Brief Organizational History of Seventh-day Adventists

Prepared by Bert Haloviak, Office of Archives and Statistics 2007

(A Work in Progress)

Year Membership Problem/Issue Organizational Solution/Innovation Country(ies) Entered

Seeking general acceptance of seventh "Sabbath Conferences" held in homes of

1848 United States
day as Sabbath various members
Sabbatarian Adventists begin publishing
How to advance the message of the (Present Truth/Second Adventist
1849
Seventh-day Sabbath Review ). First Ellen White testimony to
the Church

1850

Calls for 'gospel order,' beginnings of

Beginning of rapid increase in Sabbatarian
1851 local church organization: deacons,
Adventist membership
elders

1852

Cards signed by "leading ministers" to

1853 Disunity, breakaways, false ministers
recognized ministers. Sab Schools org

How best to advance Adventism as

1854 First tent meetings held in Battle Creek
movement spreads to Midwest

Erection of church bldgs; Advent Review

1855 Lack of official places to worship
office moved to Battle Creek

1856

1857

What was the scriptural council concerning Bible class held by J N Andrews in Battle
1858
support of ministry? Creek concerning the question.

1
Year Membership Problem/Issue Organizational Solution/Innovation Country(ies) Entered

Lack of plan to finance ministry; ministers "Systematic benevolence" adopted; local

1859
leaving to support families church treasurers appointed

General acceptance of the name

1860 Denominational identity
Seventh-day Adventist

Michigan Conf organized; denomination

Lack of formal ownership of property; lack
1861 holds property; church covenant
of formal organization of local churches
accepted

Licenses, credentials to be issued

Frequency of ministerial licenses,
annually by state conferences
credentials
SDA Publishing Association incorporated

Criteria for holding official conference William S Higley, a layman, elected

1862 Canada
leadership positions president of Michigan Conf for 1863 term

Need for general supervision of General Conference organized with GCC

1863 3,500
"missionary labor" (within North America) authority between regular sessions

Need for accounts of general laborers to 1864 GC Session votes for State Confs
1864 3,800
be audited to select lay members to audit accounts

1865 GC Session votes that such work

1865 4,000 No organized work for "colored" people
should commence

Major church disaffection in Iowa (Snook Statistics required of churches and local
1866 4,250
and Brinkerhoof) conf; ministers to also submit reports
Estab health inst at Battle Creek;
How to promote healthful living among
becomes Western Health Reform In
SDAs
1867

1867 4,320

Developing new methods for spreading Local tract/missionary soc org in South
1868 4,475
SDA message Lancaster; SDA Benevolent Assn org

2
Year Membership Problem/Issue Organizational Solution/Innovation Country(ies) Entered

Plea for missions outside the United Attempt to foster Swiss mission through
1869 4,900
States; lack of ministers to fulfill the call correspondence

Continuing request for missionary to James Erzberger returns f/US to

Switzerland; enhanced organization Switzerland to minister there; first
1870 5,400 Switzerland
needed for developing tract and missionary conference tract and missionary society
work organized in New England Conference

Need to utilize full SDA resources in Initial licensing of SDA women as

1871 4,550
spreading SDA message ministers

Need for general supervision of Tract and S N Haskell chosen to perfect such a
1872 4,936
Missionary Societies plan

Means of fostering missionary spirit within Organization of General Tract and

1873 5,875
the local church Missionary Society
GC Session endorses idea that God had
Although the Session passed the
chosen great leaders in history to guide His
resolution, James White the next year
Church and certainly has chosen such a
wrote a series of articles disavowing that
leader to guide the last church (ie James
position
White)
Continued plea for missions work outside J N Andrews, first foreign missionary
1874 7,000
the United States sent to Switzerland

Centralized plan for coordinating Tract and Organization of General Conference

Missionary work Tract and Missionary Society

Battle Creek College, SDAs first college-

Incorporation of SDA Educational Society
level educational institution established

Dangers of "one man's mind" controlling Ellen White urges wider division of
1875 8,022 Germany
that of others administrative responsibilities

Are all GC resolutions the "voice of the 1875 GC Session disavows 1873
Lord"? resolution on great leader position

3
Year Membership Problem/Issue Organizational Solution/Innovation Country(ies) Entered

Increased understanding of Biblical Tithing accepted as Biblical principle.

