GC Bulletin 10: Actions and Proceedings

The Adventist Review has an important role in documenting the General Conference sessions of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Reports about GC sessions have been carried here since the organization of the church in 1863: official minutes of the proceedings and actions have been printed in these Bulletins for more than 120 years. Following is the official record of the last four business meetings of the 57^th General Conference session, presented here as a part of the Adventist Review’s continuing mission to keep the church informed, inspired, and encouraged.

Proceedings

Twelfth Business Meeting
57th General Conference Session,
July 6, 2000, 9:30 a.m.

ROBERT J. KLOOSTERHUIS: We want to call our business session to order, and we’re going to hear now from the Nominating Committee.

NIELS-ERIK ANDREASEN: Before the Nominating Committee brings in a name for nomination it’s important that the nominee be contacted first. Sometimes that delays our report, and that is the situation with the report we have this morning, which will now be brought by Dr. Ismael Castillo.

ISMAEL CASTILLO: For the position of publishing director of the General Conference I move the name of Jose Luis Campos. [Motion was seconded and voted.]

NOEL S. FRASER: We know that the Nominating Committee has the power to appoint, as well as to disappoint. From the reports that have been coming to us, we have seen a lot of disappointments. And I believe that it would be fair for this body to register a motion of appreciation to all workers who have served this church faithfully and well, but were not reappointed at this great session. I so move, Mr. Chairman.

ROBERT J. KLOOSTERHUIS: Since the Nominating Committee has a few more reports to bring, it would be more appropriate to wait until the end.

ROBERT J. KLOOSTERHUIS: The chair would like to suggest that we turn in our agenda books to the Constitution and Bylaws section. There are a number of items that we need to take care of this morning in order to complete our business for this fifty-seventh session. I’m going to call upon Athal Tolhurst to introduce the items. ATHAL H. TOLHURST: Dr. Calvin Rock is the chair of the Constitution and Bylaws Committee, but he has been detained this morning. So in his absence I wish to state that certain items were referred to the Constitutions and Bylaws Standing Committee, along with an item concerning the General Conference Auditing Service board. We are now prepared to bring back a new recommendation that arises from that discussion. And we also have a number of other Constitution and Bylaws items that are recommendations to this session from the General Conference Executive Committee at its Annual Council. [It was moved that Article III of the General Conference Constitution state that “each division is an administrative unit of the General Conference with commensurate authority to carry out responsibilities in the territory assigned to it.” Motion was seconded and voted.]

I would like to turn to page 51, item 303. We have a recommendation here to amend Article V of the General Conference Constitution. At the 1995 General Conference session certain changes to the constitution were recommended from the floor, and there was not sufficient time given for the Constitution and Bylaws Committee to reflect upon the implication of those changes and how they would affect the process of choosing delegates from the divisions and the unions to represent those organizations at future General Conference sessions. Because of this, divisions have experienced difficulty in meeting the requirement that 50 percent be laypeople and 50 percent be workers. [In explanation of proposed changes, Athal Tolhurst drew attention to graphs in the agenda book.]

RANDOLPH STAFFORD: I am quite concerned with the changes that are being offered here today. For four years, 11 months, and about 20 days the administration has the opportunity of actually conducting all the business of the church. The General Conference in session is supposed to be an opportunity for laity and pastors to come together and make some decisions. We are reducing the percentage of pastoral representation. At this session pastors were excluded completely from the Nominating Committee. Pastors have been marginalized and been given less and less representation. I believe that this measure should be defeated, and I would suggest that in all fairness we make one third of our delegation laity, one third pastors and teachers, and one third administration.

ROBERT J. KLOOSTERHUIS: The chair is going to take this privilege to suspend our deliberation and allow another partial report from the Nominating Committee. Elder Jere Patzer is here to lead out in this report.

JERE PATZER: The name that we want to bring to you is for the Sabbath School and Personal Ministries Department. Dr. Ismael Castillo will bring us that name.

ISMAEL CASTILLO: For the position of director of General Conference Sabbath School and Personal Ministries Department I move the name of James W. Zackrison. [The motion was seconded and voted.]

LOUNY MORALES: I would like to have some explanation about page 51, line 27, which says “other major crisis within the church or in the international arena.” I would like to have more information about the phrase “within the church.”

ATHAL H. TOLHURST: Could I suggest something that is sort of crazy? Suppose a whole division went into apostasy. Our constitution provides that each division shall have a certain portion of the delegation. It would then be impossible to have 2,000 delegates if that division didn’t send any delegates, so this is enabling the church to reduce the number proportionately.

JURRIEN DEN HOLLANDER: I have a question regarding page 52, line 29, where it is proposed that instead of 22 delegates there will be 12 delegates from the division. Now, my question is In what way does this influence the representation of the division in the Nominating Committee?

MATTHEW BYRNE: My comment pertains to page 54, lines 18-21, where it says “at least 50 percent of whom shall be laypersons, pastors, teachers, and nonadministrative employees, of both genders, and representing a range of age groups.” I want to talk about the representing of age groups. Statistics show that at least 70 percent of the total body of believers in the Seventh-day Adventist Church are made up of people under the age of 30. I want to propose that at least a third of those 50 percent be young people under the age of 30.

WAYNE MC CLEAN: I am looking at page 54a, and I have some concerns for the whole proposal in that we are talking about the laity and pastors working together in the field. But when you look at the proposal the laity is being reduced. I believe the laity should actually be increased.

LOWELL C. COOPER: The constitution is a rather complex document, and we need to see some of the interrelationships here. The brother has asked a very important question that can be seen clearly only when we recognize that section 8 on page 54 is referring to delegates who are selected. Now, of the total composition of 2,000 delegates, not all are selected. The constitution creates delegate status for all members of the General Conference Committee. These are not selected delegates. They’re required by the constitution. The same is true of the associate directors of the General Conference departments. Now, the composition of the General Conference Committee does not follow the exact composition of the selected delegates.

ATHAL H. TOLHURST: In other words, if we were to produce a graph that showed the distribution of delegates from a division but left the Executive Committee of the General Conference out, we would have more than 25 percent laypeople.

ROBERT J. KLOOSTERHUIS: I hope we all really understand there is not going to be a significant change in the proportions overall. There is a slight change, but I don’t think that is going to affect materially what’s going to happen.

BURTON MWANGILWA: I’d like to refer to page 54a regarding the composition of General Conference session delegates. My proposal here is that we should increase the percentage of the laity, pastors, and teachers and reduce the number of administrators, because most of the time they are working in the offices, whereas these other groups are serving the people directly.

KENNETH WASHINGTON: Last week I attended the ministerial council, and during the workshops and seminars I saw a sea of pastors from around the world. When I came to the session I saw only a few. Most of those who make a difference and explain the changes within the church had left. They’d been left out. I rise in opposition to the motion on the floor. I say that at some point pastors and laypeople must be recognized as being the foundation of this church.

LOWELL C. COOPER: I think that we can certainly understand the appeal that our previous speaker made. And certainly every member of the church deserves to be a delegate to the General Conference session. But I would like to remind this delegation where we’ve come from. In the 1995 session we had less than 17 percent of the delegates from the laity. That has been increased to 23.3 percent at this session.

JUDY ENOCH: First of all, I would like to just thank the Lord for giving me this opportunity to be here, and I would like to thank the Lord for the fact that I can express myself as an indigenous Australian, as a Seventh-day Adventist Church member, and also as a woman and a layperson. What I would like to say this morning is that I am having great difficulty with the definition of “laypersons,” and I would like that clarified before the whole body this morning. What does “layperson” actually mean?

ATHAL H. TOLHURST: Brother Chairman, I speak the same language as she does. A layperson is somebody who is not employed by the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

JUDY ENOCH: Your proposal that you present to us this morning seems to be top-heavy with church employees. There are very few laypeople. What is the actual quota of laypersons and church employees? Does the proposal this morning actually represent the breakdown of membership according to laity and church employees?

ATHAL H. TOLHURST: The constitution has never provided for a balance of membership at a General Conference session that reflects the proportions of laypeople to church employees in the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and has never required that the proportions be reflected in the delegation. Five years ago the number of laypeople who were entitled, under the constitution, to attend a General Conference session was much less than we are proposing today. Unfortunately, five years ago certain changes were recommended from the floor without adequate reflection on how those recommended changes from the floor would affect the way unions and divisions are invited to choose delegates. They did not take into account the fact that under the constitution the General Conference Executive Committee members are ex-officio delegates to a General Conference session, and so the proposal that was voted five years ago has proved to be almost unworkable for some divisions. It has certainly embarrassed divisions in that they have been unable to bring adequate representation of their institutions, which are vitally affected in operating the work of the church within those divisions.

We have endeavored at this session to bring to you the changes in the constitution that should have been in the constitution five years ago, when we endeavored to increase the laity representation, and the pastor and frontline field worker representation. We hope that the delegates will accept that this is not an attempt by the administration to take over more control of the running of the church, and I would hope that we do not continue to reflect upon the difficulties that you have had at this session in choosing your representatives to serve on the Nominating Committee and bring them to bear upon what is before the floor right now. I repeat a third time that we have a constitutional recommendation that will correct that—as soon as we can get through the one that is on the floor now.

ROBERT J. KLOOSTERHUIS: I would hope that the number that we have now standing at the microphones could remain as is and that we could proceed from here. I think we are beginning to cover some of the same points several times.

BARRY OLIVER: I would like to make three points. First, I stand in support of this document, and I commend those who have worked so hard to bring it to us. Second, I would like to speak on behalf of the division departmental directors, who have been almost totally excluded from the possibility of being delegates to this session. This document does attempt to bring representation for departmental directors. Third, if we look at the graph on page 54a, it is necessary to realize that the 22.8 percent of laity is a minimum. If I read the document correctly, union and division committees have the capacity to expand that number considerably.

LASSEW RAELLY: I would like to support the previous speaker, because the intent of this proposal is to stay as much as we can within the constitution that we voted in 1995, but ease its implementation because it has become extremely difficult.

ATHAL H. TOLHURST: If this proposal is adopted, it will mean that all delegates from every division, except those who are employees of the General Conference and the General Conference institutions and those who are up for election, may be appointed to the Nominating Committee. All of your delegates may sit with the caucus group in the future unless they are employees of the General Conference and General Conference institutions.

