General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

Its headquarters is located in Silver Spring, Maryland and oversees the church in directing its various divisions and leadership, as well as doctrinal matters.

In addition to administering their own congregations, churches send representatives to vote on matters and leaders in a shared local unit of administration.

They vote also on who will represent them in a large area, with further representation selected at each successively larger administrative region.

They are interdependent while holding some unique authorities and consisting of specific constituencies.

The General Conference holds three meetings in which leaders from around the world gather to discuss church issues and finances.