July 15, 2010

Thirteenth Business Meeting

DELBERT BAKER: We’d like to welcome you to the thirteenth business session.

GILBERT WARI: [Prayer.]

GERRY KARST: You’ve already made reference to the Adventist Review this morning. But I think it would be nice for this delegation to go on record as giving a vote of appreciation to the immense amount of work that goes into producing these bulletins every single day. These people must be up all night long, and I would like for it to go on record that we appreciate what they’re doing.

DELBERT BAKER: Excellent.

GERRY KARST: These people are visible because we see their paper. There’s another group who are invisible that I think we should pay tribute to as well, and that is those who are up there in the translation booth. I think we ought to express our appreciation to them as well.

DELBERT BAKER: Thank you. Excellent, Pastor Karst. Thank you for that. He’s just highlighting the fact that not only do we see the names in the Adventist Review, the ones that are visible, but he’s talking about the support staff that is behind the scenes. They’re giving incredible work, backup, making these things that we will take home and remember the session with possible.

So we’re taking that in the form of a motion.

[The motion was seconded and approved.]

At this time we’d like to turn the chair over to Pastor Wilson for the GC Corporation meeting.

TED N. C. WILSON: We will reopen the General Conference Corporation of Seventh-day Adventists meeting to hear a report from the Nominating Committee regarding the recommendation for the board of directors.

HOMER TRECARTIN: The Nominating Committee will bring you that report now.

LESLIE POLLARD: G. T. Ng, secretary; Juan Prestol-Puesán, treasurer. Board members: Guillermo Biaggi, Thomas Lemon, Geoffrey Mbwana, Daniel Jackson, Myron Iseminger, J. Raymond Wahlen, John Thomas, G. Alex Bryant, Timothy Aka, George Egwakhe, Daisy Orion, G. Thomas Evans, Robert Kyte.

Brother Chairman, I move these to serve as members of the GC Corporation board.

TED N. C. WILSON: Voted.

The corporation meeting is adjourned.

Thank you for your kind cooperation.

DELBERT BAKER: We now continue the Nominating Committee report.

LESLIE POLLARD: These are the division officers that we are presenting this morning as recommendations of the Nominating Committee.

East-Central Africa Division, secretary, Alain Coralie (new).

East-Central Africa Division, treasurer, Jerome Habimana (incumbent).

Euro-Asia Division, secretary, Viktor Alyeksyeyenko (new).

Euro-Asia Division, treasurer, Brent Burdick (incumbent).

Inter-European Division, secretary, Barna Magyarosi (new).

Inter-European Division, treasurer, Norbert Zens (incumbent).

Inter-American Division, secretary, Eli Henry (incumbent).

Inter-American Division, treasurer, Filiberto Verduzco (incumbent).

North American Division, secretary, G. Alexander Bryant (incumbent).

North American Division, treasurer, G. Thomas Evans (incumbent).

Northern Asia-Pacific Division, treasurer, German Lust (new).

South American Division, secretary, Edward Heidinger (incumbent).

Southern American Division, treasurer, Marlon de Souza Lopes (incumbent).

South Pacific Division, secretary, Lionel Smith (incumbent).

South Pacific Division, treasurer, Rodney Brady (incumbent).

Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division, secretary, Solomon Maphosa (incumbent).

Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division, treasurer, Goodwell Nthani (incumbent).

Southern Asia Division, secretary, Measapogu Wilson (new).

Southern Asia-Pacific Division, secretary, Saw Samuel (incumbent).

Southern Asia-Pacific Division, treasurer, Max Langi (new).

Trans-European Division, secretary, Audrey Andersson (incumbent).

Trans-European Division, treasurer, Nenad Jepuranovic (incumbent).

West-Central Africa Division, secretary, Kingsley Anonaba (new).

West-Central Africa Division, treasurer, Emmanuel Manu (incumbent).

Brother Chairman, I move these names.

MEGEN MOLÉ: I move to refer this report back to the Nominating Committee because of severe underrepresentation of women and young people.

DELBERT BAKER: It’s seconded.

HOMER TRECARTIN: The recommendations that have been brought to you today have come from the caucuses. Those members from each division have caucused and brought these recommendations to us. The Nominating Committee as a whole looked at those recommendations from each division caucus, those that you elected, and have recommended them to you.

So if we go back and discuss it, we will probably have to defer a decision until the caucuses could meet again and see if they would recommend new names to be brought back to the process. We need to see if the body would like that process reconsidered or if you are ready to go ahead and vote on the names that the caucuses have recommended.

[The motion to refer back was voted down.]

EMMANUEL MWALE: I want to support the list as it is and also to mention that while it’s important for us to include young people, I believe that the positions at the GC division are for people of experience.

LARRY BOGGESS: I would encourage us to start training young people for leadership positions. And I know that’s got to start at the conference and division levels. But I really want to stand in support of our young adults and our youth, that we make a better effort to include them in leadership. And as we do that, as they grow in their leadership role, we will see more of them serving in division and General Conference positions. So I’m not sure how you would do that, but I just want to stand in support of the idea.

[The list of division secretaries and treasurers was approved by the delegates.]

LESLIE POLLARD: These are the names for the GC departments as recommended by the Nominating Committee.

Health Ministries, associate director, Dr. Fred Hardinge (incumbent).

Health Ministries, associate director, Dr. Katia Reinert (new).

Health Ministries, associate director, Dr. Zeno Lancelot Charles-Marcel (new).

Communication, associate directors, Andre Brink (incumbent).

Communication, associate director, Garrett Caldwell (incumbent).

Publishing Ministries, associate director, Wilmar Hirle (incumbent).

I move these names.

[The names presented were seconded and approved by the delegates.]

TED N. C. WILSON: I praise God for supporting ministries that penetrate airwaves, such as 3ABN, LLBN, and many others. We are grateful for Hope Channel and its central role in guiding in our church.

Amazing Facts is celebrating their fiftieth anniversary.

We have a video in honor of their anniversary

[Playing of video.]