HERBERT BROECKEL: I appreciate the explanations that have been given and the difficult work that the committee has done. At the last session in Utrecht, when we froze the delegation at 2,000, we created a very interesting situation, and that is that each regular delegate will continue to represent vastly larger numbers of our world membership, which makes the position of being a delegate much more important. I would ask that the committee give careful study to changing the balance between regular delegates and delegates at large, and I would like to suggest that adjustment be made on page 54, lines 1-6. On lower levels of the church we must have larger numbers of the laity, and I appreciate that more laity are being represented here. In my executive committee my own departmental directors are not on the executive committee. I would suggest that the associate directors of the General Conference departments and the 20 General Conference-appointed staff come to this session as invitees. This would create an additional pool of delegates that could be transferred from delegates at large to regular delegates.

S. PETER CAMPBELL: It seems that the problem that we are having is this sacred number of 2,000. We could very well allocate the delegation in a better way if we had more people. I don’t think 2,000 should be a sacred number. We need to look at that number again, and then we will solve the problem of representation that we are having now.

JAMES NXUMALO: I am standing to address the issue of our procedure today. My view is that we are taking too long. I wonder if we could not adopt the procedure that we had yesterday, with each speaker being given two minutes.

PETER ANDREASEN: I’m here to support the recommendation, but my reason to do that may be a bit sad. You have no idea how embarrassing it has been for me to meet with some of our young people from Toronto Impact and tell them what we’ve done in the past couple days. There’s not much I can say. My friends, I urge you very much to think how we can move ahead. Otherwise our young people are going to go home discouraged.

ROBERT J. KLOOSTERHUIS: Now the chair would like us to vote at this time. Please remember that it’s a two-thirds majority that is needed for this to pass. [The motion was voted.]

ATHAL H. TOLHURST: We need to look at the recommendation on page 45. this proposal has to do with The General Conference Auditing Service. [The recommendation was read.] I move that we accept this recommendation.

THOMAS P. MILLER: At this time, an associate director can be removed from office, I believe, only by the Executive Committee, since they are elected. If this document is adopted, a quorum of as few as six members of the operating board could remove a difficult auditor from office. Is that correct?

BURNS MUSA SIBANDA: I intend to support the proposal, because I feel that the proposal is making our work more transparent in financial matters now that we are involving laypersons, who are not employed by the church.

ERIC KORFF: The 1995 General Conference session recommended that the associate directors also be elected at General Conference sessions, because it was felt that that would enhance the credibility of those reports. At the present time we are basically reporting to three main categories, one of which is external organizations, like banks and financial institutions. When the auditors are elected by the highest authority in the church, the credibility that the outside world gives those reports is enhanced. If we want our laypersons—constituents of the church—and the outside world to place greater credibility on our reports, the church has to provide a structure that will present that type of report. If only six people can remove an associate director, then those directors are going to hedge, because they’ll be afraid of losing their jobs.

Initially financial institutions do not accept our reports, but when we explain to them the election process and the removal process, they understand the independence. It will cost this church a lot of money if these entities going to financial institutions for lines of credit or loans require an external audit.

ATHAL H. TOLHURST: I am wondering if the chair of the committee that has already considered all these matters would like to make a comment at this point. Brother Rock has joined us, and he may like to express to you what recently took place in the committee concerning this very point.

CALVIN B. ROCK: We discussed this matter very thoroughly in the Constitution and Bylaws Committee.

The rationale the subcommittee employed in denying the request that these associates be elected at the general session has two parts. First, by electing them here, we make all 20 of these associate auditors delegates to the General Conference sessions. Herein we have an anomaly that makes all 20 auditors delegates to every GC session. That may be addressed in the constitution by making them a special category: elected at the session, but not delegates to future GC sessions. We have institutional leaders, pastors, conference presidents, and others who are not delegated automatically. The Constitution and Bylaws Committee felt that it was not a wise thing to prescribe that all the associate auditors, as important as they are, be constituted as delegates automatically.

Second, the credibility issue is better served by the board’s doing it rather than having elements of the church structure, be it divisions or unions, putting people on the board, or auditors who represent certain interests. The Constitution and Bylaws Com-

mittee is prepared simply to explain this and leave it to the goodwill of the body.

THOMAS P. MILLER: We need the protection that comes from being elected staff rather than appointed staff. The reservations that Elder Rock presented can be taken care of by other legal machinery in the church, and I would advise my fellow delegates to support the amendment if they wish to retain a strong and independent audit service. If they wish to lessen our independence,

Actions

Twelfth Business Meeting
57th General Conference Session,
July 6, 2000, 9:30 a.m.

NOMINATING COMMITTEE REPORT #9
Voted, To approve the following partial report of the Nominating Committee:

General Conference Departments
Jose L Campos, Director, Publishing Department

STATEMENTS, GUIDELINES AND OTHER DOCUMENTS—DISTRIBUTION TO DELEGATES
The Communication Department provided a book to delegates entitled Statements, Guidelines and Other Documents, which contains material approved by various General Conference committees.

DIVISIONS OF THE GENERAL CONFERENCE—GENERAL CONFERENCE CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS—NEW ARTICLE
Voted, To adopt a new Article III—Divisions of the General Conference, in the General Conference Constitution and Bylaws, Constitution, to read as follows:

ARTICLE III—DIVISIONS OF THE GENERAL CONFERENCE
The General Conference conducts much of its work through its divisions, which in turn are comprised of union conferences and union missions in specific areas of the world. Each division is an administrative unit of the General Conference with commensurate authority to carry out responsibilities in the territory assigned to it. It is not a separate constituent level of organization. It shall act in full harmony with the General Conference Constitution and Bylaws, the General Conference Working Policy, and actions of the Executive Committee.

In order to carry the authority of the General Conference, the actions of division committees shall, of necessity, be in harmony with and complementary to the decisions of the General Conference in session, and the actions of the Executive Committee between sessions.

RENUMBERING OF GENERAL CONFERENCE CONSTITUTION ARTICLES
Voted, To renumber the General Conference Constitution and Bylaws, Constitution Articles III to XII, as follows:
   ARTICLE IV—MEMBERSHIP
   ARTICLE V—GENERAL CONFERENCE SESSIONS
   ARTICLE VI—ELECTION
   ARTICLE VII—APPOINTMENT
   ARTICLE VIII—EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
   ARTICLE IX—OFFICERS AND THEIR DUTIES
   ARTICLE X—TERM OF OFFICE
   ARTICLE XI—CORPORATIONS AND AGENTS
   ARTICLE XII—BYLAWS
   ARTICLE XIII—AMENDMENTS

NOMINATING COMMITTEE REPORT #10
Voted, To approve the following partial report of the Nominating Committee:
General Conference Departments
James W. Zackrison, Director, Sabbath School and Personal Ministries Department

GENERAL CONFERENCE SESSIONS—GENERAL CONFERENCE CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS AMENDMENT
Voted, To amend the General Conference Constitution and Bylaws, Constitution, Article IV—General Conference Sessions, to read as follows:

ARTICLE V—GENERAL CONFERENCE SESSIONS
Sec. 1. The General Conference shall hold—No change
Sec. 2. The Executive Committee may call—No change
Sec. 3. The election of officers—No change
Sec. 4. The delegates to a General Conference Session shall be designated as follows:

Sec. 5. Regular delegates shall represent the General Conference’s member union conferences, union missions, member conferences, missions, and unions of churches as defined in Article IV, as follows:

Sec. 7. Delegates at large shall represent the General Conference, its divisions, and its organizations, and shall be appointed on the following basis:

*In several areas of the world, local field units not holding conference status may be classified with terminology other than “mission.” For the purposes of Article V, Sec. 6., such field units may be considered equivalent to a mission provided they have two or more officers and an executive committee and observe a schedule of regular constituency meetings.

Proceedings

Thirteenth Business Meeting
57th General Conference Session, July 6, 2000, 2:10 p.m.

LEO S. RANZOLIN: There is an item on our general agenda that calls for a special presentation at this time, and we have asked our president, Elder Paulsen, to make this special recognition.

JAN PAULSEN: Many of us have our moments when we are generous toward other people. We have our moments when we can be charming, even disarmingly charming, and we have our moments when we can be outrageous. Bert Beach has the unique ability of being all three at the same time. [Laugh] I have known Bert Beach now for almost 40 years. Thirty-eight years ago, when we went to West Africa, Bert Beach was on the staff of the then Northern European Division as education director, and our paths crossed very regularly over the next few years. I came to live in England a little more than 30 years ago, and Bert was also on the staff. I have observed him from every conceivable angle, at least intellectually, and in that context I have come not only to respect Bert a lot for his skills and knowledge, but to love him profoundly as a friend and fellow servant of the Lord and the church. It is going to be a tough job to find somebody who can step into the place that Bert Beach vacates now. Bert, I honor you as I know our church does, and I thank you for your wonderful service that you have given over the past many, many years. Standing next to you has been Elian, your lovely wife, who has given you support and who has also found the right moments to pull you in line and share with you a word of wisdom and counsel. All of us appreciate when our wives become active partners in what we are trying to do for the Lord. Bert, thank you very much for the service you have given to the Lord, to the church, and to the mission that the Lord has entrusted to the church. Thank you very much, and thank you also, Bert, for being a very good friend.

BERT B. BEACH: Dr. Graz has been telling me for the past few days to be here at 2:00 on Thursday. I thought I was here to introduce someone very important, and then I find these kind words from Elder Paulsen, who says that he has looked at me from all kinds of different angles, but I tell you, the most important angle he has looked at me from has been from above. Let me just say this, brethren and sisters—I have been able to serve this church now for 51 years, and it’s been an exciting adventure. I have enjoyed working for the church every single moment. My cup overfloweth with the way this church has blessed me. First of all, I had great parents who were a bright light in the home. I have had a wife that has put up with a very pathetic husband who is never at home. I have to thank her for that and for my children who are in the church. These are all blessings. Also, I am very blessed to have a General Conference president whom I can in many ways look up to and honor. And a successor in the department, Dr. John Graz, with whom we work so wonderfully together and will continue working together for some time, probably until I collapse. I would just like to thank my Lord, who has blessed me, and all I can say is this—that with a God that loves us so much, love so great, so divine, this demands my soul, my life, my all. Thank you, brethren.

