Expert: Tom Norris - 4/9/2007

Question
What is the hierarchy of structure in leadership in the Seventh-Day Adventist Church?

Answer
Margaret, thank you for your question about the management structure of the SDA church.  Although the SDA denomination is Protestant, it has ironically developed a Roman Catholic style hierarchical system.  This is in sharp contrast to a Congregational form of church management, which is far more Gospel friendly than the Roman Catholic model.

Here is a brief summary of the Church structure of the Seventh-day Adventist Church:

   * Each Church elects its own officers:  elders, deacons, deaconesses, clerks, treasurers, and department leaders.

   * The minister of a local church is appointed by the local conference.

   * The local conference consists of local churches in a designated area.

   * Officers of the local conference are elected every three years.

   * Union conferences are comprised of local conference in a designated area.

   * Union conference officers are elected every five years.

   * The division is comprised of two or more union conference with officers elected every five years.

   * General conference encompasses all divisions with officers elected every five years.

http://www.carm.org/sda/churchstructure.htm


The SDA's do not like to advertise the fact that they have developed a hardcore, top-heavy hierarchy, because they know this is not a legitimate form of church organization for any Protestant denomination.  So they dishonestly claim to have a "representative form of church government" when in fact that have something far different that has little to do with democracy or a "representative government."  

But they don't seem to care about such a point because a hierarchy is the best way for the few to control the many.   So they try and disguise how they really operate.  But no one should be fooled by the fact that they are some similarities with a genuine democratic process.  This hardly makes them anything but what they are:  a hardcore religious hierarchy that is trying to pretend it is something else.

http://www.adventist.org/world_church/facts_and_figures/structure/index.html.en

http://www.adventistinfo.org.uk/about/structure.php

Thus, in their quest for control, the leaders have embraced an anti-Gospel, Roman Catholic organizational model that has allowed a handful of men to acquire total control over all doctrine and policy, even as the denomination lays claim to the ownership of every local SDA church, down to the very song books in the pew and the pencils that sit next to the Tithe Envelope.   Even though the people are the ones that give the money to build and maintain the local churches, the SDA hierarchy owns them all and controls them all, as they micro manage each and every local church, treating them like profit centers in a retail business model.

The people have no say in anything, and neither do the scholars.   Neither do the Apostles for that matter.  All are controlled and manipulated according to the whims of those in charge.  Thus, modern SDA doctrine has been determined by a handful of men in high bureaucratic positions.  What they say and promote, the church must accept, even as all are indoctrinated to believe in this or that point regardless of the evidence.  As these men have come and gone, so too have the doctrines changed on a dime, confusing everyone.  This explains why there have been so many wild swings in theology over the years.  It has to do with who is in charge of the hierarchy at any given time.  One moment Dr. Ford has the correct theology, but after a change in the hierarchy, his views were condemned.  Thus doctrine depends on politics of the hierarchy, not on the Word of God.

The SDA's should be ashamed for their hierarchal organizational system.  It is not Protestant or democratic.  And because of this they seldom speak honestly about their closed and controlling system that would be condemned by the Apostles, Reformers, and the Adventist Pioneers.   

However, here are some rare quotes about this touchy subject that clearly makes the point:

"...The structure of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is essentially hierarchical...The pyramid of church organization maintains equilibrium and sustains growth..." (Walter Scragg, President of the South Pacific Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, in the Record, June 23, 1990, p 4-5).

 "The Seventh-day Adventist Church...maintains ...a hierarchical structure of church authority." (Neal C. Wilson, in the Court Transcript of the United States Secretary of Labor vs. Pacific Union Conference and General Conference of Seventh-day Adventist Church, Case CV 75-3032-R, presided over by Judge Manuel L. Real, February 6, 1976).

"...The church governs by a method of organization...which embraces exactly, from a legal standpoint, the same kind of organization (in opposition to ‘congregationalism’) as is embraced by the term ‘hierarchical’." (Neal C. Wilson, Court Transcript of United States vs. the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission vs. the Pacific Press Publishing Association and the General Conference, Reply Brief for Defendants, Civil Case #74-2025, p 29, parenthesis in original).