1876 10,044 France
principles concerning church finance (More fully adopted 1879)
Encourage non-English language
How to bring message to various
1877 11,708 workers. Increased work w/foreigners in Denmark, Italy
nationalities
US (1878)
Need to coordinate work within the various SDA Sabbath School Association
1878 13,077 Norway, United Kingdom
Sabbath Schools organized

Need for coordination of work amongst non- Foreign Mission Secy, Mission Board of
1879 14,141 Egypt
English language believers 9; GC to credential those in its employ

Need for better coordination of work within Organizational districts set up within
the State Conference State Conferences

Need for more in-depth organization for First conference outside North America
1880 15,570 Sweden
areas outside North America organized in Denmark

Need to finance work beyond the State State Conf to pay tithe to GC quarterly;
1881 16,916
Conference level GCC to care for mission enterprises
SDA women ministers continue to
1881 GC Session discusses question of
evidence success in their evangelistic
ordaining SDA women to ministry
ministry
Formation of European Council of SDA
1882 17,169 Need to implement decentralization
Missions: Scandinavia, Great Br, Switz

Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook to be

Need for better communication between published annually; rejection of church
1883 17,436 entities; suggestions of a church manual as manual idea as it opposed SDAs
guide for operation of local SDA churches anticreedal heritage/reliance on
Scriptures

Need for overall guidance of financial Formation of General Conference

1884 18,702
structure of the Church Association

4
Year Membership Problem/Issue Organizational Solution/Innovation Country(ies) Entered

1885 20,547 Australia, New Zealand

Need to give gospel in non-Protestant L R Conradi establishes SDA work in

1886 23,111 Russia, Ukraine
areas of the world Russia

Foreign Mission Secy, Home Mission

Need for better guidance over various
Secy, Educational Secy appt; Book
1887 25,841 branches of denominational work; need to Guyana, South Africa
Committee of 13 appointed; general
coordinate denominational publications
canvassing agent appt

How to finance growing overseas mission First-day, Week of Prayer, Christmas

work offering systems inaugurated

Need for greater local church involvement Organization of local health and
1888 26,112 Hong Kong, Poland
in health and temperance work temperance societies

How to resolve theological disunity within O A Olsen elected president, first GC

North America? president not born in United States

Multiplication of conferences/missions Creation of General Conference Districts

creates need for greater coordination; need from several local conf-missions; Natl
1889 28,324 Turkey
to coordinate local churches concerning Religious Liberty Assn organized; Battle
religious liberty issues Creek Church transferred to GC
1889 GC Session discusses during 3 mtgs a complete reorg that would place the
various branches under one president w/depts represented by secy.
Recommendation withdrawn at request of committee. Eliminated from minutes.
Implemented in South Africa and 1889 and Australia 1894.
Argentina, Leeward and
How to reach remote areas of the South
1890 29,711 Sailing of the Pitcairn Windward Islands (various),
Pacific islands with gospel message
Pitcairn Island
Financing salaries of GC workers; who 3/4 of Battle Creek Church tithe to GC; Barbados, Honduras, French
1891 31,665
should license medical workers? Intl Health Temp Assn issues credentials Polynesia, Belize
Ownership of publishing houses, sale of
General Conference Association
denominational literature, appt of
enlarged to control such enterprises
editors,etc

5
Year Membership Problem/Issue Organizational Solution/Innovation Country(ies) Entered

1892 33,778 Cook Island, Finland, Romania

Further devt of district organizational

Further dissemination of localized Jamaica, Mexico, Trinidad and
1893 37,404 scheme to embrace Australia and
organizational authority needed Tobago
Europe
Need for greater decision-making authority First union conference organized in Brazil, Ghana, Norfolk Island,
1894 42,763
in areas remote from the United States Australia Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), Surinam