MARTIN FELDBUSH: We are going to ask Dr. Beach not to vacate the platform too quickly. He has a very special guest to introduce to us. Following that introduction Karnik Doukmetzian, protocol officer, will also briefly introduce you to three special guests.

BERT B. BEACH: We are happy to introduce a very important church leader who is the president of the Church of God, Seventh-day. It is a church that observes the Sabbath, the Seventh-day Sabbath—a church that comes out of the same Millerite movement from which we have come. Pastor Whaid Rose has been the president of that church a few years. We are friends—we meet together from time to time at various assemblies. Pastor Rose, we are delighted to have you in our midst; please give us a few words of greetings. In his church he is a well-known evangelist. I’ve heard him preach, and when he preaches, he really preaches.

WHAID ROSE: I want to bring you special greetings on behalf of the Church of God, Seventh-day. Our general offices are located in Denver, Colorado, and I consider it a very special honor to be invited to be among you and to participate here this afternoon. Both our organizations share similar roots, as Dr. Beach pointed out a moment ago. In your global presence, your commitment to the health and the welfare of humanity, and the vision and the passion with which you go about ministry in this new millennium is admired by us and is very commendable. So I want to thank you for this opportunity to greet you on behalf of the General Conference of the Church of God, Seventh-day, and may God bless you in this fifty-seventh General Conference session. Thank you very much.

KARNIK DOUKMETZIAN: We have some additional distinguished guests with us today. Back in the spring of 1992, when the decision was made to have the 2000 General Conference session in the city of Toronto, both church members and leaders in Canada let out a shout of joy that the session was coming to Canada—except, of course, those individuals who had to do the work to get ready. Today I would like to introduce you to three individuals representing three of the key organizations that have worked so closely with us over the past eight years to make sure that this event came about.

I want to introduce you, first of all, to Annette Redican, who is here on behalf of President Doug Feif of the Metropolitan Toronto Convention Centre. Annette, I know it’s been tough work for you and your staff over the past number of years. We are very appreciative of the work that Tourism in Toronto has done to make sure that all our delegates and visitors have felt at home in the city of Toronto, and we know that our delegates and guests, from the comments that I have heard, have really enjoyed themselves here. We have a small token of our appreciation for the work that Tourism has done.

Our convention would not have been the same if it had not been for this large facility that we enjoy our daily meetings in. And we have with us Domenic Vivolo, the executive vice president of the SkyDome. Domenic, what a wonderful facility. I know I have been here many times to watch ball games, but I think this is the first time we have had such an event as this, and we are very appreciative of the facilities and the way that we have been met and welcomed here. So, Domenic, on behalf of all the organization, to the president and to you of the SkyDome, we thank you very much. Please accept this small token.

And finally we have with us the director of food services for the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Tim Lilleyman. Tim, we have been here almost two weeks, and it has been a delight and a joy, not only to use the facilities of the Convention Centre, but the wonderful service that you and your staff have provided to us. Certainly any large event such as this needs the cooperation of a large number of entities, and we are so grateful that you have been such wonderful hosts to us during our time here. Tim, here is a small token of our appreciation for your staff and your work. Thank you very much.

MATTHEW BEDIAKO: We continue with the unfinished business from this morning. We are dealing with the item on the Auditing Service. Many made speeches, and there were some people at the microphone when we had to close for the morning session. So now we want to open up the debate again.

GARRY HODGKIN: I would like to give notice today that tomorrow morning I intend to move to rescind the previous action we took concerning the “Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage” document. It is for the purpose of allowing delegates to vote on the entire document.

MATTHEW BEDIAKO: Thank you very much for your attention. And tomorrow morning you will be recognized and given the opportunity to make that motion.

[At this point there followed a lengthy discussion of the item relating to the General Conference Auditing Service and the church’s auditors. The discussion involved a number of amendments to the existing General Conference Constitution and Bylaws.]

ATHAL H. TOLHURST: Next is item 306, on page 57. Here we have a recommendation concerning membership of the General Conference Committee. [The undersecretary explained the various provisions of this item, which, after discussion, was voted.]

BRIAN BULL: I’d like to add a Section 5 to Article X—Term of Office, as follows: “Section 5. No person shall hold the office of president for continuous terms that exceed two full quinquennial terms plus the remainder of any partial term to which he may have previously been elected.

“The General Conference Executive Committee may enact an exception to this provision by an affirmative vote of not less than two thirds of its entire membership, so long as such action is taken after timely notice to its membership of the intent of the committee to consider such action.”

What I am proposing here is a term limit, and I move to refer this matter for further discussion to the Constitution and Bylaws Committee.

MATTHEW BEDIAKO: Thank you. Why don’t we vote what is before us now, and then you can make a separate motion. [The motion in Article VIII—Executive Committee was voted.]

BRIAN BULL: I move that consideration be given by the Constitution and Bylaws Committee to some form of term limits on at least the presidential office, perhaps other offices also. [Motion was seconded and voted.]

[Athal Tolhurst introduced a series of amendments to the constitution that were moved, seconded, and voted. Some of the discussion follows.]

ANDRE VAN RENSBURG: With regard to the Nominating Committee I would like to congratulate this proposal that is placed in front of us. This morning we heard many speeches requesting proper representation by pastors, lay members, women, and young people. I believe that what is being suggested here would help to bring this about.

I have had the privilege these past five years to serve on the General Conference Executive Committee, and I was amazed, when I was first appointed in 1995, that a number of folks would come up to me at the General Conference Annual Council and say that they were very happy to have young people on the Executive Committee. At that stage I was 40 years old.

Most recommendations at Annual Councils and General Conference sessions are recommended from other committees, and while I was serving on the General Conference Executive Committee I noticed that on many occasions the pastors and others would sit in the foyers. We are giving guidance as far as the Church Manual Committee is concerned, but there are no guidelines as far as the Constitution and Bylaws Committee is concerned.

KEITH ALBURY: I understand the rationale for having delegates at large, caucusing with division regular delegates. However, it would seem that under this new proposal those divisions that have more delegates at large will have a greater representation on the Nominating Committee.

LOWELL C. COOPER: The assumption implied in the question is correct. The larger the delegation, the larger the number of delegates to the Nominating Committee. I should explain that in the distribution of the pool of delegates for this session, one third of the pool was distributed on the basis of division membership in proportion to world membership. The rest of the pool was distributed on the basis of requests, and took into account in some situations the institutions that were not division institutions but that were major institutions within the territories of the division.

MATTHEW BEDIAKO: Now we will invite the president of the Euro-Asia Division to introduce a special item.

C. LEE HUFF: There are many wonderful things that are happening in the territory of the Euro-Asia Division, and today we want to highlight just one of those, which is the translation of the Bible into the Russian language, a project known as Project 66. It Is Written has been the driving force behind this endeavor, so today Elder Royce Williams, who is director of the It Is Written Global Television Department, will tell us about Project 66.

ROYCE WILLIAMS: It is unfortunate that Pastor Mark Finley cannot be with us for this special event, so I will fill in for him. Fifty-three years ago a young pastor in the Soviet Union began to carry a burden upon his heart for a new and more accurate translation of the Russian Bible. The existing translation made 150 years ago by the Orthodox Church carried many inaccuracies and pictured God in a very false way. In spite of prison, in spite of religious exile, Elder Michael Kulakov continued to bear this tremendous burden. He began to prepare himself for this project by teaching himself Greek and Hebrew, and he became a scholar in his own right. In 1994 Elder J. R. Spangler joined the staff of It Is Written, and he came to us and asked, Would you be willing to finance a project that involves translation of the Russian Bible? Elder Kulakov felt that he could gather together a very competent team of translators. Elder Spangler and Elder Kulakov spent much time together over the years, as Elder Spangler had organized the evangelistic thrust in the former Soviet Union. And so It Is Written took on this project. Elder Kulakov gathered a team of translators, and It Is Written provided the financing under the name Project 66. The New Testament and the book of Psalms, verse by verse, word by word, have now been completed. The balance of the Old Testament has been updated to modern Russian, and the most glowing errors in the Old Testament translation have been corrected. The New Testament has been printed, and the entire Bible is now ready to go to press in about two weeks. Today we are asking Elder Kulakov to make a special presentation of one of the first copies of this New Testament in the Russian language to Elder Jan Paulsen, our General Conference president.

MICHAEL KULAKOV: In order to evangelize Russian-speaking people, we have to give them a Bible that they can read and enjoy reading. And by the grace of the Lord, with the help of the brethren, we are now able to publish the New Testament in modern Russian, and I am happy to present this copy to the president of the General Conference, expressing our gratitude to the church, who supported this project.

ROBERT J. KLOOSTERHUIS: Good afternoon, fellow delegates. This is the fifth edition of windows on mission. It is entitled “Sharing Resources for Unity and Mission.” Resources refer not only to money, but to personnel as well.

Tithe, offerings, Investment, birthday, thanksgiving, Ingathering, local church expenses, church construction offerings, etc., refer to the financial resources of the church. We hear that we need to have more of these moneys stay in the local church. The money seems to go to the local field, the conference office, the union, the division, or the General Conference. Nothing seems to stay in our church, where we really need it for missions. From some parts of the world we hear, “We need more appropriations.” So during this hour we will look at these issues. Elder Jim Nix, of the Ellen G. White Estate, will present principles of giving engaged in by our early pioneers. Following his presentation Dr. Russell Staples will present a picture of what happens when church members understand mission giving.

JAMES NIX: Imagine a layman giving the equivalent of 12 years of a common laborer’s salary to preach his beliefs regarding the soon return of Christ. That’s what William Miller, a farmer turned preacher, did. Actually, Miller began preaching in 1831, but not until 1835 did a woman, here in Canada, give him two half dollars to help with his traveling expenses, the first donation that he had received from anyone. Miller’s sacrificial giving was the start of a long and worthy practice in Adventism. Appeals for funds were made through Millerite publications and at Millerite meetings. During the second Millerite General Conference, held in 1841, it was voted to raise $1,000 to help establish Second Advent libraries in various destitute towns. At the first official Millerite camp meeting, held in 1842, funds were collected for the huge tent that was used extensively during the remainder of the movement. Such calls for donations resulted in people giving their gold rings, earrings, and other jewelry. In fact, some Millerites were such liberal givers that their nonbelieving relatives resorted to the courts to have guardians appointed to manage the financial affairs of their supposedly fanatical members. Especially during 1844 funds poured in for printing literature. Teenage Ellen G. Harmon, ill at the time, knitted socks for 25 cents a pair to help earn money for literature. Millerite businessmen gave away their merchandise in order to start conversations with their customers about the soon return of Christ. Joseph Bates was among those Millerites who gave away his entire fortune in order to share his faith. Finally, so much money was given that the leaders had to tell other would-be donors to keep their money. More had been received than could possibly be used before October 22. Such was the legacy that Sabbathkeeping Adventists received from the Millerites.