"The plain and undeniable fact is that the Seventh-day Adventist church is most assuredly not a ‘congregational’ one (although it contains elements of congregationalism) but is clearly of the...‘hierarchical’ variety." (Neal C. Wilson, Court Transcript of United States vs. the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission vs. the Pacific Press Publishing Association and the General Conference, Reply Brief for Defendants, Civil Case #74-2025 CBR, parentheses in original).

"The Seventh-day Adventist Church follows a model of organizational order in the church which is modified from the orders of Roman Catholicism, but it retains the same notions of clerical order which separates the members of the Church into two classes--clergy and laity." (Douglas Devnich, president of the Canadian Union of Seventh-day Adventists, in the Messenger (Official Journal of the Canadian Union Conference), December, 1993, p 2).

"At the local conference level the Seventh-day Adventist church has a representative form of government, above that level the polity of the Seventh-day Adventist is hierarchical: authority flows downward and members in local congregations have virtually no voice.... the Seventh-day Adventist church is a closed, self-operating, and self-perpetuating system, similar to the Roman Catholic church, in which those in authority are not responsible to lower echelons.  Above the local conference level, those in authority are not elected by, representative of, or administratively accountable to, local congregations or the membership at large." (Raymond F. Cottrell, former Associate Editor of the Adventist Review and the Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, in Spectrum (Journal of Association of Adventist Forums), vol 14, #4, March, 1984, p 42).

"...There is another universal and truly catholic organization, the Seventh-day Adventist Church." (Neal C. Wilson, General Conference President of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, in Adventist Review, March 5, 1981, p 3).

http://www.lightministries.com/SDA/id607.htm

It is wrong for the church to have an earthly hierarchy that rules over everyone, even requiring the perpetual and nonstop payment of tithe to those in charge.  Such theology is forbidden for any Protestant.  Why?  Because Jesus and the Apostles are the ONLY authority for the church.  Thus, it is their Word ALONE that has doctrinal authority in the church; not any person, committee, or system in Rome or Silver Spring.   

Mark 10:42 Calling them to Himself, Jesus *said to them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great men exercise authority over them.

Mark 10:43 “But it is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant;

Mark 10:44 and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all.

Mark 10:45 “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

In addition, the SDA's are the only denomination that supports their clergy with the strict doctrine of tithe.  They use this Old Covenant Jewish doctrine more than any other group, so much so, that they have declared it to be "sacred" when it is no such thing.   It is a most blatant and dishonest misuse of the Bible for which there is no excuse.   

Thus the false doctrine of a hierarchy is supported by the additional false doctrine of NT Tithe.  So why follow such bad theology?  Because it does have benefits for the hierarchy.   It does enrich their coffers and helps the hierarchy maintain control over the church members as well as the pastors, teachers, and other church workers.  It even gives the hierarchy doctrinal credibility, because they have convinced people that it is God's will to pay tithe, when there is absolutely no such doctrine or practice in the Apostolic Church.

The false doctrine of NT Tithe is the lifeline for hierarchical Adventism.  This is where it gets its power and resources.   This is also how it demonstrates its doctrinal authority.   Thus a fabricated doctrine brings in billions of dollars, proving that they do have power to invent doctrine, and cause uninformed people to be obedient to their self-serving and bankrupt Laodicean, doctrines.  

The SDA leaders have brainwashed millions into believing that tithe is a valid and credible doctrine of the church when it is totally absurd and without any New Covenant foundation or support whatsoever.  The fact of the matter is that this false doctrine of tithe, which cannot be defended, funds the SDA hierarchy, giving them the resources to promote numerous others false doctrines that are against the Gospel and the fundamentals of the Protestant Faith, like the IJ and Jewish Food Laws and even a Gospel of works.   

Moreover, those that will not agree to pay this perpetual 10%  "soul tax" on all their personal income for the rest of their lives (to the SDA hierarchy) are relegated to second class church membership, even as they are prevented from holding any local church office, much less denominational employment.   Consequently, the doctrine of tithe separates the zealots and true "cultic" believers from the others, proving their loyalty to the hierarchy.

