Principles for Christian Leaders

Spiritual leader, not business manager

Especially is this true in regard to the president of the General Conference. His time is not to be filled up with the details of business, for this in a great degree disqualifies him for the very work which he should do. He cannot continue to carry the burden he has carried in these lines, without neglecting lines of work which cannot be left to others. Let men be chosen to give themselves to the business part of the work, and leave the president of the General Conference free to attend to its spiritual interests. Let him have time to understand the spiritual needs of the churches.—MS 33, 1895 (1895) PCL 118.1

The president of the General Conference is never, never to be left to follow the advice of men who are considered as financial successes, unless the Lord God of Israel is leading these men. If the presidents of state conferences are worthy of being entrusted with the work of faithfully managing a conference, the president of the General Conference should make them his counselors. He should not trust to his own human wisdom, neither should he devise and plan with men whose hearts do not bear the stamp of the divine.—Letter 93, 1899 (June 19) PCL 118.2

I have a special message for Elder Daniells and for the men who have again been placed in positions of responsibility. I have known that unless there was a decided change in the spiritual discernment of the men at the head of the work after the conference meeting in Washington, unless there was a humble seeking of the Lord, there were grave perils before the church. The Lord declares that the reasoning powers of some have not been entirely sanctified and cleansed from every phase of selfishness. PCL 118.3

Too much of the time of this important conference has been taken up with purely business matters. In many of the plans, human reasoning was accepted as though it had been divine wisdom. The Lord now calls for decided changes among the workers in Washington. Many of the oft-repeated messages from the Lord seem to be passed by unheeded.—Letter 47, 1909 (June 9) PCL 118.4

Respect for others—Let no man feel that his position as president either of the General Conference or of a state conference clothes him with a power over the consciences of others that is the least degree oppressive, for God will not sanction anything of this kind. He must respect the rights of all, and all the more because he is in a position where others will pattern after him. Your [G. I. Butler] position binds you under the most sacred obligations to be very careful what kind of a spirit you entertain towards your brethren. They are acting a part in God’s cause as well as yourself. Will not God teach them and guide them as well as yourself? You are not even to allow yourself to think unkindly of them, much less to climb upon the judgment seat and censure or condemn your brethren, when you may be yourself, in many respects, more deserving of censure than they. Your work is bearing the inspection of God. PCL 119.1

If a brother differs with you on some points of truth, do not stoop to ridicule; do not place him in a false light or misconstrue his words, making sport of them; do not misinterpret his words and wrest them of their true meaning. This is not conscientious argument. Do not present him before others as a heretic, when you have not with him investigated his positions, taking the Scriptures text by text in the spirit of Christ to show him what is truth. You do not yourself really know the evidence he has for his faith, and you cannot clearly define your own position. Take your Bible, and in a kindly spirit weigh every argument that he presents and show him by the Scriptures if he is in error. When you do this without unkind feelings, you will do only that which is your duty and the duty of every minister of Jesus Christ.—Letter 21, 1888 (October 14) PCL 119.2

Education for conference presidents—Let the president of the General Conference educate the presidents of state conferences to take care of their portion of the moral vineyard where they are situated wisely, without laying their burdens upon him. Lead these men who have ability and talent to look to God that they may be taught by Him.—MS 17, 1896 (May 13); TM 329 PCL 120.1

Micromanagement—How many of the presidents of our conferences have armed themselves with the mind that is in Christ? How many, by unceasing watchfulness and prayer, have strengthened the things which remain? I have been shown that instead of going to God for wisdom, our ministers have gone to the president of the General Conference. But the Lord has not made him your mediator. He has not been invested with a supply of wisdom for the presidents of the state conferences. Jesus is the fountainhead of wisdom, and our supply must be received from Him. Those who look to the president of the General Conference are crippled and dwarfed; whereas, if they would look to God, they would find grace and strength to help in every time of need. —MS 2, 1883 (November) PCL 120.2