Although fewer in number after 1844, our Sabbathkeeping pioneers continued their liberality. The last $100 owed on Joseph Bates’s first Sabbath tract was given anonymously. Ellen White’s older sister asked her employer for a $5 advance so that she could give it to Joseph Bates to support his work. Ellen’s sister was earning $1 per week at the time. In 1852 Hiram Edson sold his farm in New York State and lent his money to James White to buy our first printing press. Earlier Hiram’s wife, Esther, sold her silverware to pay for publishing the first article on the heavenly sanctuary. In 1855 four Michigan laymen donated funds for our first publishing house, erected in Battle Creek. Three of them had to sell their farms to pay their portion. A widow sold her cottage to have money to support God’s work, while another women pulled up her only carpet and sold it. Such was the sacrificial giving of our pioneers. Without any organized conferences, pioneer ministers supported themselves and their families, supplemented by the generosity of early believers.

Although some members gave beyond their means, others were downright stingy. With the movement growing, some kind of financial program was needed. As early as 1853 James White began urging regular financial support for the expanding ministerial workforce. In an article in the Review and Herald Elder White observed that some seemed to be getting the idea that the gospel was to be supported in some miraculous manner, and apparently had never thought of acting a part themselves. He advised those to learn their duty from the plain Word of God. The interests of all the church needed to be enlisted in this work. In 1859 the Battle Creek church became the first to adopt a formal financial program to support the work of the ministry. The plan, known as Systematic Benevolence, was not technically tithing—that would come in the 1870s. Even so, Ellen White wrote that the Systematic Benevolence plan was pleasing to God. In 1874 she observed that those churches who were the most systematic and liberal in sustaining the cause of God were the most prosperous spiritually. With no local conference until 1861, what was to be done with the Systematic Benevolence funds that were collected? James White advised one congregation to retain $5 to help visiting ministers and to send the rest to the States Tent Fund Committee. Elder White felt that if all churches adopted that plan, the 1,000 potential donors in Michigan alone would contribute sufficient funds to send five missionaries to the West Coast, meaning California. When local conferences started being formed, including the General Conference in 1863, they had to be financed. Originally all Systematic Benevolence funds were sent to the conference, though in time some churches retained a little to help with their local expenses.

In 1878 it was voted that 10 percent of the income from each local conference and institution be forwarded to the General Conference. By then most conferences were funded from tithe, since tithing had replaced the former plan. But there were other needs. Evangelistic tents cost money. Before regular salaries were paid, appeals were placed in the Review whenever ministers required specific financial help. Donors to the Book Fund, the Health Reform Institute, the Battle Creek College, the Dime Tabernacle, and other early church enterprises were all listed in the Review or in special pamphlets for everyone to read. And when the church began sending out missionaries, first to California and then to Europe and elsewhere, specific appeals for those endeavors were also made in the Review. In every instance members responded. Anna Knight, a nursing student at the Battle Creek Sanitarium, recalled students and staff voluntarily reducing the amount of food they ate in the dining room so that the savings could be sent to the missionaries in famine-stricken India. Sabbath school offerings were first collected in 1878. Initially all funds were retained locally to cover expenses. In 1885 Sabbath schools made their first contributions to missions. In fact, that year the Upper Columbia Conference became the first local conference to give all of its Sabbath school offering to missions. Such mission projects as building the schooner Pitcairn soon caught the imagination of Sabbath school members.

In 1899, moneys collected for the Southern field in the United States were misappropriated. Ellen White wrote a strongly worded rebuke to those responsible. Donations for a specific purpose were not to be used elsewhere, no matter what the reasons. It was robbery, she said; but the reverse was also true. Ellen White, in earlier counsel, advised that individuals should not withhold their tithes and offerings because of disagreements over how the church was being managed. They did not belong to any person, she claimed, but were to be used in doing the work of God. Mrs. White herself was the epitome of generosity, sometimes even borrowing money and paying interest on it to help start new institutions in America and elsewhere. Through the years she reminded Adventists, by precept and example, of their responsibilities to support the worldwide work of God. If every church member, she wrote, were imbued with the spirit of self-sacrifice, there would be no lack of funds for home and foreign missions. She reminded those withholding their tithes and offerings that they were blocking the way, so that the truth could not go to regions beyond. And she declared that if all the tithes flowed into the treasury as they should, the blessings received would be multiplied tenfold. On October 21, 1883, the church’s first official overseas missionary, Elder J. N. Andrews, lay dying of tuberculosis in Basle, Switzerland. Bedridden for weeks, too weak to write anything for the French Signs of the Times, Andrews could sense that the end was near. Unexpectedly the dying man spoke. He wanted to write something. With trembling hand he instructed that $500 of his estate not already designated go to the European Mission. Three hours later he was dead. Such were the thoughts going through the dying man’s mind. That, my brothers and sisters, is the true spirit of Adventism. Some among us still have it.

RUSSELL L. STAPLES: I start by thinking of the reorganization of the church at the General Conference sessions of 1901 and 1903. That was the beginning of the

A. G. Daniells and W. A. Spicer administrations—30 years with one continuous world vision. The great vision that drove that reorganization was a world vision of mission. Their Sabbath school offerings were further dedicated to mission work. It was affirmed that tithes could be used to pay missionaries, and so the Foreign Mission Board was dissolved and the General Conference and the entire church in North America was turned into a great foreign mission society. The second Sabbath of every month was to be dedicated to foreign missions. The result of all this was the 30 most dramatic years of expansion in the Adventist Church, both geographically and in membership. In 1902, 60 new Adventist missionary families were sent out. And in subsequent years the number averaged 90 per year. Membership grew from 75,000 in 1901 to 315, 000 at the end of that 30-year term. A simple statistic shows the significance of this. In 1900, 68 percent of the workers in the employment of the Adventist Church were within North America. At the end of the Daniells and Spicer era, there were 23 percent; 77 percent were employed in work around the world. The upward flow of funds in the Adventist Church was unparalleled, and this gave Daniells and Spicer much to work with. It was not spent on small projects, local projects; it was devoted to the world mission of the church. It was guided by a very wise policy. They paid a great deal of attention to developing the work in the countries of Europe. At General Conference sessions Daniells would bring a large map of the unreached areas of the world and find missionaries to go to those countries. Think for a moment of the dynamics of the situation. The church was relatively small, but they weren’t just giving money to missions—they were sending missionaries. If one reads the church papers of Britain and Germany, one just thrills today to see the excitement—photos of missionaries going out. The excitement stirred everybody. In 1913 Kaiser Wilhelm celebrated 25 years of rule, and gave 50,000 marks to he German Adventist mission in German West Africa. The reciprocal influence of mission on the churches can hardly be overestimated. This gave recognition. When I think of the growth of the church in the European countries in which it was very difficult, the only way I can explain that growth is this enormous enthusiasm—the reciprocal influence of the mission.

Let me give you one illustration of an event that more than any other in my life encapsulates the ethos of the Adventist Church and its mission. I was in Australia in 1939 with my mother, and shortly before the war broke out, Elder Spicer paid a visit. The Adventist community gathered together in the old Sydney Hall on Sabbath afternoon, and Elder Spicer preached. There was a heightened theological concern. The war was imminent. People felt it in their bones. Elder Spicer was enthusiastic about the growth of the church and the certainties of the Advent movement. It was a powerful talk. I can remember him saying that from east to west the church was growing. After an hour he wanted to stop, but the people said, “Go on; go on!” They wanted to hear more about all of this. He closed with the hymn that my mother used to call “The Spicer Hymn”: “They Come From the East and the West.” I think Elder Spicer loved this hymn. It wasn’t just a hymn; it was a picture of the Advent movement. And Elder Spicer himself led the singing. He said, “We aren’t simply a people preaching prophecy; we ourselves are the fulfillment of prophecy.”

Everybody, including my mother, wanted to meet Elder Spicer afterward. The foyer was jammed, and in that great throng where nobody could move, I noticed that a little girl wanted to speak to Elder Spicer. She may have been 11 years old. She worked her way closer, and when he noticed her he stopped speaking to all of the big people. He asked the little girl, “You wanted to say something?”

He replied, “That’s wonderful.” He took out his notebook and asked, “What is your name and your address, and how old are you?” After she told him, he replied, “You go to Avondale College and write to me in your last year, and I will give you a place as a missionary. And if you don’t write, I will write to you.” And he gave her a hug.

I have often thought, If only I could remember the name of that little girl. What became of her? What did she do? She might be somebody we all know. This was the ethos of the Adventist Church.

Second, the Adventist Church entered a time of rapid expansion that involved the development of institutions. The churches worked cooperatively with colonial governments; there were hundreds, thousands of schools all over the place. In many countries 90 percent of the education was conducted by missions; this was natural for Adventists. Hospitals and missions with and without government were operated, which meant a large institutional work. The effect of this, of course, was that the kind of missionaries needed changed. Instead of people going out to direct soul-winning, now people were teachers and administrators, and so on.

Third, this institutionalization of the church was very effective in missions, but it changed the character of mission, and this upward flow of money led to a rather large structural body that needed to be maintained.

Fourth, there was rapid growth of the church. It was enormously rapid. Continued rapid growth of the church meant that there was a tendency to take care of the members rather than to promote evangelism.

ROBERT J. KLOOSTERHUIS: Well, you might say, “That’s the past; today it’s different.” I wish at this time to introduce Jere Patzer, president of the North Pacific Union, who has experienced the zeal and enthusiasm produced in the homeland churches. He will also tell us about the reflex action that Mrs. White indicated would take place in the homeland churches when there is sacrificial giving.

