Church organization

Abstract

Historically, the organization of the Seventh-day Adventist Church developed as a response to the needs of the church. This has resulted in a structure composed of four organizational levels that has enabled significant church growth and provides a means for both local and organization-wide decision-making. However, the core structure has been largely unchanged for more than a century. and its ongoing maintenance is under threat due to issues the church is facing in the twenty-first century. These issues include a confused locus of authority, major demographic shifts, changed giving trends, a burgeoning number of administrators, and the need to address the limited roles and decision-making available to women within the structure.