Chapter 6 - Conference Presidents

Qualifications

In the minds of many there is a false idea regarding the duties of a conference president. By a faithful example, it is his privilege to be a help spiritually to all the churches. He is to counsel with his ministering brethren, and with all the other workers, encouraging them to come into such relation to God that He can direct them in their appointed work. The first qualification for the president of a conference is that he himself has learned to seek and to receive counsel from God.—Letter 378, 1907 (November 11)PCL 125.1

Every laborer entrusted with the management of a Conference is to work as Christ worked, wearing His yoke and learning of Him His meekness and lowliness. A Conference president’s spirit and demeanor, in word and in deed, reveal whether he realizes his weakness and places his dependence on God, or whether he thinks that his position of influence has given him superior wisdom. If he loves and fears God, if he realizes the value of souls, if he appreciates every jot of the help that the Lord has qualified a brother worker to render, he will be able to bind heart to heart by the love that Christ revealed during His ministry. He will speak words of comfort to the sick and the sorrowing. If he does not cultivate a masterly manner, but bears in mind always that One is his Master, even Christ, he can counsel the inexperienced, encouraging them to be God’s helping hand.—Letter 10, 1903 (January 8)PCL 125.2

The men who bear responsibilities in the cause of Christ should be men of prayer and humility. They are to act like men who in all their dealings with their brethren are guided by the Spirit of God. They are to give an example of righteousness. They are sacredly to guard the reputation of those who are doing the work of God.—MS 113, 1907 (October 21)PCL 126.1

Presidents of conferences should be men who can be fully trusted with God’s work. They should be men of integrity, unselfish, devoted, working Christians. If they are deficient in these respects, the churches under their care will not prosper. They, even more than other ministers of Christ, should set an example of holy living and of unselfish devotion to the interests of God’s cause, that those looking to them for an example may not be misled.—5T 379 (1885)PCL 126.2

Presidents of conferences, I appeal to you in the name of the Lord Jesus: “Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near.” . . . You are to be self-denying missionaries, men of thought, men who will pray for divine enlightenment, and who will be faithful and true to responsibilities. Sit at the feet of Jesus, and learn His will. There must be zealous activity on your part. Teach not your ideas, your plans, your notions, your maxims, but teach the word of the Lord.—Letter 24a, 1896 (August); TM 343, 344PCL 126.3

The presidents of state conferences should be picked men, appointed after much prayer, and after they have given evidence that they will be trustworthy stewards of the grace of God. The president of the General Conference should counsel with these men, and with men who realize how the work started at the beginning, who follow the principles of self-sacrifice revealed in the life of Christ, who practice economy in every line, remembering that the whole world must receive the warning.—Letter 93, 1899 (June 19)PCL 126.4

A coworker with Christ—He who is placed as a president of a conference must learn that the human heart is wayward, and that it needs to be strictly sentineled by watchfulness and prayer. As he seeks the Lord conscientiously and constantly, he is taught of God to grow into a representative man, and can be trusted as God trusted Abraham. He needs the whole armor of God; for he has to fight the good fight of faith, and having done all that the Spirit of God has taught him to do, to stand. . . . Man is human and defective in character, and must battle for the victory. Everyone who begins aright must begin at his own heart. Let the fervent prayer go forth from unfeigned lips, “Create in me a clean heart, O God,” and it will bring the response, “A new heart will I give you.”PCL 127.1

. . . They need to cherish the truth as an abiding principle, that it may sanctify the soul. The creating, transforming power of God’s Holy Spirit will make them copartners with Jesus Christ. Yoked up with Christ, they can be more than conquerors through Him.PCL 127.2

The man who is fully sensible that he is in the service of Jesus Christ will aspire for the friendship of God. He will lie low before God, that he may be nothing, and God everything. Such a man is a copartner with Christ, fitted to preside over a state conference. If he proves himself circumspect, he is prepared for any position, according to his experience and qualifications.—MS 17, 1896 (May 13); TM 327, 328PCL 127.3