JERE D. PATZER: That’s right, Elder Kloosterhuis and delegates. I am excited and enthusiastic about what I am going to share with you in the next few moments, because I have to make a confession. I have not always believed what I am going to share with you now. I am a convert, and there is no enthusiast like a convert. What am I talking about? I am talking about a cure that will solve three problems that we have in the North American Division: selfishness, independent ministries and/or congregationalism, and general Laodiceanism. If you don’t have any of those problems in your part of the world, then don’t listen during the next few minutes. But if you do, watch this video and let me summarize the points for you.

I mentioned three areas. First: corporate selfishness. We believe strongly that we have been blessed. Let me just give you one illustration of one of the many projects that we recently embarked on. We asked our children to raise $20,000 to provide bicycles for the pastors in Africa. Some of you may know about the project. They raised more than $50,000 That’s 500 bicycles for pastors in Africa. The money starts, and then it just continues to flood in. The result is that in the latest North American Division report, the North Pacific Union, after 10 years of experiencing this program, has the highest per capita giving of all the unions in North America in both tithe and mission offering. That is over and above these special

projects. We are blessed to be a blessing. That’s that reflex action, and I don’t totally understand it, but it works.

Second: dissidents and independent ministries and congregationalism. We were plagued with those in the Northwest. I can tell you that focusing on mission has almost completely eradicated such ministries. One illustration: one of the pastors who is seated back there began pastoring one of our largest churches, a church that had been split down the middle by congregationalism. Last year they sponsored five evangelistic crusades in this church: two at home and three overseas in the foreign mission field. Today that church is packed and united every Sabbath.

Third: general Laodiceanism. Our young people are pretty satisfied with American culture. And maybe that is true for your area. In 1998 we sent one out of every four of all of our academy young people overseas to do one of those short-term mission trips. Last year, 1999, one out of every three academy students across the union went overseas to be involved. And when they came back they were excited about their church, and about sharing Jesus Christ with those around them. Pastors go as well.

Just an anecdote to close with: Recently Duane McKey, our Global Mission director, was in one of our best churches in the North Pacific Union, a vibrant, exciting church, and he went up to the head elder and said to him, “Mr. Head Elder, it must be wonderful to have a pastor so excited and enthusiastic as your pastor.” And the head elder replied, “It wasn’t always that way.” Elder McKey was taken aback; he said, “What do you mean, it wasn’t always that way?” The elder replied, “You sent him on one of those mission trips. He came back converted.” There is a blessing to being involved in overseas mission. Give, and the blessing comes back. I want to challenge you today that wherever you are in whatever part of the world, reach out beyond yourself. Stop talking about how much money we can hoard. Let’s share it; God makes up the difference.

ROBERT J. KLOOSTERHUIS: Thank you, Elder Patzer. We will now ask Dr. Raelly, from the Eastern Africa Division, to share his response.

LASSEW RAELLY: Sharing of resources, human as well as financial, is God’s plan. When people come together from different cultures and backgrounds to share their financial resources, there is a sweet fellowship that takes place. When one shares resources, one begins to appreciate cultural differences. [Jon Dybdahl, Department of Mission chair, SDA Theological Seminary, Andrews University; Mike Ryan, Global Mission director; and Russell Staples answered questions from the floor regarding previous presentations.]

JON DYBDAHL: I want to make one point. One of the biggest problems in mission giving in the church is that by and large we have not presented the needs. There are many people who do not know that 40 percent of the world is not going to hear the Christian message unless somebody crosses a cultural barrier to give it to them. I hear it again and again—intelligent, educated people in churches saying, “No need for missionaries. We have been everywhere. We have reached just about every place.” This kind of thing needs to be known in the church and seen for what it is.

MIKE RYAN: Keep in mind also that missionaries need to be defined not just as coming from one or two particular countries, but going from any country to any country.

ROBERT J. KLOOSTERHUIS: Well, thank you. I regret very sincerely that we cannot hear from the rest of you. The chair is saying we have to stop. I wish we could continue, but I would like to ask that the General Conference treasurer top it off for us.

ROBERT L. RAWSON: Hearing your concepts, ideas, and experiences has been time well spent. I will never forget that as a young child I was fortunate to have a father who did two things consistently. First, he taught his children, as we had family worship, always to pray for the colporteurs and the missionaries. That was a part of our everyday experience. Second, he took great joy in getting his paycheck regularly and sitting down where I could see him and writing out a check to his church. My father passed away last February 14, and to his dying day this was his experience. It taught me well. I learned at an early age the concepts of this church in funding the programs of this church—it is for the strong to help the weak. I am also of the opinion, in recent days, that one of the greatest things that we can do for our people anywhere in the world is to allow them the opportunity to experience the joy of being a giver. Every church, every member who gives is able to experience the tremendous blessings God has promised. I would remind you that Ellen White declared that the missionary work would be further advanced in every way when a more liberal, self-denying, self-sacrificing spirit was manifested for foreign mission. Brothers and sisters, wherever we are, we need to reach out and help those that need our help.

MATTHEW BEDIAKO: Now the Nominating Committee has a report to give at this time. I would like to invite the chair and secretary to come forward and give us their final report.

NIELS-ERIK ANDREASEN: This is the last report from the Nominating Committee. The report this afternoon has two parts. First, the names of associates in the departments of the General Conference. The second part of the report includes recommendations for directors for the Corporation Board, and that should be voted by the General Conference Corporation, which the chair can arrange for us. But first, the associate directors of the various departments.

DELBERT BAKER: Associate director of the General Conference Adventist Chaplaincy Ministries Department, Martin W. Feldbush; associate directors of the General Conference Communication Department, Charlotte McClure, John T. J. Banks; associate secretaries of the General Conference Ministerial Association, Willmore D. Eva, Peter J. Prime, Joel Sarli, Nikolaus Satelmajer, Sharon M. Cress; associate director of the General Conference Publishing Department, Howard F. Faigao; associate directors of the General Conference Youth Department, Robert W. Holbrook, Alfredo A. Garcia-Marenko; associate director of the General Conference Women’s Ministries Department, Lynnetta S. Hamstra; associate directors of the General Conference Health Ministries Department located in Silver Spring, Maryland, Stoy E. Proctor, Kathleen Kuntaraf, P. N. Landless; located in Loma Linda, California, James M. Crawford, Richard Hart, Joyce Hopp, Patricia Jones, Thomas J. Zirkle; associate director of the General Conference Sabbath School and Personal Ministries Department, Jonathan Kuntaraf; associate director of the General Conference Stewardship Department, Stenio Gungadoo; associate director of the General Conference Family Ministries Department, Karen M. Flowers; associate directors of the General Conference Trust Services Department, Mary Atieno Ang’awa, David F. Johnston; associate directors of the General Conference Public Affairs and Religious Liberty Department, Douglas D. Devnich, Jonathan Gallagher; associate directors of the General Conference Education Department, Enrique Becerra, John M. Fowler, G. Garland Dulan. [All names were moved, seconded, and voted.]

MATTHEW BEDIAKO: We will now convene as the General Conference Corporation Board.

DELBERT BAKER: The Nominating Committee recommends the following names for the General Conference Corporation Board: Jan Paulsen, Donald E. Robinson, Robert L. Rawson, Ted N. C. Wilson, Don C. Schneider, Athal H. Tolhurst, Jeffrey Wilson, Dennis C. Keith, Robert E. Lemon, Harold W. Baptiste, Gary B. DeBoer, Lowell C. Cooper, Juan R. Prestol, Donald R. Sahly, Matthew A. Bediako, Robert L Sweezey, and David E. Johnston. [Names were moved, seconded, and voted.]

Actions

Thirteenth Business Meeting
57th General Conference Session,
July 6, 2000, 2:10 p.m.

GENERAL CONFERENCE AUDITING SERVICE—STRUCTURE AND ORGANIZATION
Voted, 1. To replace the action of the 1995 General Conference Session, to provide for the following:

A General Conference Auditing Service Board shall be elected at future General Conference Sessions. It will be composed of seventeen members, approximately two thirds of whom must be nondenominationally employed Seventh-day Adventists, one from each division, chosen from qualified auditors and/or knowledgeable professionals in related fields. The chairperson of the Board shall be a layperson selected by the Board from among its members. One of the responsibilities of the Board will be to recommend to each regular General Conference Session Nominating Committee the name of an individual to serve as director of the General Conference Auditing Service, and names of individuals to serve as associate directors of the General Conference Auditing Service after consultation with the respective divisions. A quorum of the General Conference Auditing Service Board shall be 50 percent plus one, the majority of whom shall be nondenominationally employed members.

2. To approve a General Conference Auditing Service (GCAS) Board, with its terms of reference and membership, as follows:

Terms of Reference	Authority and Responsibility
1. Adhere to the auditing policies of the General Conference and be responsible for all auditing and related functions for the world Church, in harmony with GC policy SA 05 25.	1. Power to act.
2. Recommend a director for GCAS.	2. Recommend to General Conference Session Nominating Committee.
3. Recommend to each regular General Conference Session Nominating Committee associate directors of GCAS after consultation with the respective divisions.	3. Power to act.
4. Be responsible for the appointment of assistant directors of GCAS after consultation with the respective divisions.	4. Power to act.
5. Appoint officers and members of the GCAS Administrative Committee.	5. Power to act.
6. Approve terms of reference for the GCAS Administrative Committee.	6. Power to act.
7. Consider amendments to auditing policy.	7. Recommend to GC Policy Review and Development Committee.
8. Approve the annual GCAS operating budget as provided by GC Treasury and recommended by the GCAS Administrative Committee.	8. Power to act.
9. Hold at least one meeting per year.	9. Power to act.
10. Present a report to Annual Council each year of auditing issues requiring attention of the General Conference Committee.	10. Power to act.
11. Appoint a recording secretary for Board meetings.	11. Power to act.

MEMBERS
Layperson, Chairperson
General Conference Vice President, Vice-chairman
Director of GCAS, Secretary
General Conference President
General Conference Secretary
General Conference Treasurer

Qualified SDA auditors and/or other knowledgeable professionals in related fields not in denominational employment, one from each of the world divisions (inclusive of the chairperson).

3. To request the 2000 Annual Council to elect members of the General Conference Auditing Service Board other than the ex officio members elected by the 2000 General Conference Session.