DELBERT BAKER: We are moving on to our constitution and bylaws agenda.

DAVID RIPLEY: We have a world church looking at the same Scriptures and coming up with very different interpretations. I think that points out that this church has very divided hermeneutics or rules of interpretation. The world church should take time to study and to bring together what our hermeneutic really is, because we’re using two very different ones.

DELBERT BAKER: It has been noted, and it will be referred to Steering Committee, who will look at your item and take note of it.

At this time we’re moving to constitution and bylaws.

MYRON ISEMINGER: We have added a research component to the functions of the General Conference Office of Archives and Statistics, and the new name is the Office of Archives, Statistics, and Research. The proposal changes the title wherever it is mentioned in the General Conference Constitution and Bylaws.

DELBERT BAKER: [Moved, seconded, and voted.]

MYRON ISEMINGER: The next item is also an editorial directive. And the rationale behind this is that in some regions of the world the title “chief financial officer” is preferred over the title “treasurer.” So this proposal endorses the use of either title and inserts the dual language in the General Conference Constitution and Bylaws wherever the title “treasurer” is mentioned, reflecting the change that’s already been voted by the General Conference Executive Committee and reflected in the Working Policy.

So I would move to approve this directive to amend the General Conference Constitution and Bylaws where appropriate by replacing “treasurer” with “treasurer/chief financial officer.”

DELBERT BAKER: [It was seconded and approved.]

MYRON ISEMINGER: The next item deals with the fact that the Adventist Review went from a weekly to a monthly publication. And Article V has been adjusted to tie the publication of notices for the General Conference session to a time period rather than to specific issues of the Adventist Review, as used in the current wording. So the new wording also allows for the notices to be placed in other publications if deemed appropriate.

The second item is codify the practice that the General Conference Executive Committee has been doing, and that is to define the process and the distribution for the one category of session delegates at large that it appoints.

“Those representatives of the General Conference and division, institutions and other entities, and those employees, field secretaries, laypersons, and pastors who are selected by the Executive Committee of the General Conference and its divisions, by a process and distribution as defined by the Executive Committee of the General Conference.”

And so this simply clarifies the process for selecting delegates at large who represent the General Conference. I move to approve these.

DELBERT BAKER: [It was seconded and approved.]

LEEZEL DEZA: As a female, a young married mother, visible minority, who loves God, I understand people are very tired and want things to move along quickly. But I ask that the note is taken that there be a better representation of young people and women who represent our church in the future.

DELBERT BAKER: Your concern is noted. Thank you.

MYRON ISEMINGER: This new item deals with the removal of the expression “general field secretary” from Article VI.

The “field secretaries” deal with persons who are appointed by a specific board and, by virtue of that position, become field secretaries. So they have a specific role rather than a general role.

DELBERT BAKER: [It was moved, seconded, and voted.]

MYRON ISEMINGER: The next item is dealing with Article VIII. And the rationale behind this is that two of our General Conference institutions, Oakwood University and Pacific Press, were transferred to the North American Division during the past year, 2014. So their presidents would no longer qualify as ex-officio members of the General Conference Executive Committee, as these entities are no longer General Conference institutions. So the proposed change removes these leaders and reorganizes the remaining positions into separate categories.

Second, it adds a provision for an organization to remain classified as a General Conference-sponsored institution or entity in order to qualify for their executive director or president to be an ex-officio member of the General Conference Executive Committee.

DELBERT BAKER: [It has been moved, seconded, and approved.]

MYRON ISEMINGER: The next item is dealing with the terms of office. The proposal makes some editorial changes in the beginning of this article and then also clarifies how the term of office for division officers relates to the mandatory retirement policies or legislation in their division.

DELBERT BAKER: [It was moved and seconded.]

STOY PROCTOR: We claim to be a Bible-believing church. I don’t think there’s many references to limitations of service for the characters of the Bible. I think we should be more concerned about the ability—the health—of the individual, the job that they’re doing. If they’re doing a great job, limiting their service, time, is, I think, unbiblical, and we’re not respecting the experience that they have received. So I’d like for us to be at least fair about this issue.

WALTER ALAÑA HUAPAYA: I would like to read a couple of statements of the Spirit of Prophecy.

The question is asked me if it is not a mistake to remove the president of a State conference to a new field when many of the people under his present charge are unwilling to give him up. The Lord has been pleased to give me light on this question. I have been shown that ministers should not be retained in the same district year after year, nor should the same man long preside over a conference. A change of gift is for the good of our conferences and churches” [Manuscript Releases, vol. 9, p. 143]. “If a laborer is spiritually strong, he is, through the grace of Christ, a blessing to the churches and his labors are needed in different conference” [p. 144].

So I think this is a very important issue, and I support this idea.

As you know, some divisions, conferences, have term limitations; others do not. But this is not directly relating to the motion. I appreciate it. Even though the comments are good observations, let’s stick with the motion at hand.

DELBERT BAKER: [The motion was approved.]

MYRON ISEMINGER: This is the name change of the Euro-Africa Division to the Inter-European Division. The territories in North Africa were assigned to the Middle East and North Africa Union Mission. The old name is struck out and the new name, Inter-European Division, is added.

DELBERT BAKER: [Moved, seconded, and voted.]

MYRON ISEMINGER: There’s been some confusion at past sessions as to whether certain delegates should caucus with the division or with the General Conference delegation.

Additional wording is added to clarify that the delegates appointed by the General Conference administrative should be assigned to the appropriate designation at the time of their selection by the General Conference Administrative Committee.

“Each division and each attached union shall be entitled to select for membership on the Nominating Committee 10 percent of its delegation to the session, after excluding any delegates at large employed by the General Conference or its institutions and any delegates selected by the General Conference Administrative Committee and assigned by the Administrative Committee to meet with the General Conference and institution delegation.”

DELBERT BAKER: [Moved, seconded, and voted.]

MYRON ISEMINGER: The recommendation here is to amend the bylaws, Article VII, Division Treasurers, to include the terminology “chief financial officers” or “treasurers.” Either term is acceptable.

