My Fellow Believers,
Happy Sabbath! Blessings upon you and your family.
“Let all things be done decently and in order.” 1 Corinthian 14: 40 KJV. In the beginning, God
brought order out of chaos (Genesis 1:1). God is a God of order and not chaos (1 Corinthian 14:
33).
Ellen G. White wrote: Dear Brethren: As all the different members of the human system unite to
form the entire body, and each performs its office in obedience to the intelligence that governs
the whole, so the members of the church of Christ should be united in one symmetrical body,
subject to the sanctified intelligence of the whole. 4T 16
Protocol and Procedure
There are official procedures or systems of rules governing the affairs of the Seventh-day
Adventist Church, which all church leaders and board members at the local church, pastors,
conference officers, and so on, must know and practice to effect mission without confusion. We
do not rely on protocol, but we relate to it. Let us look at a few:
1. Inviting someone, virtually or in person, to preach, teach, make a presentation to
the entire church body, part thereof, or utilize the church platform, stage, et cetera
to present to a broader community, must be confirmed and agreed on by the pastor in
collaboration with the local church leaders. The local pastor is in charge of the pulpit, the
teaching stage of the church. Local leaders and pastors must work together in unity and
mutual respect.
2. The Conference is divided into levels of administration for unity and order: The
local church; the pastoral district, generally comprising one or more local churches; zones
comprising many pastoral districts. There are four zones and 32 pastoral districts in East
Jamaica Conference. Thank God for all our lay and pastoral leaders who work together to
make these Zones, Districts, and Churches strong, united, and orderly.
3. Local Speakers: The local church leaders and the pastor select members from the local
church itself to present in their local church, effecting clear objectives and fulfilling the
mission of the church guided by the Calendar of Events.
4. District Speakers: The pastor and the local church select persons with sound judgment
and in good standing from any of the churches in the said pastoral district to present the
Word. Consequently, it is the responsibility of the Pastor, the District Leader, to effect the
protocol of such an invitation.
5. Speakers from Outside the District: Inviting persons from outside of a pastoral district
is to be effected by the pastor of the inviting district/church through the pastor of the
district/church from which the person is invited, ensuring that such person is of sound
judgment and in good standing in his or her local church. If such a person is from another
Zone or Conference, the pastors will communicate with their respective zone or
Conference leadership before the effective date.
Pastors, Elders, and members, please cooperate with the above stipulations for unity and order.
Yes, we will address the protocol for our essential music ministers.
Affirmation and Invitation
We appreciate you, our lay preachers, and be encouraged as you study and preach the Word in
these end times. Have you considered full-time pastoral ministry? Let us talk.
Let us press together as we put “Mission First!”
Meric Dale Walker