Working Policy
The Working Policy of the North American Division of the General Conference contains the Constitution and Bylaws of the General Conference as adopted by General Conference Sessions. It also contains the accumulated policies which are applicable to the North American Division which have been adopted by General Conference Sessions, Annual Councils of the General Conference Committee and the North American Division Committee.* It is therefore the authoritative voice of the Church in all matters pertaining to the work of the Seventh-day Adventist denomination in the North American Division. It shall be adhered to by all denominational organizations in North America. (NAD B 02)
A North American Division edition of the General Conference Working Policy was first published in 1971. Up until and including the 1975 edition, the North American Division Working Policy was published in bound format and was updated and reprinted periodically, usually every two years. Beginning with the 1978 edition, it was published in loose-leaf format and updated annually by inserts which incorporated the policy revisions voted by the latest Annual Council of the General Conference Committee and the North American Division Committee.* The last such inserts contained the policy revisions voted by the 1982 Annual Council and carried the notation “Revised 1982.”
The 1984 edition of the North American Division Working Policy returned to a bound format. It was designated as the 1984 edition because it contained the revisions voted by the 1984 Annual Council. This 2004-2005 edition of the North American Division Working Policy has been prepared in harmony with the plan to publish annually a revised edition incorporating all applicable policy changes voted by the latest Annual Council of the General Conference Committee and the policies voted by the North American Division Year-end Meeting. It supersedes all previous editions and shall be adhered to except as it shall be amended by subsequent actions of a General Conference Session or a Year-end Meeting of the North American Division Committee.
~The North American Division Committee (NADCOM)
* Prior to the 1984 Annual Council the North American Division Committee was referred to as the North American Division Committee on Administration.
Family Ministries Department Working Policy
Areas of Emphasis
HF 15 Areas of Emphasis The focus of Family Ministries is upon relationships. It is a ministry to the "and," such as in husband and wife, parent and child. Thus this ministry concerns itself primaril…
Methodologies
HF 20 Methodologies Three broad categories define the approaches to ministry to families facilitated by the department: education, enrichment, and counseling. Education—Substantial revelation co…
Objectives
HF 10 Objectives Recognizing the mutual strength and support which the church must be to the home, and the home to the church, if the mission of the church is to become a reality, the Department of F…
Philosophy
HF 05 Philosophy Scripture affirms the importance of the family and outlines the divine principles which govern family relationships. At creation, God instituted marriage and with it the family (Gen…
Premarital Guidance
HF 17 Premarital Guidance For Couples Requesting to be Married—Premarital guidance should be provided to couples requesting to be married by Seventh-day Adventist ministers. Where possible, this…
Statements from the General Conference
Links to the official position statements from the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
Statements on Ancillary Ministries
HF 25 Single Adult Ministries The Department of Family Ministries fosters the work of single adult ministries and encourages local conferences, area-wide local ministries, and local churches to spons…