DELBERT BAKER: [Moved, seconded, and voted.]

MYRON ISEMINGER: During this quinquennium we had a major rewrite of the section dealing with auditing services in the Working Policy.

On page 86, line 18, is an example. You’ll see there, “Administer a program to provide assurance and related services as part of the worldwide financial oversight program for the Seventh-day Adventist Church.” The older terminology was to conduct audits. And so the new terminology, “providing assurance and related services,” is what is commonly used in the profession.

I would like to incorporate a recommendation that is taken from the Working Policy section SA-0540, striking “consultation with the administrations of the respective divisions” and adding the phrase “taking into consideration work performance and feedback from a variety of sources.”

We have added, near the end of line 13, on page 87, “regions” and “mission stations.” These are nonconstituency-based organizations under a mission field or conference. We have included those in the Working Policy. These would be entities that would be normally audited through the General Conference Auditing Service.

DELBERT BAKER: [Moved, seconded, and voted.]

KARNIK DOUKMETZIAN: In the bylaws there’s a reference to general vice presidents and also division vice presidents who serve as division presidents.

DELBERT BAKER: Thank you. That’s helpful.

MYRON ISEMINGER: The next item relates to Article IX, General Conference and division field secretaries.

We are defining “field secretary” instead of “general field secretary.”

You can see here from the rationale on line 7 that it’s proposed that Article IX be adjusted to include General Conference or division field secretaries that report to an officer other than the president. In the past, especially for general field secretaries, they reported to the president.

The wording also reflects the current practice whereby the Executive Committee appoints as field secretaries those individuals who, by virtue of leadership positions in specific organizations, also have important relationships with the General Conference and/or division administrations.

Here is the reading: “The term ‘field secretary’ shall be used to designate the role of persons elected/appointed to assist the officers of the General Conference or division in a range of general or specific responsibilities.”

“A General Conference ‘field secretary’ ordinarily carries another portfolio of responsibility, the nature of which involves frequent interactions with global church leadership. In the role of field secretary this person works under the direction of the president or another designated officer. Field secretaries shall be elected by the General Conference Executive Committee, after having been appointed to their primary responsibility by their respective board, the General Conference Executive Committee, or the General Conference Administrative Committee as appropriate. Their term of service as field secretaries is contingent on the term of service in the individual’s primary responsibility.”

I move that we accept the amendment to the bylaws Article IX as noted.

DELBERT BAKER: [The amendment was seconded and approved.]

MYRON ISEMINGER: This comes as a request by a division. In Article XIII, Section F, we’re adding “General Conference Executive Committee” to clarify that it’s not referring to a division executive committee.

DELBERT BAKER: [Moved, seconded, and voted.]

MYRON ISEMINGER: Our final item is an amendment to Article XVII. We’re adding “region” and “field station,” and then noting that tithe receipts would be forwarded through denominational channels.

DELBERT BAKER: [Moved, seconded, and voted.]

We move now to the Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists. This is a very exciting project, one that’s going to open a whole new era of information and accessibility to the members of our world church.

LARRY BOGGESS: Just a question, Mr. Chairman, concerning the General Conference Constitution and Bylaws.

I think that we urged to follow or to adopt the—I forget what the term is—model constitution and bylaws. Do the local divisions or local unions or local conferences have the power not to adopt the model constitution? And if they do adopt the model constitution, do they have to abide by it?

MYRON ISEMINGER: Perhaps our legal counsel would also like to weigh in on this. But in the model constitutions, which are printed in our Working Policy, there are two elements: There is a part in bold print, which we have determined are important and are to be followed. There are also parts of the sections in lighter print, and in those areas there is some flexibility and room to include them or not include them.

KARNIK DOUKMETZIAN: First of all, divisions do not have a constitution and bylaws, because they are divisions of the General Conference. There are model bylaws for unions, unions of churches, conferences, missions, etc.

And there is a paragraph in the Working Policy that requires, regardless of the organization, that the model constitution shall be followed. Myron Iseminger indicated that the sections that are in bold print are essential to the unity of the church worldwide and shall be included in the bylaws as adopted by each of those entities.

ELIASIB FAJARDO: I’m thankful to the leadership of the church, which allows young people to participate actively in these meetings. However in light of the comments made this morning that deal with the lack of women and young adults, and equal field representation, I move to amend the constitution and bylaws regarding fair gender and fair age representation of the officials of the General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventists and also this body.

JAY GALLIMORE: There’s a lot of misunderstanding as to the structure of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. This is a representative form of government. We love our young people. We love the gender inclusiveness. But we must understand that the elections there are from the ground up, and these need to be represented, of course, in the General Conference session. So like the Congress of the United States, you can’t just go to the Congress of the United States and say, You will have so many X’s so many Y’s and so many Z’s. They have to come from where those folk were elected. You have to keep that in mind and understand this is a representative form of church government, and we must not undermine that.

LEEZEL DEZA: I would just like to thank the body for verbalizing the unsaid standard that the young men and women need to hold office and the leadership positions of our organization in order for us to have a voice. So I’d like to thank you all in advance for patiently and effectively mentoring young people and for noting our concerns.

DAVID TRIM: A brief flashback in Adventist history. In 1966 the fiftieth General Conference session convened in Detroit, Michigan, nearly 50 years ago. There were 1,495 delegates representing a world church whose membership totaled only 1.7 million.

Also in 1966 a new one-volume Seventh-day Adventist Encyclopedia was published by the Review and Herald Publishing Association. And I know many of you will fondly remember that book with its green binding and its red lettering.

Its stated purpose was as follows: “The Seventh-day Adventist Encyclopedia is a compendium of facts about Seventh-day Adventists, their work, beliefs, organization, methods, and philosophies. The work is intended to inform not only church members but non-SDAs as well who may be inquiring about the church’s work and beliefs.”

In 1976, 10 years after the appearance of the SDA Encyclopedia, a revised edition was published, this time in brown; and 20 years after that, in 1996, a second revised edition was published, this time in two volumes.

