchens, in barns, groves, and schoolhouses. Before long, with
Gods blessing, they were able to build humble houses of worship. (How Your Church
Works 1)
God answered their prayer in accordance to His promise. As truth was revealed to the early
believers, the Church began to grow. Soon the little group grew into a large group, and soon,
there were thousands of new Church proselytes.
From a little group of Advent believers in humble houses of worship, the Church began to
grow into a large establishment and organization. The Church became so large that without an
organized system, it could not be as effective to share the truth they received from God. Rather
than hurriedly putting together a plan for the sake of convenience, the earnest Church pioneers
prayerfully asked God for wisdom, and through His clear leading in Scripture and through the
prophetic gift, the Churchs order and organization was established: God led in the
establishment and organization of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church (How Your Church

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Works 2). As a result, in 1863, the General Conference was established (ibid). The organization
of the church through the General Conference, its many divisions, union conferences, and local
conferences was established so that order and harmonious action might be maintained (White,
Acts of the Apostles 91). Order and harmonious action were necessary for the Church to move
ahead to fulfill its God-given mission: to proclaim the truth that was unfolded to the early
believers who sought for truth as a hidden treasure (White, Testimonies to Ministers 24).
Instead of wanting to start another organization or religion, the early believers searched for truth
as for a hidden treasure and as a result, the Seventh-Day Adventist Church was founded.
The system the Church was organized into was based on the instruction written in the
Word of God. The beauty of the Adventist Church government is seen when problems arise
among Church members. Individuals in the Church can refer directly to their local Church, and if
the problem is not solved, they can move on to the regional level: the union conference or union
mission. Larger items can be brought to the divisions and sometimes passed to the General
Conference. This system of government is similar to the Biblical method in Exodus chapter 18
where Moses father in law instructed him to distribute his large load of responsibilities to other
capable men. The principle of having deacons and elders in the Church was adapted from Acts
chapter six (How Your Church Works 3). During the early stages of the Adventist Church, God
also gave His instruction through His prophet, Ellen White.
As the early church studied the Biblical method of government, God spoke through one
of their avid members, Ellen White. Advent believers studied the Biblical method of how God
wanted the Church to be thus they carried out Biblical instruction as well as the instruction God
gave to Ellen White. The system of government the Adventist Church follows is a representative

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form of Church government. This form of Church government does not elevate one person as the
head of the Church, because Christ is the head of the Church (Ephesians 4:15, 16). The president
of the General Conference stated in an article;
We Seventh-day Adventists believe in a representative form of Church governance.
Our Church is not organized in such a way that policies actions, and activities of the
Church are dictated by any one leader or leaders of the General Conference. We are here
only to facilitate the collective wishes of Gods Church as indicated through regular
representative processes. (How Your Church Works 2)
The Church states the reason of a representative government and the importance of its
organization;
The purpose for organization is given to us as a safeguard, so that no one person or small
group may have undue influence upon Gods Church and its mission. It provides a way
that all members may have a voice and influence in the mission of the Church, so that all
things [may] be done decently and in order (1 Corinthians 14:40). (How Your Church
Works 3)
The reason for a representative government is that no one person or small group may have
overruling influence on Gods Church and its mission. Having a representative system, the
Church is able to work in harmony without dictatorship.
In this form of representative government, it is necessary to have a leader, or president, to
ensure that everything runs smoothly. Since the Church does not have a dictatorship, or a group
that overrules the rest, the presidents role must be clearly outlined. The Church has clearly stated
the position of its president:

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We need to making it unmistakably clear that the head of the Seventh-Day Adventist
Church is the Lord Jesus Christ. The president is the president of the General Conference.
Having said this, there is, of course, human leadership on various levels in the Church.
There is, however, and must be, a sharing of responsibilities and the need for a multitude
of counselors. (Beach and Graz 23)
This statement gives a clear outline of the position of the president. No human body part is more
important than the other. So it is with the Church. No Church member is to assume authority
over the rest. As one of the pioneers of the Adventist church stated, Never should the mind of
one-man or the minds of a few men be regarded as sufficient in wisdom and power to control the
work (9T 260). If Christ is the head of the Church, there should not be one member that takes
His position in the Church as a dictator. It is necessary, however, to have order in the Church.
Therefore, a system of leadership including a president is necessary in order to preserve harmony
and organized service in the Church.
The question may arise how these positions are assumed and how the Church chooses
men and women to assume these roles. One of the ways the Church decides which members
should fill certain positions is through voting. The president of the Seventh-Day Adventist
Church wrote:
Sometimes we have to vote to find out how the entire group is lining up, but generally
speaking, the best way to approach challenges is on our knees, in intense Bible study,
asking the Holy Spirit to help us. Voting comes under Gods guidance when a decision
has to be made. We use that system effectively within the Church. (How Your Church
Works 3)

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Voting in the Seventh-Day Adventist Church is done in order that names brought forward by the
nominating committee may be accepted or not accepted. This is done so that every decision may
be according to Gods will, and also that every persons input is considered. The Church believes
that no Church members should feel cut off or separated from this Church structure, feeling as if
they have no voice (How Your Church Works 2). Voting, therefore, is accepted as a means to
include and hear opinions from all church members. Voting is in harmony with the Adventists
belief that the Church should not be a representative government overruled by one person or
dictatorship. The Church is to be Gods agency and its members must work together to
accomplish a high purpose, just like all the members of the body work together and none is more
important than another (1 Corinthians 12).
The Seventh-Day Adventist Church started with a small group of believers that were
hungering for truth. They searched for it as if they were searching for hidden treasures. From this
small group of believers, the Church grew to thousands of members. As a result, it became
necessary to organize the church into a harmonious system that could better aid it in sharing the
special truths the Church had been given. This system was prayerfully studied and incorporated
into the Church. With an organized and harmonious system of government, the church can much
more successfully share the treasures of truth they have received. Prayerful voting has also been
accepted in order that every church member may give an opinion and so that decisions may be
made in the Church. The Adventist Church was founded on Biblical principles and all other
matters are decided through Gods guidance and instruction.

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Works Cited
1. Beach, Bert Beverly., and John Graz. 101 Questions Adventists Ask. Nampa, ID: Pacific Pub.
Association, 2000. 23-24. Print.
2. King James Bible. S.l.: Thomas Nelson, 1991. Print.
3. Wilson, Ted. "How Your Church Works." Adventist World 22 Apr. 2014: n. pag. Web. 9 Feb.
2015. Articles 1, 2, 3
4. White, Ellen Gould Harmon. The Acts of the Apostles. Mountain View, CA: Pacific Pub.
Association, 1911. 91. Print.
5. White, Ellen Gould Harmon. Selected Messages. Vol. 2. Washington, D.C.: Review and
Herald Pub. Association, 1958. 336-37. Print.
6. White, Ellen Gould Harmon. Testimonies for the Church. Vol. 9. Oakland, CA: Pacific, 1885.
260. Print.
7. White, Ellen Gould Harmon. Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers. Mountain View,
CA: Pacific, 1962. 24-26. Print.