This means authority in the Church comes from the membership of local churches. Executive responsibility is given to representative bodies and officers to govern the Church. The local church made up of individual believers 2. The General Conference, the most extensive unit of organization, made up of all unions in all parts of the world. Divisions are sections of the General Conference, with administrative responsibility for particular geographical areas.
Local churches elect their own officers and church boards by majority voting.
A similar process operates for Union sessions and General Conference sessions, at which times officers and committees are elected, reports given and policies decided. Within these four levels the Church operates various institutions. In their world outreach, Adventists serve the whole person and have developed educational, health-care, publishing, and other institutions. The General Conference is the highest earthly authority for the Church. The General Conference in session, and the Executive Committee between sessions, is the highest organization in the administration of the Church's worldwide work, and is authorized by its constitution to create subordinate organizations to promote specific interests in various sections of the world.