Need to present gospel in non-Christian Work begun in Matabeleland, South

Azerbaijan
areas Africa

Shall SDAs accept grants/donations from Bahamas, Caymans, Bermuda,

1895 47,680 No! (GC Session action)
civil governments? Chile, Uruguay, Fiji, Samoa/

Need for greater refinement of General District committees appointed, duties Tokelau Island, Tonga, Western
Conference District structure defined; district councils provided Samoa, India

1896 52,202 Japan, Latvia

GC territory divided: US/Br NA;

Need for General Conference territorial
1897 56,436 European Union Conf; Australasian Belgium, Iceland
decentralization
Union Conf
Need for General Conference GC Assn vastly curtailed; Book Comte
administrative decentralization discontinued; union conf idea fostered

Ireland, Netherlands, Israel

1898 59,447
(Palestine), Peru

Local conferences asked to contribute to

1899 64,003 Supporting laborers in overseas fields Lesotho
such support; union presidents on GCC

Indonesia, Paraguay, Virgin

1900 75,767
Islands

6
Year Membership Problem/Issue Organizational Solution/Innovation Country(ies) Entered

Major organizational reorganization:

Major decentralization of denominational
1901 78,188 work; monolithic-type branches of work
made departments of General Conference
depts, union idea extended; GCC to
Czechoslovakia, Hungary,
supervise foreign mission wk; unions
Jordan, Panama, Puerto Rico
hold property; 2d tithe to support mission
wkrs

1902 73,522 Fires destroy Battle Creek Sanitarium, Review and Herald offices at Battle Creek Austria, Burma, China, Malawi

% of Conf tithe used for foreign work;

move f/Battle Creek; Ingathering begun Costa Rica, Cuba, Spain,
1903 77,554 Need to finance increasing mission thrust
10c weekly for foreign missions; plan for Tanzania (Zanzibar)
supporting aged workers/widows

Need for closer coordination w/work of Creation of vice presidents for North
unions in North America and Europe America and for Europe

Korea, Singapore, Portugal,

1904 81,721
Georgia

GC offices to Takoma Park Station, DC;

Need to relocate GC offices, Review, and GC Corporation organized; Young Algeria, Ecuador, Haiti, Sierra
1905 87,311
medical work from Battle Creek People's work organized under the Leone, Yugoslavia, Zambia
Sabbath School Department

Increased need for funding of growing Loma Linda Sanitarium dedicated;

1906 91,531 Bangladesh, Kenya Philippines
institutions/foreign mission work $150,000 fund for instl and foreign needs
Growth of missions evidences need to
GCC meets in Gland, Switzerland. First
1907 94,048 greater participation by believers outside Bolivia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Greece
genl representatives council outside US
US
Bulgaria, Dominican Republic,
1908 97,579 Guatemala, Lebanon, Papua NG,
Armenia
Local/Union to appropriate from 1/4 to
Continuing need for financial basis for
1909 100,931 1/3 of total tithe to foreign missions
funding growing mission work
(Session)

7
Year Membership Problem/Issue Organizational Solution/Innovation Country(ies) Entered

Continuing dissemination of authority to Creation of vice president for Asiatic Div

three major units of worldwide work in addn to those in NAD and Europe

Need to coordinate work for African- North American Negro Department

Americans organized
GC session resolution voted that
Should publishing instit tithe be paid to GC
publishing institutional tithe be sent to
or to Unions as previously done
GC

First GC Session to have official delegates from each of the world's major continents

1910 104,526 Venezuela

Need for financial plan to sustain retired Sustentation fund implemented. Funded
1911 108,975 Iran, Malaysia
workers/widows of workers by 5% of tithe receipts of local/Union/GC

How to emphasize advancement in non- Beginning of compiling statistics showing

Christian and non-Protestant countries growth in such areas

New Hebrides (Vanuatu),

1912 114,206
Nicaragua

Three distinct Division Confs created:

Growth creates need for further North American, European, Asiatic. Div
1913 122,386
organizational refinement thus had its own constituency sessions,
elects its officers, etc.