Teamwork—Something has been opened before me of which I must speak. A president has been chosen. . . . He has never served in this capacity, and it is important that you make a careful selection of men for the board. It is essential that changes be made, and that the directions given by Jethro to Moses be considered. The president, because he is president, is not to feel at liberty to follow his own individual judgment. [He] is not to decide who shall stand as his helpers. PCL 120.3

The men chosen to compose the board are to be unselfish, God-fearing, chosen men, who understand how to control and discipline themselves, “able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness”; “men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom.” A hasty, passionate, impulsive man should never have a place on a board of directors, for he is not under the rule of God. It will be better to have fewer men, than to place in office those who have not the faith and humility of Christ, and who will block the wheels of progress by their hereditary and cultivated tendencies to evil. We must have in connection with God’s service men who are as true as steel to the work they are called to perform. PCL 121.1

The question has been asked, Should the man placed by the side of [the president] be a minister? I answer, Not necessarily. He should be a man of business ability, and his office is to be just as much respected as that of the president, for it is fully as responsible. The business agent is to stand in close connection with the president, and he should have a helper, on whom he can rely when business is pressing to keep an accurate account of how all money spent is expended, and be prepared to lay all business matters before the board. PCL 121.2

There is need of an altogether different class of men standing on the board of directors. The president of the General Conference should not have as laborers with him men who will take it for granted that it is right for them to voice all that the president shall devise and plan. The president of the Conference is not to carry so great a load, but is to consult with the men appointed to work with him. As president of the Conference, he is exposed to strong temptations, and he may be led to think that his position gives him freedom to act upon his own individual responsibility. This is a mistake. Brother Butler was not willing to accept counsel from the Lord, and he followed his own judgment until he was unable to act any part in the work. When temptation swept over his soul, his physical strength was unable to endure. PCL 121.3

There is danger of the business manager becoming molded by the mind and judgment of the president, but this should not be. The man chosen to be a business agent is amenable to God, and he is to be a faithful standard-bearer. The president may have had an experience which would lead him in wrong lines. There may be a tendency on his part to divert means into channels which will not be for the best interests of the work. Therefore he needs to be guarded in the expenditure of means. PCL 122.1

The business steward has a position of high honor, which is not a whit less than the president’s; and he may well be called vice president, for he serves with the president as an advisor in all enterprises and in every outlay of means. The money that comes into the Conference is not to be disposed of by the president of the Conference without the knowledge of the business director and the board. All matters are to be placed before the board, and if there is not an agreement upon them, men who are trustworthy, who fear God and work righteousness, should be chosen to decide the question. Then everything will be guarded, and a decided work will be done. PCL 122.2

The president and business manager are to be regarded as bearing a united responsibility. The work is great, and if the business of financiering is so conducted that there is a departure from the simplicity of the work; if money is absorbed for the sake of appearance, in order, as men suppose, to give character to the work, weakness and not strength will result. In the board of directors and counselors, two or three men are not to confederate together to carry out their own ideas. This must be strictly guarded against, for in pursuing such a course there is danger that injustice will be done. PCL 122.3

Our work is being watched to see if there is prosperity or waste in its construction. By our own course of action a state of things may be created which will cripple the work and bring reproach upon the cause of God. In every conference we are to give character to the work, not by exalting self, not by display, but by becoming living stones in the building of God. Let everything be done decently and in order. But never suppose that buildings, dress, and outward show give character to the work. “Ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house,” God says. Prayer and grateful thanksgiving to God will give solidity and character to the work. PCL 123.1

God’s great work cannot be carried on by one man’s mind or one man’s judgment. A board of the most substantial, solid men we can find is needed for the successful carrying forward of the work. . . . PCL 123.2

Whenever God has a special work to be done at a special time, He always has men prepared to meet the demand. But no one or two men are to stand alone to follow their own judgment. God will establish His counselors, and furnish the men of His appointment with talents, whether they are required to break down or to build up. These men, living under the power of the Holy Spirit, will express in their very features the likeness of Christ, and their holy characters will be a rebuke to the unconverted. It is not a purification of soul once, now and then, that we need, but the full and abiding righteousness of Christ.—MS 104, 1899 (July 30) PCL 123.3