At present the world church leaders see the need for a completely new encyclopedia of the Seventh-day Adventist Church for the following reasons: the first is growth. When the SDA Encyclopedia first appeared in 1966, the church was working in 190 countries or regions. Today Seventh-day Adventist work is established in 215 countries and regions.

Back in 1966 there were 441 organizational units and 1.7 million members. Today there are 771 organizational units, and our reported membership is a little more than 18.5 million.

So the number of organizational units—conferences, missions, unions—has nearly doubled. The number of Seventh-day Adventists has grown tenfold.

The second reason is changing dynamics. Although the 1976 and 1996 editions of the encyclopedia made some alterations to the existing text, those editions mostly just added to the first edition rather than revising it. That means that the great bulk of the original text has not been revised for 50 years.

We have found that the SDA Encyclopedia is not reliable on key facts, such as the date the Adventist work started in a country, the first official missionaries in the country, biographical details, and the foundation dates of organizational units. Furthermore, during the past 20 years, Adventist history has been transformed by new studies based on primary sources.

There is also the matter of innate biases, biases that slant—indeed, distort—some of the articles. Those biases reflect the nature of our church when the encyclopedia was drafted in the early 1960s.

The church then was overwhelmingly Western. So we understand those biases. But those biases, frankly, are not acceptable today. So we need an encyclopedia that reflects today’s worldwide church.

The third reason is technology. Currently you can’t get the encyclopedia on a tablet. Although the 1966 and, indeed, 1996 encyclopedias sold fairly well, the vast majority of our membership has never seen it and never read it. It is not available online, so the information is not accessible to our members or the general public.

When new church members or prospective members try to find out information on some aspect of the Adventist Church, they are forced to fend for themselves on the Internet, where they can end up at sites that are unreliable or highly distorted, if not actually hostile to the church.

Taking all this into account, on April 14, 2015, the General Conference Executive Committee, at its Spring Meeting, approved a budget for the Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists, a new encyclopedia, a five-year world church initiative directed by and based on the General Conference Office of Archives, Statistics, and Research. I am directing that project. And I introduce to you Dr. Benjamin Baker, which is the managing editor.

BENJAMIN BAKER: The Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists has drawn on the expertise of thousands of Adventist scholars worldwide, with each organizational unit of the church participating.

It has six goals: 1. Supply reliable and authoritative information on Adventist history, crucial events and themes, people, organizations, entities, and institutions.

2. Strengthen identity in a fast-growing global movement, heightening awareness of distinctive doctrinal and prophetic beliefs.

3. Provide a reference work for those new to our faith, mature in the faith, and not of our faith, to learn about all aspects of Adventism.

DAVID TRIM: 4: This goal is to bring out the role of denominational organization and structure in fulfilling the church’s mission. I think even here we find that the church’s organization is not always fully understood, even by delegates.

5. We want to highlight the missional challenges still remaining in order to reach the world. Remember, that is our goal, our strategic plan. We need to reach the world with the gospel and prophetic truth.

And so every article on a conference, mission, or union, every article on a country, city, or region, will end with a summary of the mission challenge still facing the church in that territory. It will summarize statistically and with other analytical tools what needs to be done if we are to reach that territory with the gospel and instinctive prophetic truths of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. That will be a major addition to the old encyclopedia.

And, 6, the encyclopedia will reflect the nature of the world church today, both in its subject matter and in those who write articles for the encyclopedia.

BENJAMIN BAKER: The new encyclopedia will, first and foremost, be available as an online edition that is regularly updated, edited, and amplified, and will include Web-only content, such as video and audio; and additional articles will be added as the denomination grows.

DAVID TRIM: We want this online encyclopedia to become the authoritative source of information on the Seventh-day Adventist Church, the first place anyone checks online, whether they are Adventist or not. And we will build toward that goal even before the full completed edition is ready. We plan to have the encyclopedia Web site live and online this winter, thanks partly to the support of Bill Knott and his team at Adventist Review and Adventist World.

As of early next year, the Web site that we’re constructing at Adventist Review will include pages that church members can go to upload copies of historic documents, photographs, film, video and audio recordings, and your own memory statements about the history of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and your personal history in God’s remnant church.

Because the encyclopedia will have an ongoing, continuous existence online, no future major revision process will be required, because the Web edition will be regularly updated.

While the production of a new encyclopedia will be time-consuming and will not be cheap, a similar outlay of resources will never be needed again. The full online edition with all articles, as well as the materials contributed by church members, will be introduced to the public at the 2020 General Conference session in Indianapolis, and a print edition will also appear in 2020.

BENJAMIN BAKER: First, you need to realize that the Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists is your project. Pray for it. Tell your constituents about it. Support it in your institutions, administrations, and churches.

DAVID TRIM: Second, we would like you, especially those of you who are institution presidents or board chairs, to prioritize granting research time and assistance to faculty or staff or assistant editors and authors. During the next five years I will make this plain to you. You have independent boards; it’s your decision. I make the plea to you institution presidents and board chairs for the next four years: people working on the encyclopedia should be the priority for receiving institutions’ own research funding and assistance from your faculty for the next four years. The General Conference is funding this generously—$1.6 million over a period of five years—but we really need the whole world church to be involved.

Third, if you are so moved, consider donating to the project. As I said, the General Conference has approved a budget, and the budget will make this an outstanding resource, but your donations could make it a superlative resource that could help to establish additional editorial offices around the world so that every area and region is represented comprehensively. And to enable us to do that requires extra mission-related analysis so that the encyclopedia becomes an invaluable resource for every Adventist evangelist, church planter, pastor, and Seventh-day Adventist Church member.

BENJAMIN BAKER: Fourth, if you know a person, institution, or theme that should be included in the encyclopedia, don’t hesitate to contact the GC Archives. The e-mail address is [email protected].

Fifth, if you are requested, please write an article for the encyclopedia. We will also be asking you, leader of an organizational unit or an institution, to encourage your staff to write articles if requested.