Dislocations created in worldwide work GC to retain funds to cover 3 months for British Solomon Is, Guadeloupe,
1914 125,844
because of World War I worldwide emergencies Mauritius, Nigeria, Pakistan

1915 136,879 El Salvador

1916 141,488 Niue Island

8
Year Membership Problem/Issue Organizational Solution/Innovation Country(ies) Entered

Funding for mission work slackens, GC Comte on Reorg recommends NAD Conf
1917 153,857
lacks authority re NAD resources be eliminated, GC admin its territory

Financial and structural limitations of Division Conferences abolished: unions

1918 162,667
division idea increasingly surface and missions again responsible to GC

1919 178,239 How to finance new work Birthday offering system established Thailand

Conradi (pres of European Division Section) notes that since 1882 Europe has
had five distinct organizational structures

Increased opportunities, but lack of funds Week of Sacrifice, Big Week programs Faeroe Islands, Rwanda,
1920 185,450
for advancing work overseas in 1920s developed for missions extension Swaziland, Kazakhstan

1921 198,088 Botswana, Zaire, Colombia

Division "sections" w/responsibility for

Further refinement of worldwide structure
1922 208,771 to maintain worldwide focus and yet
provide local authority
Administrative fears that the growing local
1923 221,874
pastorate would diminish mission thrust
their territories; but NA not so organized.
"Section" idea means that members of Macao, Sri Lanka
GCC are also members of Division
Comte
Home Missionary, MV, educ sec to have
evangelistic experience, preferably be
Iran, Namibia, Iraq, Faroe
ordained. This provision eventually
Islands, Lithuania
greatly diminished admin positions for
women

First SDA radio station established in Angola, Martinique, Belarus,

1924 238,657 How to spread SDA message through radio
Berrien Springs, MI Luxembourg

Burundi (Urundi), Morocco, New

1925 250,988
Caledonia

9
Year Membership Problem/Issue Organizational Solution/Innovation Country(ies) Entered

Madagascar, Netherlands
How to retain knowledge of previous Origination of General Conference Antilles (Aruba, Bonaire),
1926 261,834
Autumn Council and GC Session actions Working Policy Uganda, Liberia, Mongolia, New
Caledonia, Cameroon

1927 274,064

GC in session and GCC betw sessions

What is the relationship between different
1928 285,293 as highest authority, under God (AC Tunisia
organizations/institutions?
action)

1929 299,555 Viet-Nam (French Indo-China)

How to avoid top GC headquarters Formalized scheduled meetings of body

1930 314,253 Guam, Seychelles
administrators involvement in all details known as General Conference Officers

Tenure of Office Policy until 1942. Top

Limited financial resources during positions limited to 12 consecutive years;
1931 336,046
Depression era reduction of North American Union
Conferences from 12 to 9

SM recom to cut GC admin staff, GC to

Continuing financial probs in Depression travel less, combine some positions, GC
1932 362,101 Cyprus
era, field considers GC staff is too large dept heads to promote with union conf
secy only, not w/more localized entities

1933 384,151

1934 404,509 Training of SDA ministers SDA Theological Seminary opened Azores

Cape Verde Islands,

1935 422,968
Mozambique

10
Year Membership Problem/Issue Organizational Solution/Innovation Country(ies) Entered

1936 438,139 Reunion

Political-military conditions in Europe Division divided into two sections,

1937 452,758 render a unified Central European Div Section II administered by GC in Khmer Republic (Cambodia)
impossible Washington, DC

1938 469,951 Sao Tome and Principe

1939 486,670

1940 504,752

1941 520,644

First Voice of Prophecy nationwide

1942 535,134 Advancing the message through radio
broadcast

Reexamination of Tenure of Office Policy Tenure of Office Policy abolished

1943 544,710

1944 557,768 American Samoa

NA ldrship reluctance to integrate, need to

1945 576,378 provide African-Amer leadership Regional Conferences formed Turks and Caicos Islands
experience
Massive destruction of SDA institutions, Displaced Persons Committee estab at
people in Europe/Asia in aftermath WWII GC level to find homes for the displaced

11
Year Membership Problem/Issue Organizational Solution/Innovation Country(ies) Entered

French Guiana, Ivory Coast,

1946 598,683
Syrian Arab Republic

Gilbert and Ellice Islands

1947 628,594
(Kiribati, Tuvalu)

