not get a formal theology education are eligible for becoming an elder. After a period of
time, it is possible for an elder to become a pastor.
After the Adventist committee elects the candidate, they first need to get the permission
from the STSPM/SCC®8. Then after a long discussion it was approved to allow the SDA Church
to ordain their own pastors and elders. The ordaining ceremony could be conducted by
Adventist pastors, however, the pastors of Sunday keepers are welcomed to join the
ordaining ceremony just to congratulate them.
In China some regions are free to ordain their own pastors while in other areas, the pastors
of Sunday keepers insist that they take part in the ordaining ceremony. The whole process
might take a long time to get final approval because of unexpected situations and
sometimes the Muen SDA Church and the STSPM/SCC have different views about the
candidates. In the past few years, some Adventists argued that the right of ordination
belongs to the church itself and not to STSPM/SCC.
As logical as it seems, it include risks if actually followed out. After all, the newly ordained
pastor or elder will have to communicate with the Sunday keepers and government officers
from time to time. Therefore, official recognition will indeed benefit the church ministry.
Financial Status
The Muen SDA Church is a “self-supporting” church and all the income resources come from
the congregation’s tithe and offerings. The Muen Adventist administration committee
appoints the treasurers and accountants to handle the money issues. Since the Muen SDA
Church is not an independent organization (there is only one legal Protestant church in each
district in Shanghai), it is not allowed to have its personal bank account. Therefore, all the
tithes and offering belonging to the Muen SDA Church are saved in the same account as the
Sunday keepers?®.
On a typical Sabbath the tithes and offerings are taken up in a different manner from most
churches in other countries. As church members enter the church, they place their tithe
enclosed in an envelope into an offering box. Others may place their freewill offering directly
into the boxes and these offering boxes are situated in several places inside the church
either in the foyer or in the church itself.
After the worship, the treasurers both from the SDA Church and Sunday keepers will count
the tithes and offerings collected on that particular Sabbath and record it. According to
financial policies, the tithes and offerings have to be deposited into the bank on the same
day it was collected.
18 Shisi 1989.
19 Shisi 1989.