The 2025 Church Manual permits electronic participation in local business meetings—with two approvals

Documents examined

• Seventh-day Adventist Church Manual, 21st edition, revised 2025: “Making Changes,” pp. 18–19; “Business Meetings,” p. 139; and board “Meetings,” p. 142. [1]
• Church Manual, 20th edition, revised 2022: corresponding business-meeting and board-meeting provisions, pp. 134 and 137. [2]

The 2025 Church Manual expressly allows electronic participation to count as presence at a local church business meeting. That option is not automatic. The conference executive committee—the conference’s governing committee—must authorize it. The local church must also approve it. The conference committee must give guidance on basic principles and technical solutions. [1, p. 139]

Everyone participating must be able to communicate with one another at the same time. When the stated conditions are met, electronic participation counts as “presence in person.” Proxy voting, in which someone votes on another member’s behalf, remains prohibited. So does voting by letter. [1, p. 139]

This is permission to take part in a meeting where members discuss and decide matters. It is not permission to collect votes by correspondence. A pastor or church board cannot use this paragraph to bypass conference permission or the congregation’s approval.

What changed from 2022

The earlier edition calls the business meeting the local church’s constituency meeting: its meeting of members. It sets out who may participate and prohibits proxy or letter voting. But its business-meeting section does not contain the electronic-participation paragraph found in the 2025 edition. Comparing the published editions establishes the addition. A proposed agenda item alone would not establish the final wording. [2, p. 134; 1, p. 139]

Electronic participation itself was not new to the Manual. In 2022, the section on church board meetings already allowed it where local law permitted. All participants had to be able to communicate with each other at the same time. The section counted that participation as presence in person. [2, p. 137]

The 2025 edition retains that board rule. But the conditions for business meetings differ. They expressly require conference executive committee permission and church approval. The board rule refers instead to permission under local law. These rules apply to different bodies. A congregation should not simply apply one set of conditions to the other. [1, pp. 139, 142]

The distinction matters because the business meeting has authority over the board. It may also assign the board responsibilities beyond those listed in the Manual. The new permission therefore concerns the body with wider local authority. It does not concern only the smaller board that handles continuing church business. [1, p. 139]

What remained in place

The revised section continues to encourage members in regular standing to attend and entitles them to vote. Members under censure—a form of church discipline—remain excluded from speaking or voting. A business meeting must be held at least annually. Each church sets its quorum: the minimum attendance needed to conduct business. Major items should be decided at a regular or specially called business meeting. [1, p. 139]

Annual reporting and planning duties also remain. At least once a year, the agenda should include reports on church activities. A proposed plan for the next year, including an annual budget, should follow for approval. Electronic participation changes how eligible members may be present. It does not remove these duties. [1, p. 139]

The Manual distinguishes its main chapter rules from the explanatory notes. The notes supply guidance and examples. Changes that alter the substance of the Manual require General Conference Session action—a decision by the world church’s assembled delegates. Notes and editorial changes follow separate processes. [1, pp. 17–19]

The 2025 edition says it includes amendments made at the 2025 Session. The electronic-business-meeting rule appears in the main text. So it is published church governance policy: a rule for how the church operates. It is not a commentator’s preference or a new statement of doctrine. [1, pp. 18–19, 139]

For questions about a congregation’s operation, the Manual directs officers and members to seek conference advice. If they cannot reach a shared understanding, they should seek clarification from the union, the next organizational level. [1, p. 19]

Sources (2)

[1] Church Manual, 21st edition, revised 2025 — Primary Documents. General Conference Secretariat publication, hosted by the Trans-European Division; printed page references above.

[2] Church Manual, 20th edition, revised 2022 — Primary Documents. General Conference Secretariat publication, hosted by Adventist Archives; printed page references above.

Source categories describe type only, not reliability. About our source categories.

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The 2025 Church Manual permits electronic participation in local business meetings—with two approvals. Puls Strom, Nov 6, 2026. https://pulsstrom.com/c/617cd6

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