Finally, sixth, when the encyclopedia Web site goes live, link to it on your own Web sites, promote it on social media, television, and radio, or in mass e-mails and periodicals. Visit the site often, and give us your input and feedback. When the print edition is published, purchase sets for your institutions, churches, administrative offices, and libraries, and for your non-Adventist contacts.

DAVID TRIM: In conclusion, acting together as a global church and by God’s grace, we can produce an extraordinary and enduring resource that will strengthen Adventist identity and inspire mission around the world. I move that we accept this request.

DELBERT BAKER: [Seconded.]

JAY GALLIMORE: I would like to ask if one of the goals is objectivity. Something like this could be really wonderful but can also be a vehicle for people to use their own agenda.

DAVID TRIM: We have constructed a rather elaborate editorial structure over this, because it is vital that we work through church structure. Our goals are to be objective, but we also want to be truthful and accurate. We want something that will build up faith. I realize some people here may say, “Well, can you do both?” I believe we can. I really do believe that.

PINTOKO TEDJOKUSUMO: I make a suggestion that the divisions be given the responsibility to translate into various languages.

DAVID TRIM: We hope to work with all division administrations to have it translated into local languages.

BENJAMIN BAKER: We will have a page on the Web site for you to send your input and feedback, but for now, it’s [email protected].

[The motion to receive the Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists report was approved.]

DELBERT BAKER: At this time we have a report from the Nominating Committee.

HOMER TRECARTIN: This is the final report of the Nominating Committee.

LESLIE POLLARD: There will be two recommendations of personnel to fill open positions, and then we will also have a request, a recommendation, to defer certain unfilled positions, certain vacant positions, to the GC Executive Committee and/or to Annual Council. And where there are persons currently in those positions, the incumbents will continue until the Executive Committee and/or the Annual Council.

Youth Ministries, associate director, Jonatan Tejel (incumbent).

Youth Ministries, associate director, Pako Edson Mokgwane (new).

Positions to be deferred:

*GC Planned Giving and Trust Services.

*GC Stewardship Ministries.

GC Publishing Ministries, associate director (vacant).

GC Associate Treasurer (vacant).

*GC Youth Ministries, associate director (public campus ministries).

Southern Asia Division, treasurer (vacant).

Northern Asia-Pacific Division, secretary (vacant)

[*The incumbent will continue until Executive Committee and/or Annual Council.]

[The final Nominating Committee report was moved, seconded, and approved.]

TED N. C. WILSON: On behalf of the General Conference we want to express deep appreciation to the Nominating Committee that you have selected through your caucuses. We have greatly appreciated the work of Homer Trecartin and Les Pollard, who are here with us, the chair and secretary. We also have other officers who have participated, and we’re grateful to them as well.

And I want to express appreciation to you for your willingness to work with the Nominating Committee to bring to us individuals who will truly serve the Lord and help to propel this great Seventh-day Adventist movement toward its ultimate goal of reaching heaven through the grace of Jesus. May God bless the new team that has been assembled. And again, on behalf of the General Conference, we thank you for the extensive work and time that you have put into this, both as officers and as members of the Nominating Committee.

HOMER TRECARTIN: Thank you. And you gave us a wonderful team to work with.

[Applause.]

MAVENI KAUFONONGA: [Prayer.]

DELBERT BAKER and TED N. C. WILSON, Chairs
G. ALEXANDER BRYANT, Secretary
NILTON D. AMORIM, GARY B. PATTERSON,
and CLAUDE SABOT, Proceedings Editors


Session Actions

Sixtieth General Conference Session
July 9, 2015, 9:30 a.m.

APPRECIATION

VOTED, 1. To recognize and appreciate the Adventist Review staff for their work during the Session.

2. To recognize and appreciate the translators for their work during the Session.

HERMENEUTICS

VOTED, To refer to Steering Committee the idea of developing a specific hermeneutic for the world Church.

USE OF “ARCHIVES AND STATISTICS” - CONSTITUTION

AND BYLAWS EDITORIAL DIRECTIVE

RATIONALE: A research component has been added to the functions of the General Conference Office of Archives and Statistics, creating the Office of Archives, Statistics, and Research. The proposal changes the title wherever it is mentioned in the General Conference Constitution and Bylaws.

VOTED, To approve a directive to amend the General Conference Constitution and Bylaws where appropriate, by replacing “Archives and Statistics” with “Archives, Statistics, and Research.”

USE OF “TREASURER” - CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS EDITORIAL DIRECTIVE

RATIONALE: In some regions of the world the title “chief financial officer” is preferred over the title, “treasurer.” This proposal endorses the use of either title and inserts the dual language in the General Conference Constitution and Bylaws wherever the title, “treasurer” is mentioned reflecting the change that has already been made in General Conference Working Policy.

VOTED, To approve a directive to amend the General Conference Constitution and Bylaws where appropriate, by replacing “treasurer” with “treasurer/chief financial officer.”

GENERAL CONFERENCE SESSIONS - CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS AMENDMENT

RATIONALE: In April 2015, the Adventist Review went from a weekly to a monthly publication. Article V has been adjusted to tie publication of notices for General Conference Session to a time period rather than to specific issues of the Adventist Review. The new wording also allows for the notices to be placed in other publications if appropriate. Section 8. f. codifies the current practice that the General Conference Executive Committee may define the process and distribution for one general category of Session delegates at large that it appoints.

VOTED, To amend the General Conference Constitution and Bylaws, Constitution, Article V—General Conference Sessions, to read as follows:

ARTICLE V—GENERAL CONFERENCE SESSIONS

Sec. 1. The General Conference shall hold quinquennial Sessions at such time and place as the General Conference Executive Committee shall designate and announce by a notice published in the Adventist Review and or Adventist World or other publications voted by the General Conference Executive Committee in three consecutive issues months beginning at least four months before the date for the opening of the Session. In case special world conditions make it imperative to postpone the calling of the Session, the General Conference Executive Committee, in regular or special council, shall have authority to make such postponement, not to exceed two years, giving notice to all constituent organizations.