AUDITING SERVICE AND AUDITS—GENERAL CONFERENCE CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS AMENDMENT
Voted, To amend the General Conference Constitution and Bylaws, Bylaws, Article VIII—Auditing Service and Audits, to read as follows:

Sec. 1. At each regular General Conference Session, the General Conference shall elect a director of the General Conference Auditing Service, whose duties shall be to administer the conduct of audits of the organizations of the Church throughout the world. Associate directors shall also be elected at each regular General Conference Session. The director and associate directors shall be recommended by the General Conference Auditing Service Board to the Session Nominating Committee after consultation with the administrations of the respective divisions.

References to service directors and associate service directors elsewhere in these Bylaws shall not apply to the director and associate directors of the General Conference Auditing Service, except as provided for in Article XIII, Sec. 1.-c.

Sec. 2. a. At each regular General Conference Session, the General Conference shall elect a General Conference Auditing Service Board which shall be constituted as follows: General Conference president, a General Conference vice president as subsequently assigned by the president, General Conference secretary, General Conference treasurer, director of the General Conference Auditing Service, and one member from each division who is not employed denominationally, chosen from among qualified Seventh day Adventist auditors and/or other knowledgeable professionals in related fields. The chairperson of the Board shall be a layperson selected by the Board from among its members. The vice chairperson shall be the vice president of the General Conference who serves as a member of the Board. The secretary of the Board shall be the director of the General Conference Auditing Service.

b. A quorum of the General Conference Auditing Service Board shall be 50 percent plus one, the majority of whom shall be nondenominationally employed members.

Sec. 3. The General Conference Auditing Service, ever sensitive to the country-specific regulations governing the audits of denominational entities in a particular country, shall be responsible for all audits of world divisions; union conferences; union missions; conferences; missions; unions of churches; affiliated services, organizations, and institutions of the General Conference and every other administrative level; Adventist Development and Relief Agency country and regional administrations and projects (not audited by external auditors); and special funds. Exceptions to the above requirements shall be by specific action of the Executive Committee.

ELECTION—GENERAL CONFERENCE CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS AMENDMENT
Voted, To amend the General Conference Constitution and Bylaws, Constitution, Article V—Election, to read as follows:

Sec. 1. The following shall be elected at each regular session of the General Conference:
a. A president, vice presidents, a secretary, an undersecretary, associate secretaries, division secretaries, a treasurer, an undertreasurer, associate treasurers, division treasurers, general field secretaries, a director and associate directors of the General Conference Auditing Service, and a director/secretary and associate director/secretary (directors/secretaries) of each duly organized General Conference department and association as specified in Article X, Sec. 1. of the General Conference Bylaws.
b. A General Conference Auditing Service Board as provided for in the General Conference Bylaws, Article VIII, Sec. 2. a.
Sec. 2. The following shall be approved by vote of the Executive Committee at a subsequent meeting, following recommendations from the division:

Other persons to serve as members of the Executive Committee as provided for in Article VIII, Sec. 1.-b.

APPOINTMENT—GENERAL CONFERENCE CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS AMENDMENT
Voted, To amend the General Conference Constitution and Bylaws, Constitution, Article VI—Appointment, to read as follows:

The following shall be appointed at the first Annual Council of the Executive Committee following a regular session: a director of Archives and Statistics, a director and associate directors of the Biblical Research Institute, and editors and associate editors for the principal denominational journals prepared at the General Conference.

EX OFFICIO MEMBERS OF GENERAL CONFERENCE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE—PRESIDENTS OF UNIONS OF CHURCHES
Voted, To refer to the General Conference Constitution and Bylaws Committee the suggestion that presidents of unions of churches be ex officio members of the General Conference Executive Committee.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE—GENERAL CONFERENCE CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS AMENDMENT
Voted, To amend the General Conference Constitution and Bylaws, Constitution, Article VII—Executive Committee, to read as follows:

Sec. 1. The Executive Committee of the General Conference shall consist of:
     a. Ex officio members—1) Those elected as provided for in Article VI, Sec. 1. except the director and associate directors of the General Conference Auditing Service and the associate directors/secretaries of General Conference departments and associations.
     2) Presidents of union conferences, presidents of union missions, presidents of attached unions, past presidents of the General Conference holding credentials from the General Conference, the president executive director of Adventist Development and Relief Agency International, the president of Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies, the editor of Adventist Review, the editor of Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide, the president of Adventist Risk Management Incorporated, the president-executive director of Adventist World Radio, the president of Andrews University, the director of Archives and Statistics, the director of Biblical Research Institute, the president of Christian Record Services Incorporated, the president and the director of Ellen G White Estate, the director of Geoscience Research Institute, the president of Home Study International, the director of International Health Food Association, the president of Loma Linda University, the president of Loma Linda University Medical Center, the editor of Ministry, the president of Oakwood College, the president of Pacific Press Publishing Association, and the president of Review and Herald Publishing Association.
     b. Elected Members—No change

TERM OF OFFICE—GENERAL CONFERENCE CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS AMENDMENT
Voted, To amend the General Conference Constitution and Bylaws, Constitution, Article IX—Term of Office, to read as follows:

Sec. 1. All officers of the General Conference and those whose election is provided for in Article VI, Sec. 1. shall hold office from the time they take up their duties until the next regular session or until their successors are elected and take up their duties. Their term of office, unless government requirements dictate otherwise, is not subject to division retirement policies, which may determine specific ages for mandatory retirements.

Sec. 2. Members of the Executive Committee provided for in Article VIII shall serve from the time of their election until the next regular session.

Sec. 3. All those who are appointed to serve the General Conference as provided for in Article VII shall serve from the time they take up their appointment until their successors are appointed and take up their duties, or until the position is terminated. The appointments provided for in Article VII shall be reviewed at the first Annual Council of the Executive Committee following the General Conference session.

Sec. 4. Service as outlined in Sec. 1. to Sec. 3. above may be terminated for cause as provided for in General Conference Bylaws, Article XIII, Sec. 1.

TERM LIMITS FOR PRESIDENTS
Voted, To request the General Conference Constitution and Bylaws Committee to consider limiting service by General Conference presidents to two consecutive terms of service.

CORPORATIONS AND AGENTS—GENERAL CONFERENCE CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS AMENDMENT
Voted, To amend the General Conference Constitution and Bylaws, Constitution, Article XI—Corporations and Agents, to read as follows:

Sec. 1. The establishment of corporations to serve the General Conference shall be authorized by either a General Conference Session or by an Annual Council of the General Conference Executive Committee.

Sec. 2. The General Conference Corporation is a legal entity formed to serve the General Conference in carrying out its purposes.

Sec. 3. At each regular General Conference Session, the delegates shall elect the trustees of the General Conference Corporation.

TERRITORIAL ADMINISTRATION—GENERAL CONFERENCE CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS AMENDMENT
Voted, To amend the General Conference Constitution and Bylaws, Bylaws, Article I—Territorial Administration, to read as follows:

Sec. 2. a. The duly organized divisions are: Africa-Indian Ocean Division, Eastern Africa Division, Euro-Africa Division, Euro-Asia Division, Inter-American Division, North American Division, Northern Asia-Pacific Division, South American Division, South Pacific Division, Southern Asia Division, Southern Asia-Pacific Division, and Trans-European Division. The boundaries of these divisions shall be subject to adjustment only at sessions of the General Conference or at annual councils of the Executive Committee.
b. The duly organized attached union is: Southern Africa Union Conference.

STANDING COMMITTEES—GENERAL CONFERENCE CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS AMENDMENT
Voted, To amend the General Conference Constitution and Bylaws, Bylaws, Article II—Standing Committees, to read as follows:

Sec. 1. At each regular session of the General Conference, such standing committees as may be found necessary, including the following, shall be elected to consider items of business that may be referred to them and to bring in their reports and recommendations to the session:
     a. Church Manual Committee
     b. Constitution and Bylaws Committee
     c. Nominating Committee
     d. Plans Committee

Sec. 2. Church Manual Committee: The chairperson of the Church Manual Committee shall be an officer of the General Conference.

Sec. 3. Constitution and Bylaws Committee: The chairperson of the Constitution and Bylaws Committee shall be an officer of the General Conference.

Sec. 4. Nominating Committee:
     a. The membership of the Nominating Committee shall consist of the following:
       1) Each division and each attached union shall be entitled to select for membership on the Nominating Committee ten percent of its delegation to the session, after excluding any delegates at large employed by the General Conference and its institutions.
       2) Delegates at large who are excluded under 1) above shall be entitled to representation on the Nominating Committee equal to eight percent of their total number.
     b. The members of the Nominating Committee shall be chosen as follows:
       1) Each division delegation and each attached union delegation shall act as a unit in selecting members to which it is entitled. Excluded from this process shall be any delegates at large employed by the General Conference and its institutions.
       2) The delegates at large employed by the General Conference and its institutions shall act as a unit in selecting members to which they are entitled.
       3) The election of—No change
     c. Each division delegation and attached union delegation—No change
     d. Those chosen as members—No change
     e. Delegates elected under the provisions of Article VI, Sec. 1. of the Constitution shall not be members of the Nominating Committee.
     f. No delegate shall nominate—No change
     g. The Nominating Committee shall elect—No change
     h. The Nominating Committee shall limit—No change
     i. In order to expedite the work—No change

NOMINATING COMMITTEE REPORT #11
Voted, To approve the following partial report of the Nominating Committee:

     Communication Department
     Associate Directors, John T J Banks
     Charlotte Pedersen McClure

     Education Department
     Associate Directors,
     Enrique Becerra
     C Garland Dulan
     John M Fowler

     Health Ministries Department
     Associate Directors,
     James M Crawford at LLU
     Richard H Hart at LLU
     Joyce W Hopp at LLU
     Patricia L Jones at LLU
     Kathleen Kuntaraf
     P N Landless
     Stoy E Proctor
     Thomas J Zirkle at LLU

     Ministerial Association
     Associate Secretaries,
     Sharon M Cress
     Willmore D Eva
     Peter J Prime
     Joel Sarli
     Nikolaus Satelmajer

     Public Affairs and Religious Liberty Department
     Associate Directors,
     D Douglas Devnich
     Jonathan Gallagher

Sabbath School and Personal Ministries Department
Associate Director, Jonathan Kuntaraf

     Trust Services Department
     Associate Directors,
     Mary Atenio Ang’awa
     David E Johnston

     Youth Department
     Associate Directors,
     Alfredo A Garcia-Marenko
     Robert W Holbrook

     General Conference Corporation Board
     Harold W Baptiste
     Matthew A Bediako
     Lowell C Cooper
     Gary B DeBoer
     David E Johnston
     Dennis C Keith, Sr
     Robert E Lemon
     Jan Paulsen
     Juan R Prestol
     Robert L Rawson
     Donald E Robinson
     Donald R Sahly
     Don C Schneider
     Robert L Sweezey
     Athal H Tolhurst
     Jeffrey K Wilson
     Ted N C Wilson

Proceedings

Fourteenth Business Meeting
57th General Conference Session, July 7, 2000, 9:30 a.m.