1948 672,658 West Irian

1949 716,538 St Helena

1950 756,812 Advancing the message through television Faith for Today telecast begun

Creation of NAD Admin Comte thereby

releasing GC officers for more world
GC ldrship expends much time on detailed
focus; NAD Comte on Admin not to
admin of NAD work
control $, however. NAD minutes
separate f/GCC

1951 803,720

1952 856,463 Senegal

1953 924,822

1954 972,071 Greenland

1955 1,006,218

1956 1,051,452 Libyan Arab Republic

12
Year Membership Problem/Issue Organizational Solution/Innovation Country(ies) Entered

Response to challenges concerning

1957 1,102,910 Geoscience Research Institute organized Laos, Nepal, Uzbekistan
relationship natural sciences and Scripture

1958 1,149,256

Fostering SDA focus on good health within

Five-Day Plan to Stop Smoking initiated;
the greater community; how to involve
1959 1,194,070 beginning of student missionary program
younger Adventists in mission thrust of the
at Washington Missionary College
church

GC not to add personnel prior to 1962

Annual Council calls for organizational Session, limit travel, cut back on mtls Equatorial Guinea, Central
1960 1,245,125
simplification sent f/GC/unions/confs, GC to operate African Republic
under a regularized budget as other orgs

1961 1,307,892

Temperance becomes dept; Rel Lib and

GC Session focuses on GC headquarters Pub Relations again separated; office of
1962 1,362,775
"departmental simplification" Statistical Secy discontinued, duties
assigned to Auditor

1963 1,428,352

How to determine readiness of union Annual Council votes 11 criteria for such
1964 1,508,056 Togo
missions for Union Conference status status as well as status procedure

Internal Revenue Service ruling raising 1966-1977 World Church allows NA to

question of licensed ministers eligibility for redefine the functions of NA ministry to
1965 1,578,504 Congo
parsonage allowance because limitations resolve the issues raised by IRS and
upon functions of licensed ministry thereby continue to receive parsonage

1966 1,661,657 Training of SDA missionaries Institute of World Mission established

13
Year Membership Problem/Issue Organizational Solution/Innovation Country(ies) Entered

How to minimize financial outlay within Austrian Union of Churches formed.

1967 1,747,614 national churches when membership is Bulgaria, Denmark, Italy, Portugal, Spain Dahomey
relatively low all eventually form unions of churches

1968 1,845,183

Increasing number of depts at local, union, Consolidation Comte to study role of

1969 1,953,078
and GC levels. Growth in adm staffs. depts, recommend streamlining

Urges major restructuring. Cut unions

Continuing study of org structure in NA;
from 10 to 6. No major results ensued.
1970 2,051,864 call for reorganization of various territories Chad
Afro-Mideast Division organized at GC
in Africa-Middle East
Session

Coordinating multiplying SDA radio Afghanistan, Upper Volta

1971 2,145,061 Adventist World Radio launched
programs around the world (Burkina Faso)
Suggestion of merging of functions of
Reorganization Committee report; various depts, coordinate councils for
surveyed all GC dept positions (168 NA. Recom reduce f/10 to 4 or 6 unions
1972 2,261,403 reviewed); creation of specialized decision- in NAD. No major results f/study until
making groups at GC level (PRADCO, 1985. Also recom mergers that would
PREXAD) total six depts at GC at time of 1975
session

1973 2,390,124 Gambia

Major changes within health care field in SDAs form 5 regional orgs to manage its
1974 2,521,429 Sikkim
United States health-care work. Exhibits corporate sgth

Emerging worldwide membership within First General Conference Session held

1975 2,666,484 Guinea-Bissau, Liechtenstein
SDA faith outside US (Vienna, Austria)

Redefining functions/credentials of women Women placed upon a separate track of

ministers in light of IRS issues (1975-85) ministry outside possibility of ordination

14
Year Membership Problem/Issue Organizational Solution/Innovation Country(ies) Entered

Is SDA org too large, top-heavy, operating Committee on General Conference and
efficiently; how to strengthen effcy of depts Church Administration appointed at GC