Sec. 2. The General Conference Executive Committee may call - No change

Sec. 3. At least one-third of the total delegates authorized hereinafter - No change

Sec. 4. The election of officers and the voting on all matters of business - No change

Sec. 5. The delegates to a General Conference Session shall be designated - No change

Sec. 6. Regular delegates shall represent the General Conference’s - No change

Sec. 7. Regular delegates shall be allotted on the following basis - No change

Sec. 8. Delegates at large shall represent the General Conference, its institutions, divisions of the General Conference, and division institutions and shall be appointed on the following basis:

a. All members of the General Conference Executive - No change

b. Associate directors/secretaries of General Conference - No change

c. Twenty delegates from General Conference appointed - No change

d. Twenty delegates for each division.

e. Each division shall be entitled to additional delegates - No change

f. Those representatives of the General Conference and division institutions and other entities, and those employees, field secretaries, laypersons, and pastors who are selected by the Executive Committees of the General Conference and its divisions. divisions, by a process and distribution as defined by the Executive Committee of the General Conference. The number of these delegates shall be 300.

Sec. 9. Division administrations shall consult with unions to ensure that - No change

Sec. 10. Credentials to sessions shall be issued by the General Conference - No change

Sec. 11. Calculations for all delegate allotments, as provided for - No change

ELECTION - CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS AMENDMENT

RATIONALE: The specific responsibility of field secretaries as defined in Article IX is normally tied to their leadership appointment by a subsidiary organization’s board (e.g. Adventist Development and Relief Agency, Adventist World Radio, Ellen G White Estate, Hope Channel). These organizational boards elect their leaders when they meet after the General Conference Session and the General Conference Executive Committee ratifies their role as field secretary at a subsequent meeting.

VOTED, To amend the General Conference Constitution and Bylaws, Constitution,

Article VI—Election, to read as follows:

ARTICLE VI—ELECTION

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 - No change

Sec. 2. The following shall be approved by vote - No change

GENERAL CONFERENCE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE - CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS AMENDMENT

RATIONALE: Two General Conference institutions, Oakwood University and Pacific Press Publishing Association, were transferred to the North American Division in 2014 so their presidents no longer qualify as ex officio members of the General Conference Executive Committee as these entities are no longer General Conference Institutions. The proposed change removes the leaders of those institutions, reorganizes the remaining positions into separate categories, and adds the provision that an organization must remain classified as a General Conference-sponsored entity in order for the president or executive director to qualify as an ex officio member of the General Conference Executive Committee.

VOTED, To amend the General Conference Constitution and Bylaws, Constitution, Article VIII—General Conference Executive Committee, to read as follows:

ARTICLE VIII—GENERAL CONFERENCE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Sec. 1. The Executive Committee of the General Conference shall consist of:

a. Ex Officio Members—1) Those elected as provided for - No change

2) Presidents of unions, past presidents of the General Conference holding credentials from the General Conference. 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 and Adventist World, the editor of Adult Sabbath School Bible Stud
y Guide
, the president of Adventist Risk Management Incorporated, the president of Adventist University of Africa, 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 board chair of Ellen G White Estate, the president of Hope Channel, the director of Geoscience Research Institute, the president of Griggs University and International Academy, the president of Loma Linda University Adventist Health Sciences Center, the editor of Ministry, the president of Oakwood University, the president of Pacific Press Publishing Association, and the president of Review and Herald Publishing Association.

3) The president-executive director of each of the following organizations provided the respective organization remains classified as a General Conferencesponsored entity: Adventist Development and Relief Agency International, Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies, Adventist Risk Management, Adventist University of Africa, Adventist World Radio, Andrews University, Christian Record Services, Hope Channel, Loma Linda University Health, Review and Herald Publishing Association.

4) The editor of each of the following publications: Adventist Review, Adventist World, Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide, Ministry.

5) The director of each of the following: Archives, Statistics, and Research, Biblical Research Institute, Geoscience Research Institute.

6) The president and board chair of Ellen G White Estate.

b. Elected Members—1) Three laypersons and one church - No change

2) No fewer than fifteen and no more than twenty - No change

3) No fewer than fifteen and no more than twenty - No change

TERM OF OFFICE - CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS AMENDMENT

VOTED, To call for the vote on the item, Term of Office - Constitution and Bylaws Amendment.

TERM OF OFFICE - CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS AMENDMENT

RATIONALE: This proposal makes some editorial changes in wording and clarifies how the term of office for division officers relates to mandatory retirement policies or legislation in their division.

VOTED, To amend the General Conference Constitution and Bylaws, Constitution, Article X—Term of Office, to read as follows:

ARTICLE X—TERM OF OFFICE

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 are elected and, except for resignation or other termination, termination for other reasons, shall serve until the end of their term, their reelection, or until their replacement is elected. A person who is not reelected elected to a new term of office during a session does not thereby lose delegate status at the session. Unless other arrangements are made in consultation with administration, such individuals will be expected to fulfill during the session itself any session-related responsibilities which have been assigned to them. In situations where official responsibilities cannot be immediately transferred transferred immediately to a newly elected individual, the officer whose term has expired may be requested by the newly elected officer, and approved by the General Conference Administrative Committee, to carry limited responsibilities, for a defined period of time until transition arrangements have been completed. Their term of office, The current term of office for those elected under Article VI, Sec 1. or elected by the Executive Committee between General Conference sessions to fill such office for the remainder of a term, unless government requirements dictate otherwise, is not subject to division retirement policies, which may determine specific ages for mandatory retirements. This provision does not override the service credit limitations, if any, of a retirement plan in which the person participates. Those who have passed the age of mandatory retirement, as determined by their division or legislation, shall not be eligible for election to a new term of office for positions indicated in Article VI, Sec 1., in that division.

