Principles for Christian Leaders

Rejects false leaders

There [are] men of the world that will volunteer to be our guides. They regard their course as wise, but their tendencies and actions are evil. They are of the class who, professing to be wise, need to become fools in order to be wise in God’s wisdom. They lead away from the path where the voice of Jesus is heard saying, This is the way, walk ye in it. They are false teachers, blind leaders of the blind. They divert the attention from the very work to be done in this period of the world’s history, but those who follow the leader, step by step, will hear and recognize the voice of the True Shepherd.—MS 16, 1890 (1890) PCL 98.3

Whatever the position we are called to fill, our only safety is in walking humbly with God. The man who glories in his supposed capabilities, in his property, in his position of power, in his wisdom, or in anything else than Christ, will be taken in Satan’s net. Not a ray of glory is to be diverted to any human agent. He who fails to walk humbly before God will find a spirit rising up with him, prompting the desire to rule others connected with him, and causing him to oppress those who are human and erring like himself. He appropriates to himself the honor, which belongs to God, of jurisdiction and control over other men. This is not to be tolerated. PCL 99.1

The worst thing that can be done is to uphold those who have little respect for God’s authority or for His manner of working in giving the truth to the world. To keep such men in high office, the very highest and holiest positions that mortals can have, where they are called upon to make decisions that affect the prosperity of the work of God, is to assume a fearful responsibility. They may be honored as counselors, but God is not honored or glorified by them as chosen representatives of His work. They do not recognize God in the work He has given His messengers to do. It is not possible for men to have a living connection with God while they refuse to receive the message He sends. They may lay plans which may be thought to be wise, but without God as a counselor, their plans will prove to be a snare.—MS 29, 1895 (1895) PCL 99.2