Brunei, Western Sahara

1976 2,810,606
(formerly Spanish Sahara)

1977 2,949,758 Gabon

Increasing authority of General Conference GC president gains effective veto power

1978 3,117,535 Kuwait, Sudan
president over the selection of division presidents

Need for improved organizational structure

1979 3,308,191 Major reorganization within Africa
for Africa

Study papers, general discussions of

Who decides what Adventists believe?
biblical scholars/educators urges that
1980 3,480,518 Appointment of Theological Consultation
laity, pastors, theologians and
Planning Group.
administrators should all have input.

Merger of Ministerial Assn/Stewardship;

Restructuring at GC departmental level
merger of Health and Temperance Depts

Extensive revision of Fundamental Beliefs of SDAs with significant addition to

Preamble suggesting possible revision in future when led by Holy Spirit

1981 3,668,087

Continuing realization of value of corporate Creation of Adventist Health System/US

1982 3,897,814 Mali
strength in uniting health care system uniting 5 health-care corporations

Define functions/programs on all levels;

Role and Function Comte: largest org where specific functions should be most
1983 4,140,206 Nauru
study in SDA history up to that time effectively administered; recommend
functions that could be shifted/ended

15
Year Membership Problem/Issue Organizational Solution/Innovation Country(ies) Entered

How best to coordinate SDA

Creation of Adventist Development and
1984 4,424,612 individual/community devt and disaster
Relief Agency (ADRA)
relief
Spectrum (March 1984) challenges much GC President, at Annual Council, issues
of current organizational structure statement distancing GC from Spectrum

GC admin urges Pacific and North

Variations of several union conferences
1985 4,716,859 Pacific Unions to bring their consts into
from the 'model' constitutions recom by GC
harmony
Major issues of church org discussed at this session. Africa again reorganized. Full
report of the Role and Function of Denominational Organizations Commission
accepted: GC President defined as “first officer and chairman of executive committee”;
operationally departmental directors are responsible to the president; org of Church
Ministries Department combining 5 former depts: Lay Activities, Sabbath School,
Stewardship and Development, Youth, Home and Family Service; North America
attains increased separation from General Conference

1986 5,092,503

United Arab Emirates, Guinea,

1987 5,445,249
Niger

1988 5,816,767

McBride Study of role of General GC President/GC Officers to determine

1989 6,260,617 Malta
Conference departments/services implementation of recommendations

How to reach unentered areas of the world Adoption of Global Mission with central
with the Gospel focus upon reaching unentered areas

Move of General Conference

General Conference headquarters move Headquarters from Takoma Park to
Silver Spring, MD

16
Year Membership Problem/Issue Organizational Solution/Innovation Country(ies) Entered

Pub in June 1989 Ministry . Somewhat

Major article by Robert Folkenberg on
instrumental propelling RSF to GC
church structure
ldrship

1990 6,694,880

1991 7,102,976 Oman

1992 7,498,653 Albania, Djibouti

1993 7,962,210 Bahrain

1994 8,382,558

Limit membership of GCC (assoc secy

Recommendations of World Church Org omitted); session delegate cap at 2,000;
1995 8,812,555
Commission presented at GC Session Church Ministries broken up into
individual departments as before 1985

1996 9,296,127

1997 9,702,834

1998 10,163,414

Special mtg of GCC accepts Folkenberg

Resignation of Robert Folkenberg as
1999 10,939,182 resignation, Jan Paulsen elected GC
General Conference President
Pres

2000 11,687,239

17
Year Membership Problem/Issue Organizational Solution/Innovation Country(ies) Entered

2001 12,320,844

2002 12,894,015

2003 13,406,554

2004 13,936,932

New Fundamental Belief voted; future planned revisions of Fund Beliefs must reach
GC Pres ofce at least 2 yrs before GC Session; GCC should during next
2005 14,399,072 quinquennium systematically review denominational policies and procedures in
light of Resolutions adopted on Bible and Spirit of Prophecy at 2005 GC
Session.

2006 15,115,806

18