Sec. 2. Members of the General Conference Executive Committee - No change

Sec. 3. Members of the General Conference Executive Committee - No change

Sec. 4. Those persons who, by virtue of holding elected position - No change

Sec. 5. All those who are appointed to serve the General Conference - No change

Sec. 6. Service as outlined in Sec. 1. to Sec. 5. above - No change

TERRITORIAL ADMINISTRATION - CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS EDITORIAL AMENDMENT

RATIONALE: This proposed wording reflects the name change of the Euro-Africa Division to the Inter-European Division after their territories in North Africa were assigned to the Middle East North Africa Union Mission.

VOTED, To amend the General Conference Constitution and Bylaws, Bylaws,

Article I—Territorial Administration, to read as follows:

ARTICLE I—TERRITORIAL ADMINISTRATION

Sec. 1. The General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, hereinafter - No change

Sec. 2. The duly organized divisions are: East-Central Africa Division, Euro-Africa Division, Euro-Asia Division, Inter-American Division, Inter-European Division, North American Division, Northern Asia-Pacific Division, South American Division, South Pacific Division, Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division, Southern Asia Division, Southern Asia-Pacific Division, Trans-European Division, and West-Central Africa Division. The boundaries of these divisions shall be subject to adjustment at Annual Councils of the General Conference Executive Committee.

Sec. 3. If a territorial adjustment is made at an Annual Council, it shall - No change

Sec. 4. Administrations of all organizations and institutions within - No change

SESSION COMMITTEES - CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS AMENDMENT

RATIONALE: There has been some confusion at past Sessions whether certain delegates should caucus with a division or with the General Conference delegation. Additional wording is proposed in Article II clarifying that delegates appointed by the General Conference Administrative Committee should be assigned to the appropriate delegation at the time of their selection by the General Conference Administrative Committee.

VOTED, To amend the General Conference Constitution and Bylaws, Bylaws, Article II—Session Committees, to read as follows:

ARTICLE II—SESSION COMMITTEES

Sec. 1. At each regular Session of the General Conference - No change

Sec. 2. Church Manual Committee: The chair of the Church Manual - No change

Sec. 3. Constitution and Bylaws Committee: The chair of the Constitution - No change

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 or its institutions. institutions and any delegates selected by the General Conference Administrative Committee and assigned by the Administrative Committee to meet with the General Conference and institution delegation.

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 delegation fr
om a union attached to the General Conference shall act as a unit in selecting members to which it is entitled. Excluded from this process shall be any delegates at large currently employed by the General Conference or its institutions. institutions and any delegates selected by the General Conference Administrative Committee and assigned by the Administrative Committee to meet with the General Conference and institution delegation.

2) The delegates at large currently employed by the General Conference or its institutions. institutions, along with any delegates selected by the General Conference Administrative Committee and assigned by the Administrative Committee to meet with the General Conference and institution delegation, shall act as a unit in selecting members to which they are entitled.

3) The election of the above representatives on the Nominating Committee shall be by the method of voting considered by each delegation to be most convenient and efficient, taking into consideration the size of the delegation and other circumstances.

c. Each group (named in Sec. 4. b. 1) and 2) above) - No change

d. Those chosen as members of the Nominating Committee - No change

e. Delegates holding elected positions under the provisions - No change

f. No delegate shall nominate more than one person for election - No change

g. The Nominating Committee shall elect its own chair - No change

h. The Nominating Committee shall limit its nominations - No change

i. In order to expedite the work of the Nominating - No change

Sec. 5. Steering Committee: The Steering Committee shall be chaired - No change

DIVISION SECRETARIES - CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS AMENDMENT

RATIONALE: The changes to this article more clearly specify that the references apply to a division secretary.

VOTED, To amend the General Conference Constitution and Bylaws, Bylaws,

Article VI—Division Secretaries, to read as follows:

ARTICLE VI—DIVISION SECRETARIES

Sec. 1. A secretary shall be elected for each division to be designated “division secretary.”

Sec. 2. Each division secretary shall work according to plans and programs voted by the General Conference in session and according to plans and policies agreed upon by the division executive committee. The division secretary shall serve as vice-chair of the executive committee, and shall report to the executive committee after consultation with the president. It shall be the duty of the division secretary to keep the minutes of the division executive committee meetings, to collect information and make such reports as may be required, and to do such other work as usually pertains to this office.

Sec. 3. Division executive committees may appoint - No change

DIVISION TREASURERS - CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS AMENDMENT

RATIONALE: In some regions of the world the title “chief financial officer” is preferred over the title, “treasurer.” This proposal endorses use of either title and inserts the dual language where the title, “treasurer” is mentioned. The changes also more clearly specify that the references apply to a division treasurer.

VOTED, To amend the General Conference Constitution and Bylaws, Bylaws, Article VII—Division Treasurers, to read as follows:

ARTICLE VII—DIVISION TREASURERS TREASURERS/CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICERS

Sec. 1. A treasurer shall be elected for each division to be designated “division treasurer.” “division treasurer/chief financial officer.”

Sec. 2. Each division treasurer division treasurer/chief financial officer shall work according to plans and programs voted by the General Conference in session and according to plans and policies agreed upon by the division executive committee and shall report to the executive committee after consultation with the president. The treasurer division treasurer/chief financial officer shall be responsible for providing financial leadership to the division which will include, but shall not be limited to, receiving, safeguarding, and disbursing all funds in harmony with the actions of the division executive committee, for remitting all required funds to the General Conference in harmony with General Conference policy, and for providing financial information to the president and to the executive committee. The treasurer division treasurer/chief financial officer shall also be responsible for furnishing copies of the financial statements to the General Conference officers.

Sec. 3. Division executive committees may appoint - No change

AUDITING SERVICE AND AUDITS - CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS AMENDMENT

RATIONALE: The amendments to Article VIII are intended to incorporate 1) updated terminology, 2) the new non-constituency-based entities now included in the General Conference Working Policy, and 3) editorial wording changes relating to auditing services.