GARRY HODGKIN: I move that the action referring the document on divorce and remarriage to the Church Manual Committee be rescinded. [Motion was seconded.]

PHILIP S. FOLLETT: You understand that by our rules of order, since the announcement was made in advance, this motion requires a simple majority. If you vote yes, the action to refer will be rescinded. We will be in the same position we were before the item was referred, and the item “Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage,” with the amendments already voted, would come before us for a vote. Any questions?

CLYDE MORGAN: On such matters as this I think it is unwise, perhaps even reckless, to entertain and vote amendments in the heat of debate. There are obviously wide differences in the delegation, and probably in the church. I think this calls for calm, deliberate consideration. Therefore I would like to move to postpone indefinitely the motion to rescind.

PHILIP S. FOLLETT: It is the opinion of the chair that this motion would simply be the same as voting no on the motion on the floor. Our parliamentarian has ruled that the motion is not in order.

JAMES DICK: I stand in support of the motion on the grounds that what exists in the current manual has been problematic. The efforts made by the Church Manual Committee represent a large step forward, and I think we lose five years of efforts by sending this back to the committee. I support that we accept what has already been worked on in this document.

MARION SHIELDS: I speak in favor of the motion. Any document that will bring greater redemption and support to our people when they go through this tragedy has to be supported. And the new document does that! And the whole work of the Church Manual Committee in redrafting this section was to include greater redemptive and supportive measures for our people as they go through this tragedy. So I move we call question and vote.

PHILIP S. FOLLETT: The effect of this vote is not to rescind the action, but simply to stop debate on the motion to rescind. [Motion was voted.] Now the document is back on the floor as it was the other day, with all of its amendments at that time.

GARRY HODGKIN: I would now like to propose that the document be accepted, incorporating Tuesday’s amendments. [Motion was seconded.]

PHILIP S. FOLLETT: The motion now on the floor is to place the document as it was, before it was referred, into the new manual, with all the amendments that have been voted.

LESLIE POLLARD: I assume that this means that there will be no new amendments to what we have already voted, and we will not have the opportunity to amend anything else in the document.

PHILIP S. FOLLETT: It does not mean that. The document is on the floor as it was before and is amendable.

HENRIK INGO: I believe that the intention of this motion is that we not replay two days of discussions. I move that we close debate. [Motion was seconded.]

PHILIP S. FOLLETT: It does take a two-thirds majority to stop debate on this issue and vote it up or down. [Motion was voted.] The motion now is to use the document as it appeared before it was referred and to approve it as it was at that time. Please vote yes or no. [Motion was voted.] That action is carried, and that section of the document is approved.

JAN PAULSEN: We have spent, in my view, quite enough time on this one. We have other business that needs to be done.

PHILIP S. FOLLETT: It seems that way to me. The chair will rule that the action is clear.

DANIEL ESCAMILLA: I move that when we deal with the Church Manual, the chair be the same one per issue.

PHILIP S. FOLLETT: Is your motion that we would request administration to consider assigning the same chair to deal with any one issue? There are complications with that also, but is that your motion?

LOWELL C. COOPER: In 1998 at the Annual Council the General Conference Committee asked the Church Manual Committee to give study to a proposal that would distinguish material in the manual that has worldwide applicability from that material in the manual that may be primarily illustrative in supporting the procedures that are applicable worldwide. It was recognized that the Church Manual has several functions. It is a teaching instrument for the church, particularly for local church leaders, who, when they are new in their position, need some guidebook for training and orientation. It has also been recognized that there are elements of the Church Manual that are not only of teaching value but of formative value for the church in describing how a Seventh-day Adventist church functions, what values it holds, and so forth. Over the course of time the Church Manual has developed with both types of material, and so the request made by the Annual Council in 1998 was for the Church Manual Committee to look particularly at those chapters that may have combined formative material and illustrative material. We have attempted to do that, and once again, I suppose that attempt may be seen as an imperfect and unfinished work. Nevertheless, we are coming to this body with a recommendation that is found on page 239 of the agenda book. I believe, Brother Chairman, that this should be read.

DONALD R. SAHLY: “The Church Manual Committee held several meetings in which it studied the proposed format change of the Church Manual.

“2. To divide the content of some chapters into two types of material: (a) the main content; and (b) notes containing explanatory material which will appear at the end of the chapter.

“3. To continue the practice of making changes in the main content of the Church Manual only at a General Conference session. Changes to Notes at the end of chapters in the Church Manual may be assembled for approval by the General Conference Executive Committee at the final Annual Council meeting of the quinquennium, when the final recommendations for amendments to the main content of the Church Manual are approved. However, the General Conference Executive Committee may address changes to the Notes at any Annual Council.” [The motion was seconded.]

LOWELL C. COOPER: Again, there are different kinds of material in the Church Manual, and we are proposing that we retain within the chapter content that material that this body decides is of worldwide applicability, and that we place in notes at the end of the chapter other materials now in the manual that are explanatory in nature or illustrate a way in which a certain procedure can be done. A certain procedure need not necessarily be uniform around the world. For instance, as to how to arrange the Communion service table or where to place it in the church. That kind of material can be of educational value to help people who do not have an orientation about the procedure of the Communion service, but there may be other ways of doing it, so the intent is to have chapter contents and notes at the end of the chapter that help to explain, expand, to illustrate the meaning of the chapter, but not necessarily to be obligatory for every church. There may be other ways of accomplishing the same thing. And the intent is that the Church Manual will still be one book. The material that remains in the main body of the chapter can be changed only at a General Conference session. That the material in the notes is explanatory, is illustrative, and can be changed by an Annual Council.

SAMUEL KORANTENG-PIPIM: Before we vote this item, it may be necessary to look exactly at what is placed in each note, because I have read those notes and I am concerned that some things in the notes deserve to be discussed.

LOWELL C. COOPER: I observe that the motion before us is a motion of concept. If this body approves the concept, we would then proceed to approve the designation of chapter content and notes. Those decisions have not been made. The material that is in the book is illustrative of what could be done. But accepting the motion that is on the floor would not automatically create the chapter display that we have in the agenda.

SAMUEL KORANTENG-PIPIM: I would urge the delegates to vote against this recommendation splitting the Church Manual into optional and compulsory sections and then delegating different levels of authority to them and allowing different levels of people to amend at their discretion. I would ask the delegation to vote against it. [Motion was voted.]

LOWELL C. COOPER: We would like to go to item 489 on page 240. The recommendation here concerns the selection of chapter content and the identification of notes for chapter 6 of the Church Manual, which deals with church officers and their duties. I believe it would be appropriate for us to take a look at the material. Would the secretary read the recommendation and place the matter in motion?

DONALD R. SAHLY: “Recommended, To refer to the 2000 General Conference session the proposed format change of the Church Manual, chapter 6, Church Officers and Their Duties. The chapter will be divided into two sections: the main content, and the notes containing explanatory material which will appear at the end of the chapter. I so move this. [Motion was seconded and voted.]

LOWELL C. COOPER: In a similar manner we have a recommendation contained on page 270 concerning chapter 7 of the Church Manual.

DONALD R. SAHLY: Page 270, item 490. “Recommended, To refer to the 2000 General Conference session the proposed format change of the Church Manual,

chapter 7. The Services and Meetings of the Church. The chapter will be divided into two sections: the main content, and the notes containing the explanatory material which will appear at the end of the chapter.” [This and a series of format changes were moved, seconded, and voted.]

MARIO VELOSO: Item 405, page 75, makes reference to the two types of material in the manual.

DONALD R. SAHLY: I am reading the revised page 75, lines 31-36. “Content of the Church Manual—The content of this Church Manual, as it is presented in chapters and sections within the chapters, is divided into two types of material. The main content of each chapter is of worldwide value and applicable to every church. Recognizing the need for some variations, additional material which is explanatory in nature appears as Notes at the end of some chapters and is given as guidance. The Notes have subheadings which correspond to chapter subheadings and correlate to specific page numbers.” I move it. [The chair asked for a vote on the whole recommendation (pp. 74-77), which was seconded and voted.]

LOWELL C. COOPER: We are now dealing with item 406, which I believe we discussed the other day and referred back to the Church Manual Committee. That committee has met and is bringing to us a recommendation that is contained on pages 78 and 79, revised.

PHILIP S. FOLLETT: The delegates will recall that there was a single paragraph in the original item that was brought to this session, and there was some concern about certain wording in that paragraph. The Church Manual Committee felt it best to begin this approach to authority by speaking about the authority of the church. Therefore we have included some scriptural foundation for all authority in the church, and then we proceed to the matter of the development and the historical authority of the Church Manual. And we end up with a paragraph expressing the role and the authority of the manual within the Seventh-day Adventist Church. [Donald R. Sahly read the document, which was moved and seconded.]

MUSA NGWIRA: I’m on page 78, line 35, which says that at the 1946 General Conference session “all ‘changes or revisions of policy’ in the Church Manual shall be ‘authorized by the General Conference session.’” Are we moving away from that position?

LOWELL C. COOPER: If at the 2000 session this body, which has authority in Church Manual matters, decides to distinguish between chapter content and that which is in the notes, and gives authority to the Executive Committee to change the notes, we are still operating within the context of authority of the session, and I don’t see that there is a contravention of the intention of the 1946 action, or the subsequent recognition that the General Conference in session is the highest authority. [George Crumley suggested that this idea should be included and was asked by the chair to bring the exact wording to the secretary.]

ROGER DUNDER: Will the General Conference body in session, such as we have here today, also be authorized to change the notes?

LOWELL C. COOPER: Certainly the authority of the session exceeds the authority of the General Conference Executive Committee. And in that case, it can make the changes that it feels are appropriate.

