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Verse:And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people: rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. —Exodus 18:25
The rapid growth of the Sabbath-keeping Adventist movement brought the need for an organizational structure that could integrate the scattered local Adventist communities. But several pioneers still echoed the words of George Storrs, an influential Millerite preacher who, in February 1844, had stated, “No church can be organized by man’s invention but what it becomes Babylon the moment it is organized.” In response to this concept, Ellen White pointed out that some feared that they would “become Babylon if they organize,” but it was rather the lack of organization that had transformed many churches into a “perfect Babylon, confusion.” The formation of an organizational structure took place at three basic levels. The first was the organization of local churches. While groups of Sabbath-keeping Adventists had begun to form in the mid-1840s, it was only in the 1850s that those groups started to elect deacons, local church elders, and treasurers. The second level was the formation of state conferences.
In 1861, the first Seventh-day Adventist conference was established in Michigan; and in 1862, six more new conferences were organized.
The third level of the early organizational development was the formation of a General Conference, which took place in Battle Creek, Michigan, on May 21, 1863. The organization of union conferences and union missions, as well as divisions, did not take place until the early twentieth century. Some may ask, “Do we still need an organizational church structure?” Ellen White declares, “Let none entertain the thought that we can dispense with organization. It has cost us much study and many prayers for wisdom, that we know God has answered, to erect this structure.
It has been built up by His direction, through much sacrifice and conflict.
Let none of our brethren be so deceived as to attempt to tear it down, for you will thus bring in a condition of things that you do not dream of.
In the name of the Lord I declare to you that it is to stand, strengthened, established, and settled.”