A practical resource for local church leaders across the South Pacific has been relaunched with a fresh new design and updated content to support today’s ministry needs.
The third edition of the Church Leader’s Manual—first published in 1990 and long regarded as an essential guide for pastors, elders and other local church officers—has been officially released.
Papua New Guinea Union Mission president Pastor Danny Philip said the manual was one of the most widely used leadership resources ever developed for the Pacific islands.
“It was developed by Douglas Robertson, and he intended it for churches in the islands,” Pastor Philip explained. “The way he outlined it was very simple—something that grassroots people in rural places could easily understand and use.”
The new edition was an initiative of the Ministry and Strategy Team at the South Pacific Division. Printed by Signs Publishing, the hardcover manual was updated by the graphic designers at Adventist Media, with new content added and language reflecting today’s ministry context. It is colour-coded and divided into six major sections: Church History and Organisation; Church Leadership; Evangelism; Bible Doctrines; Bible Prophecy; and Evangelistic Sermon Outlines.
The book includes practical guidance on topics such as communion services, sermon preparation, church discipline, board meetings, evangelistic planning and nurturing new members. It also includes job descriptions for local church officers.
“Pastors, elders, treasurers, clerks, deacons—every local church leader will benefit,” Pastor Philip said. “It even helped me personally when I was a theology student; it guided my sermon preparation and leadership assignments.”
A shipment has arrived in Lae with the books distributed to church leaders in Morobe Mission. Some books have also arrived in the Trans Pacific Union Mission (TPUM). “Morobe Mission’s president told us, ‘This is something we really need,’” Pastor Philip said. “TPUM are already asking for more.
“I believe the impact will be significant as people begin using it,” he added. “This book will help leaders provide strong, nurturing leadership and give people a clearer picture of who we are as a Church.”
In his preface, Pastor Robertson—a former district director in PNG who helped initiate lay leadership training schools across the PNGUM—reflected on the manual’s history and purpose:
“The printing of the first edition coincided with a time of rapid growth in church membership within the South Pacific nations. The circulation of the book at that time proved to be of great benefit to Pacific island church leaders as they struggled with the challenge of how to nurture and support so many new Christians joining the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
The revised edition, he writes, comes at another time of rapid growth. “It is our hope that this revised edition of the Church Leader’s Manual will again provide direction, instruction and support to current church leaders so that the many new disciples joining God’s church will be encouraged and nurtured as they move forward on their spiritual journey with Jesus.”
The Church Leader’s Manual has also benefited local church leaders in other divisions of the world Church. It has been translated into Pidgin English, French, Bangladeshi and several African languages.
