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Christian Leadership
Draw Closer Together in Councils—As brethren located where
you must be more or less connected, you must draw closer together
in your councils, in your association, in spirit, and in all your works.
One man among you is not to be made the counselor for all.—
Letter
49, 1897
(September 1897, Workers in our Institutions).
Responsibilities Divided—God’s service is not committed to one
man’s judgment and option, but is divided among those who are found
willing to labor interestedly and self-sacrificingly. Thus all, according
to the skill and ability God has given them, bear the responsibilities
that He has appointed to them.
The important interests of a great nation were entrusted to men
whose talents fitted them to handle these responsibilities. Some were
chosen to direct the business affairs; others were chosen to look after
spiritual matters connected with the worship of God. All the religious
service and every branch of the business was to bear the signature of
heaven. “Holiness unto the Lord” was to be the motto of the laborers in
every department. It was regarded as essential that everything be con-
ducted with regularity, propriety, fidelity, and dispatch.—
Manuscript
81, 1900
, p. 6 (Diary, Solomon’s Reign).
No One Mind Equal to Conference Management—When a
worker is selected for the presidency of a conference, that office of
itself does not bring to him power of capability that he did not have
before.
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A high position does not give to the character Christian virtues.
The man who supposes that his individual mind is capable of planning
and devising for all branches of the work, reveals a great lack of
wisdom. No one human mind is capable of carrying the many and
varied responsibilities of a conference embracing thousands of people
and many branches of work.
But a greater danger than this has been revealed to me in the feeling
that has been growing among our workers that ministers and other
laborers in the cause should depend upon the mind of certain leading
workers to define their duties. One man’s mind and judgment is not to
be considered capable of controlling and molding a conference.
The individual and the church have responsibilities of their own.
God has given to every man some talent or talents to use and improve.
In using these talents he increases his capability to serve.—
Letter 340,
1907
, pp. 1, 2 (October 3, 1907 Workers in Southern California).