Pastoral Ministry

Principles in Forming

The same persons should not serve for years on the same boards and committees—Piety is needed. Less self-confidence and far more humility must be seen. The work of God has come to be looked upon as a common thing. It would have been much better to have changed the men on boards and committees than to have retained the very same men for years, until they supposed that their propositions were to be adopted without a question; and generally no voice has been lifted in an opposite direction.—Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 417. PaM 251.3

Committees should not be made up of those who have no spirit of self denial—When our brethren keep on the board, men whose hearts are as hard as stone, men who have not hearts of flesh, what can you expect? How can these men know what those sacrificed in the building up of the work. They have no spirit of sacrifice themselves, and how can they understand the experience of those who dressed cheaply, and who denied self, who placed themselves in any position that the cause of God might prosper. They know nothing of this, it is Greek to them.—Ellen G. White 1888 Materials, 988. PaM 252.1