Thus the regular payment of tithe, (which is a false and absurd NT doctrine), is a powerful tool that is used by the hierarchy to test the loyalty and obedience of both members and workers.  Those that refuse to pay, or question the authority of the SDA church to declare such Old Covenant doctrine valid, are removed from the system as heretics.   They are scorned and pushed out of this cultic church that has become a master at deception and doctrinal trickery.

In fact, the discussion of tithe, as well as the discussion about church re-organization and reform, are censored and forbidden topics in the SDA church.  The hierarchy does not allow for the honest discussion of anything controversial; much less anything that challenges their authority or control.  But at some point all SDA's are going to discover that the supposedly "sacred' doctrine of tithe is nothing more than a self-serving scam that is being used to support a false and corrupt hierarchical system that is against the Gospel.   It is only a matter of time until the truth is understood and all see clearly why there must be Adventist Reform.

No wonder millions have left the SDA church in the last 25 years in disgust and anger?  And they continue to leave all the time because of the corrupt and incompetent management that refuses to face up to the many problems and false doctrines that are destroying the Adventist Movement.

The SDA hierarchy needs to repent for their Roman Catholic form of church management as well as for their many other false doctrines, such as tithe, a dangerous doctrine that has fooled millions over the years.   This SDA structure, as well as the people that are employed by it, have no doctrinal authority whatsoever, nor is their "wretched" organization approved by heaven as they boast.  They are a false organization that has no permission from heaven to develop any new doctrine for the church.  

It is time for all SDA's to understand that neither tithe nor a hierarchy have any support from the NT.  Therefore, the SDA denomination is not being managed correctly or honestly; it needs to repent and reform.

Here are some discussion links about Tithe and church organization:

http://www.atomorrow.com/discus/messages/1780/7387.html?1134446681

http://www.atomorrow.com/discus/messages/1780/57.html?1012461317

http://h0bbes.wordpress.com/2006/10/31/organizational-restructuring/

http://missioncatalyst.blogspot.com/

https://secure.andrews.edu/universitypress/catalog.cgi?key=82

http://www.adventist.org/world_church/commission-ministries-services-structures/...

http://www.adventist.org/world_church/commission-ministries-services-structures/...

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Seventh-Day-Adventists-2318/curiousity-offering.htm

The SDA denomination cannot hope to complete the Protestant Reformation with a Roman Catholic organizational system.  Nor can they hope to prepare the church for the Second Coming by proclaiming a Roman Catholic Gospel that is supported by an anachronistic, Old Covenant doctrine about tithing.

But this is what the SDA's have done.  They make wild claims about themselves being like the Temple "storehouse" where the tithe must be gathered, when there is no such doctrine in the NT.   So they are delusional when they say that the General Conference is the same as the Temple in Jerusalem, and that they are the replacement for God's Semitic race.  They think they are living in the Old Covenant and thus they think it fine to have a Priestly form of hierarchical management that is elevated above the people.  

But it is all theological nonsense.  The SDA's have the most convoluted and strange doctrines of anyone that claims to be Protestant.  Shame on them!  They teach non-stop confusion and heresy.

With such an awful hierarchical system, the Adventist Community has little say about anything, and zero control in the way the church is operated and managed.  This is all wrong.  It allows the leaders to do as they please, without having to answer to the people.  

Consequently, the leaders promote the doctrines of men instead of the Gospel teaching of Jesus and the Apostles.  Thus forcing millions to leave this confused denomination shaking their head at the theological chaos and dishonesty that prevails.

Matt. 15:9    ‘BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME,
  TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.’”

The SDA church needs doctrinal and organizational REFORM.  They are out of control and self-destructing for all to see.  Their present hierarchal system is corrupt and non-functional.   It is against the Gospel and against the fundamentals of the Protestant Faith.  

In order for the Adventist Movement to survive, it must repudiate the present hierarchical system, including the Old Covenant doctrine of tithe, and embrace a new, more Gospel friendly model.

I hope this helps answer your question.

Tom Norris for All Experts. Com