VOTED, To amend the General Conference Constitution and Bylaws, Bylaws, Article VIII—Auditing Service and Audits, to read as follows:

ARTICLE VIII—AUDITING SERVICE AND AUDITS

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:

a. Administer a program to provide assurance and related services as part of the worldwide financial oversight program for the Seventh-day Adventist Church; Administer the conduct of audits that the General Conference Auditing Service performs for organizations of the Church throughout the world.

b. Monitor the assurance and related services provided for the Seventhday Adventist Church including where such services are rendered by an external provider; Monitor the overall audit program throughout the denomination.

c. Recommend to the General Conference Executive Committee or division executive committee standards and/or guidelines for the endorsement and selection of external auditors; and Recommend to the General Conference Administrative Committee or division executive committee standards and/or guidelines for use by divisions in the endorsement of external auditors that may be engaged within the division territory, and

d. Report to the General Conference Executive Committee, through the General Conference Auditing Service Board, on the overall assurance and related services in the Church and on current issues and emerging trends that appear in the global picture of financial reporting and organizational policy compliance. Report to the General Conference Executive Committee, through the General Conference Auditing Service Board, on the overall audit program in the Church and the trends/issues that appear in the global picture of financial and policy administration.

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 taking into consideration work performance and feedback from a variety of sources. 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 - No change

b. A quorum of the General Conference Auditing Service Board - No change

Sec. 3. The General Conference Auditing Service, ever sensitive to the country-specific regulations governing the audits of denominational entities in a particular country, serves as the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s preferred provider of assuran
ce and related services. The client base includes all denominational organizations such as General Conference institutions, world divisions and their institutions, unions/conferences/missions/fields/regions/mission stations and their institutions, local conferences/missions and their educational institutions at the secondary level or higher, and Adventist Development and Relief Agency country offices and projects not audited by external auditors.
denomination’s preferred provider of auditing services for world divisions; unions; conferences; missions; 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 global requirements shall be by specific action of the General Conference Executive Committee.

GENERAL AND DIVISION FIELD SECRETARIES - CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS AMENDMENT

RATIONALE: It is proposed that Article IX be adjusted to include General Conference or division field secretaries that report to an officer other than the president. The wording also reflects the current practice whereby the General Conference Executive Committee appoints as field secretaries those individuals, who by virtue of leadership assignments in specific organizations, also have important relationships with the General Conference and/or division administrations.

VOTED, To amend the General Conference Constitution and Bylaws, Bylaws, Article IX—General and Division Field Secretaries, to read as follows:

ARTICLE IX—GENERAL CONFERENCE AND DIVISION FIELD SECRETARIES

Sec. 1. The term “general field secretary” shall be used to designate general field leaders elected to assist the officers in carrying the field responsibilities of the General Conference.

Sec. 1. The term “field secretary” shall be used to designate the role of persons elected/appointed to assist the officers of the General Conference or division in a range of general or specific responsibilities.

Sec. 2. The general field secretaries shall work under the direction of the General Conference Executive Committee and the president, and be assigned either to field service or to special projects or responsibilities that are approved by the General Conference Executive Committee.

Sec. 2. A General Conference “field secretary” ordinarily carries another portfolio of responsibility, the nature of which involves frequent interactions with global church leadership. In the role of field secretary this person works under the direction of the president or another designated officer. Field secretaries shall be elected by the General Conference Executive Committee after having been appointed to their primary responsibility by their respective board, the General Conference Executive Committee, or the General Conference Administrative Committee, as appropriate. Their term of service as field secretaries is contingent on the term of service in the individual’s primary responsibility.

Sec. 3. The term “division field secretary” shall be used to designate field leaders appointed by a division executive committee and assigned either to field service or to special projects or responsibilities. divisions. They may be appointed as necessary to serve in the divisions under the direction of the president or designee. and their respective division executive committees.

GENERAL CONFERENCE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE - CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS AMENDMENT

RATIONALE: Clarification in Section 1. f. that the reference is specifically referring to the General Conference Executive Committee. This change was requested by a division to avoid any confusion that it may be referring to a division executive committee when reproduced in the division working policy. It also provides consistency with the sections before and after Section 1. f.

VOTED, To amend the General Conference Constitution and Bylaws, Bylaws, Article XIII—General Conference Executive Committee, to read as follows:

ARTICLE XIII—GENERAL CONFERENCE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Sec. 1. a. During the intervals between Sessions - No change

b. The General Conference Executive Committee - No change

c. The General Conference Executive Committee - No change

d. The General Conference Executive Committee - No change

e. The removal from office by the General Conference - No change

f. The General Conference Executive Committee shall have the power to remove, for cause, members from the Executive Committee or any committee for which it is responsible by a two thirds majority vote of the members present and voting at any duly called meeting.

Sec. 2. a. A meeting of the General Conference Executive Committee - No change

b. A meeting of the General Conference Executive Committee - No change

Sec. 3. A majority of the full membership of the General Conference - No change

Sec. 4. Any fifteen members of the General Conference - No change

Sec. 5. All meetings of the General Conference Executive Committee - No change

Sec. 6. Meetings of the General Conference Executive Committee - No change

Sec. 7. Local conference/mission/field presidents shall be invited - No change

Sec. 8. Notice as to time, place, and any other requirements - No change

FUNDS - CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS AMENDMENT

RATIONALE: Two non-constituency-based administrative levels have been added to the General Conference Working Policy so these levels also need to be reflected in the Bylaws. In addition, flexibility is given in this amendment for funds to flow through whichever denominational channel is appropriate.

VOTED, To amend the General Conference Constitution and Bylaws, Bylaws, Article XVII—Funds, to read as follows:

ARTICLE XVII—FUNDS

Sec. 1. The funds of the General Conference shall be as follows:

a. A percentage of the tithe receipts of the local conference/mission/field local conference/mission/field/region/field station shall be forwarded through the union and division denominational channels in accordance with the General Conference Working Policy.. Working Policy.

b. A percentage of the tithe receipts of the union - No change

c. Regular mission offerings. - No change

d. Special gifts. Proceeds from the maturities of planned - No change

Delbert W Baker, Chair
G Alexander Bryant, Secretary
Myron A Iseminger, Actions Editor
Tamara K Boward, Recording Secretary

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