There are many other items in the Church Manual Committee that with the permission of this body we can take in certain blocks, and I would now refer to items 441 through 450, which are primarily simple editorial changes. Perhaps Dr. Veloso could quickly page us through those items and, with your permission, offer these as a block. [Mario Veloso referenced the items, and the motion to accept was made, seconded, and voted.]

[A number of recommendations having to do with Church Manual nomenclature and the addition of new sections for women’s ministries and children’s ministries were moved, seconded, and voted.]

PHILIP S. FOLLETT: We thank all who have spoken, and we would encourage you if you have suggestions for the departmental leaders or the Church Manual Committee. Please feel free to give these to them in writing. They will have ongoing discussions. We value your input, and we thank you very much for your cooperation today.

Actions

Fourteenth Business Meeting
57th General Conference Session, July 7, 2000, 9:30 a.m.

APPRECIATION TO EMPLOYEES NOT REELECTED
Voted, To express profound gratitude and appreciation to all those church employees who were not reelected, as well as to their families, for their many years of dedicated service to the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

To refer back to the Church Manual Committee, the recommendations for amendment to Chapter 15 of the Church Manual, Divorce and Remarriage, pages 181-184, for further study with the understanding that recommendations from that committee will be shared with the divisions for study and input.

DIVORCE AND REMARRIAGE—CHURCH MANUAL AMENDMENT
Voted, To amend the Church Manual, Chapter 15, Divorce and Remarriage, pages 181-184, which reads as follows:

Chapter 15
Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage
Biblical Teachings on Marriage

The Origin of Marriage—Marriage is a divine institution established by God Himself before the fall when everything, including marriage, was “very good” (Gen. 1:31). “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh” (Gen. 2:24). “God celebrated the first marriage. Thus the institution has for its originator the Creator of the universe. ‘Marriage is honourable’; it was one of the first gifts of God to man, and it is one of the two institutions that, after the fall, Adam brought with him beyond the gates of Paradise.”—The Adventist Home, pp. 25, 26.

The Oneness of Marriage—God intended Adam and Eve’s marriage to be the pattern for all future marriages, and Christ endorsed this original concept saying: “Have ye not read that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, and said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder” (Matt. 19:4-6).

The Permanence of Marriage—Marriage is a lifelong commitment of husband and wife to each other and between the couple and God (Mark 10:2-9; Rom. 7:2). Paul indicates that the commitment which Christ has for the church is a model of the relationship between husband and wife (Eph. 5:31, 32). God intended the marriage relationship to be as permanent as Christ’s relationship with the church.

Sexual Intimacy in Marriage—Sexual intimacy within marriage is a sacred gift from God to the human family. It is an integral part of marriage, reserved for marriage only (Gen. 2:24; Prov. 5:5-20). Such intimacy, designed to be shared exclusively between husband and wife, promotes ever-increasing closeness, happiness, and security, and provides for the perpetuation of the human race. In addition to being monogamous, marriage, as instituted by God, is a heterosexual relationship (Matt. 19:4, 5).

Partnership in Marriage—Unity in marriage is achieved by mutual respect and love. No one is superior (Eph. 5:21-28). “Marriage, a union for life, is a symbol of the union between Christ and His church. The spirit that Christ manifests toward the church is the spirit that husband and wife are to manifest toward each other.” God’s Word condemns violence in personal relationships (Gen. 6:11, 13; Ps. 11:5; Isa. 58:4, 5; Rom. 13:10; Gal. 5:19-21). It is the spirit of Christ to love and accept, to seek to affirm and build others up, rather than to abuse or demean them (Rom. 12:10; 14:19; Eph. 4:26; 5:28, 29; Col. 3:8-14; 1 Thess. 5:11). There is no room among Christ’s followers for tyrannical control and the abuse of power (Matt. 20:25-28; Eph. 6:4). Violence in the setting of marriage and family is abhorrent. (See Adventist Home, p. 343.)

“Neither husband nor wife is to make a plea for rulership. The Lord has laid down the principle that is to guide in this matter. The husband is to cherish his wife as Christ cherishes the church. And the wife is to respect and love her husband. Both are to cultivate the spirit of kindness, being determined never to grieve or injure the other.”—Testimonies, vol. 7, pp. 46, 47.

The Effects of the Fall on Marriage—The entrance of sin adversely affected marriage. When Adam and Eve sinned, they lost the oneness which they had known with God and with one another (Gen. 3:6-24). Their relationship became marked with guilt, shame, blame, and pain. Wherever sin reigns, its sad effects on marriage include alienation, desertion, unfaithfulness, neglect, abuse, violence, separation, divorce, domination of one partner by the other, and sexual perversion. Marriages involving more than one spouse are also an expression of the effects of sin on the institution of marriage. Such marriages, although practiced in Old Testament times, are not in harmony with the divine design. God’s plan for marriage requires His people to transcend the mores of popular culture which are in conflict with the biblical view.

Restoration and Healing—1. Divine Ideal to Be Restored in Christ—In redeeming the world from sin and its consequences, God also seeks to restore marriage to its original ideal. This is envisioned for the lives of those who have been born again into the kingdom of Christ, those whose hearts are being sanctified by the Holy Spirit and who have as their primary purpose in life the exaltation of the Lord Jesus Christ. (See also 1 Peter 3:7; Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, p. 64.)

2. Oneness and Equality to be Restored in Christ—The gospel emphasizes the love and submission of husband and wife to one another (1 Cor. 7:3, 4; Eph. 5:21). The model for the husband’s leadership is the self-sacrificial love and service that Christ gives to the church (Eph. 5:24, 25). Both Peter and Paul speak about the need for respect in the marriage relationship (1 Peter 3:7; Eph. 5:22, 23).

3. Grace Available for All—God seeks to restore to wholeness and reconcile to Himself all who have failed to attain the divine standard (2 Cor. 5:19). This includes those who have experienced broken marriage relationships.

4. The Role of the Church—Moses in the Old Testament and Paul in the New Testament dealt with the problems caused by broken marriages (Deut. 24:1-5; 1 Cor. 7:11). Both, while upholding and affirming the ideal, worked constructively and redemptively with those who had fallen short of the divine standard. Similarly, the church today is called to uphold and affirm God’s ideal for marriage and, at the same time, to be a reconciling, forgiving, healing community, showing understanding and compassion when brokenness occurs.

God’s Original Purpose—Divorce is contrary to God’s original purpose in creating marriage (Matt. 19:3-8; Mark 10:2-9), but the Bible is not silent about it. Because divorce occurred as part of the fallen human experience, biblical legislation was given to limit the damage it caused (Deut. 24:1-4). The Bible consistently seeks to elevate marriage and to discourage divorce by describing the joys of married love and faithfulness (Prov. 5:18-20; Song of Sol. 2:16; 4:9-5:1), by referring to the marriage-like relationship of God with His people (Isa. 54:5; Jer. 3:1), by focusing on the possibilities of forgiveness and marital renewal (Hosea 3:1-3), and by indicating God’s abhorrence of divorce and the misery it causes (Mal. 2:15, 16). Jesus restored the creation view of marriage as a lifelong commitment between a man and a woman and between the couple and God (Matt. 19:4-6; Mark 10:6-9). Much biblical instruction affirms marriage and seeks to correct problems which tend to weaken or destroy the foundation of marriage (Eph. 5:21-33; Heb. 13:4; 1 Peter 3:7).

Marriages Can Be Destroyed—Marriage rests on principles of love, loyalty, exclusiveness, trust, and support upheld by both partners in obedience to God (Gen. 2:24; Matt. 19:6; 1 Cor. 13; Eph. 5:21-29; 1 Thess. 4:1-7). When these principles are violated, the marriage is endangered. Scripture acknowledges that tragic circumstances can destroy marriage.

Divine Grace—Divine grace is the only remedy for the brokenness of divorce. When marriage fails, former partners should be encouraged to examine their experience and to seek God’s will for their lives. God provides comfort to those who have been wounded. God also accepts the repentance of individuals who commit the most destructive sins, even those that carry with them irreparable consequences (2 Sam. 11; 12; Ps. 34:18; 86:5; Joel 2:12, 13; John 8:2-11; 1 John 1:9).

Grounds for Divorce—Scripture recognizes adultery and/or fornication (Matt. 5:32) as well as abandonment by an unbelieving partner (1 Cor. 7:10-15) as grounds for divorce.

There is no direct teaching in Scripture regarding remarriage after divorce. However, there is a strong implication in Jesus’ words in Matthew 19:9 that would allow the remarriage of one who has remained faithful, but whose spouse has been unfaithful to the marriage vow.

Acknowledging the teachings of the Bible on marriage, the church is aware that marriage relationships are less than ideal in many cases. The problem of divorce and remarriage can be seen in its true light only as it is viewed from Heaven’s viewpoint and against the background of the Garden of Eden. Central to God’s holy plan for our world was the creation of beings made in His image who would multiply and replenish the earth, and live together in purity, harmony, and happiness. He brought forth Eve from the side of Adam, and gave her to Adam as his wife. Thus was marriage instituted—God the author of the institution, God the officiator at the first marriage. After the Lord had revealed to Adam that Eve was verily bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh, there could never arise a doubt in his mind that they twain were one flesh. Nor could ever a doubt arise in the mind of either of the holy pair that God intended that their home should endure forever.

The church adheres to this view of marriage and home without reservation, believing that any lowering of this high view is to that extent a lowering of the heavenly ideal. The belief that marriage is a divine institution rests upon the Holy Scriptures. Accordingly, all thinking and reasoning in the perplexing field of divorce and remarriage must constantly be harmonized with that holy ideal revealed in Eden.

The church believes in the law of God; it also believes in the forgiving mercy of God. It believes that victory and salvation can as surely be found by those who have transgressed in the matter of divorce and remarriage as by those who have failed in any other of God’s holy standards. Nothing presented here is intended to minimize the mercy of God or the forgiveness of God. In the fear of the Lord, the church here sets forth the principles and practices that should apply in this matter of marriage, divorce, and remarriage.

Though marriage was first performed by God alone, it is recognized that people now live under civil governments on this earth; therefore, marriage has both a divine and a civil aspect. The divine aspect is governed by the laws of God, the civil by the laws of the state.

In harmony with these teachings, the following statements set forth the position of the Seventh-day Adventist Church:


SESSION ACTIONS AND PROCEEDINGS