The General Conference Administrative Committee (ADCOM) of the Seventh-day Adventist Church recently took action to further support and embrace the unity of the global church, and to complement church policies already in place.
The Adventist church operates in more than 200 countries, grows at more than four percent per year, and establishes more than 30 new groups of believers each day. Growth and diversity require flexibility, always in the context of holding fast to Biblical truth and best practices of operating.
Decisions regarding agenda items are determined by majority vote. Most agenda items for the world church come from processes previously agreed upon or as a result of input from elected members of the General Conference Executive Committee.
On July 17, 2018, the General Conference (GC) ADCOM established five compliance committees to serve unity, helping retain voted church beliefs and operating procedures and process. The terms of reference for these committees are available here. The names of the committees and those elected to committee membership can be found at the end of this article.
Two Primary Expressions
The establishment of the five compliance committees resulted from two primary expressions of the world church:
- A worldwide survey conducted by the church’s Office of Archives, Statistics, and Research of church leaders, including all union presidents, showed strong support for some type of consequences for entities not in compliance with voted actions of GC Sessions and of the GC Executive Committee. Results of the survey were published on March 23, 2018, by Adventist News Network (ANN)and Adventist Review, and in the April 2018 GC Executive Committee Newsletter (ECN).
- For several years General Conference Executive Committee members have correctly observed that non-compliance to GC Session and Executive Committee actions can be found in several areas of church practice and operation. Repeatedly, questions have been posed asking why church leadership has not addressed these issues. This action by ADCOM responds to those concerns.
The purpose of these committees is to have a group of qualified people, upon the recommendation of GC ADCOM, look into reported non-compliant practices. The goal of each committee is to focus the church on its mission and message, using a redemptive approach to achieve church unity. In addressing compliance issues, this model could also be adopted by other levels of church organization.
As explained in the vote taken by the GC ADCOM, the subcommittee process begins with a referral from the GC ADCOM and thereafter follows the normal practice of gaining wide input, building a majority consensus through the GC ADCOM, General Conference and Division Officers (GCDO), and the General Conference Executive Committee.
A Common Understanding
Church authority is owned by the membership of the church. The decisions that come out of GC Sessions and Executive Committee meetings endorse Biblical beliefs and define church operating policy and practice. It is Biblical for people and organizations to work together with a common understanding that the message and mission found in God’s Word might circle the globe.
Hensley Moorooven, secretary of the GC ADCOM makes this prayerful appeal: “What we really need is to have the church be found on their knees, praying for the Holy Spirit to draw us together. Regardless of where on the continuum we come from, we have a mission and we have a message, and that needs to become the focus of the church. That is the appeal of the leadership of the General Conference, of the divisions, unions, conferences, pastors, and members. Let us be on our knees.”
General Conference Compliance Review Committee with Doctrine, Policies, Statements, and Guidelines for Church Organizations and Institutions Teaching Creation/Origins
MEMBERS
Stele, Artur A, Chair
Gibson, L James, Secretary
Donkor, Kwabena
Klingbeil, Chantal
Nalin, Ronald
Phillips, Suzanne
Porter, Karen J
Ryan, Michael L
Standish, Timothy G
Thomas, John H
Younker, Randall W
LEGAL ADVISOR:
Woods, Jennifer
EX OFFICIO
Wilson, Ted N C
Ng, G T
Prestol-Puesan, Juan R
General Conference Compliance Review Committee with Doctrine, Policies, Statements, and Guidelines for Church Organizations and Institutions Regarding Homosexuality
MEMBERS
Stele, Artur A, Chair
Brasil de Souza, Elias, Secretary
Beardsley-Hardy, Lisa M
Blanchard, Gary T
Landless, Peter N
Mueller, Ekkehardt F R
Nedley, Neil
Oliver, Elaine
Oliver, Willie
Proffitt, Kathryn L
Santos, Gerson P
Yingling, Lori T
LEGAL ADVISOR
Wetmore, Thomas E
EX OFFICIO
Wilson, Ted N C
Ng, G T
Prestol-Puesan, Juan R
General Conference Compliance Review Committee with Doctrine, Policies, Statements, and Guidelines for Church Organizations and Institutions Regarding Issues of Ordination
MEMBERS
Biaggi, Guillermo E, Chair
Moorooven, Hensley M, Secretary
De los Santos, Abner
Finley, Mark A
Hasel, Frank M
Page, Janet R
Page, Jerry N
Ryan, Michael L
Stele, Galina
LEGAL ADVISOR
Doukmetzian, Karnik
EX OFFICIO
Wilson, Ted N C
Ng, G T
Prestol-Puesan, Juan R
General Conference Compliance Review Committee with General Conference Core Policies
MEMBERS
Wahlen, J Raymond II, Chair
Orion, Daisy J F, Secretary
Biaggi, Guillermo E
Richli, Claude J
Two additional members to be named
GCAS Associate from the Region Under Review
LEGAL ADVISOR
Pierre, Josue
EX OFFICIO
Wilson, Ted N C
Ng, G T
Prestol-Puesan, Juan R
General Conference Compliance Review Committee with the Distinctive Beliefs of the Seventh-day Adventist Church for Church Organizations and Institutions
MEMBERS
Brasil de Souza, Elias, Chair
Wahlen, Clinton L, Secretary
Arrais, Raquel C
Finley, Mark A
Goia, Pavel
Moorooven, Hensley M
Page Jerry N
Small, Heather-Dawn K
Simmons, Ella S
Thorp, Brad
Timm, Alberto R
LEGAL ADVISOR
McFarland, Todd R
EX OFFICIO
Wilson, Ted N C
Ng, G T
Prestol-Puesan, Juan R