Spiritual growth—Leaders in the work cannot be men who will be unsympathetic, sharp, and overbearing. These brethren in high places and in low places who turn off responsibilities will become as children in understanding. They cannot grow unless encouraged. O, that all in responsible positions may be fully qualified, with symmetrical characters themselves, to represent the kindness and love of Jesus in the great and glorious work to which they are called, cherishing simplicity, yet with Christlike dignity in harmony with sacred truth. Now, if a man has not the piety and the dignity combined, what can we expect will be the characters of the youth and the workers in connection with him in the work?PCL 128.1

We want more men of real, genuine common sense, putting forth their highest energies to press on and attain a high moral and spiritual elevation, that all who are brought in contact with them will respect them. They are themselves, as workers together with God, to move not uncertainly but surely, convinced that they are on solid ground, and the counsel and judgment [of] such men may be depended on because they seek counsel of God.—Letter 6, 1892 (May 1)PCL 128.2

You [R. A. Underwood] need sanctifying grace. I tell you, my brother, you need to reach a higher standard. Your position and work require you to be a guide and example to others in patience, long-suffering, kindness, and compassion. You need to be closely connected with God. In order to bear your responsibilities aright, you must be an ever-growing Christian. Your faith must be strong, your consecration complete, your love perfect, your zeal ardent. You must make steady advancement in the knowledge and the love of Christ, that you may witness [to] those under your charge the precious fruits of the Spirit. You need spiritual discernment. Keep the eye single to the glory of God, that your profiting may appear unto all. Do not gather to yourself too many burdens to worry and perplex you.PCL 128.3

Grasp the promises of God. Press close to the bleeding side of Jesus. Encourage tenderness and compassion. Improve every means of grace, that your love may abound more and more, that you may have wisdom from above, that you “may approve things that are excellent, . . . being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God” (Philippians 1:10, 11). Your present and future usefulness depend on your living connection with God.—Letter 22a, 1889 (January 18)PCL 129.1

Presidents of conferences, you will be wise if you will decide to come to God. Believe in Him. He will hear your prayers, and come to your assistance, in much less time than the public conveyances could bring one, two, three, or four men from a long distance, at a great expense, to decide questions which the God of wisdom can decide far better for you. He has promised, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” If you will sincerely humble your hearts before Him, empty your souls of self-esteem, and put away the natural defects of your character, and overcome your love of supremacy, and come to God as little children, He will bestow on you His Holy Spirit. —MS 17, 1896 (May 13); TM 323PCL 129.2

Strong in Christ—You [ministers of Northern California] have been considering the question, Whom shall we choose as president of the Northern California Conference? This matter has been laid open before me. For president of our Conference, we need a man strong in capability, strong in a knowledge of the Scriptures and of Jesus Christ, strong in experience. We need just such a man as Brother A. T. Jones is in these respects. I have been instructed that he has the qualifications necessary, so far as physical strength and a well-balanced mind are concerned; but that in order to maintain his spirituality, he must be constantly receiving grace from Christ and constantly imparting it to others.PCL 129.3

It is the pleasure of God that Brother A. T. Jones should serve this Conference another year as president. It is His pleasure that A. T. Jones should put away all appearance of a magisterial, domineering, authoritative manner. He is not to think that by virtue of his position as president of a Conference, he has arbitrary authority. True, he is to have authority, but it is to be just such an authority as Jesus had, an authority that is hid in the meekness and lowliness of Christ.—MS 120, 1902 (October 6)PCL 130.1

Open and impartial—When a man is placed as president of a conference, it is not to be supposed that he is to mold and fashion the minds of the workers in that conference after his own human ideas; and that if men do not follow his ideas, they may be brought to terms by his saying to them, “You cannot receive wages from this conference, unless you do as I tell you.”PCL 130.2

It is the duty of the presidents of our conferences to deal kindly and impartially with all the workers under their charge. They should counsel with their fellow laborers, regarding the wisest course of action to be followed in their labors. In meekness and humility they should set an example of earnest zeal and integrity. But never should they assume the responsibilities that belong to Jesus Christ and endeavor to act as an infallible guide to other workers.—Letter 378, 1907 (November 11)PCL 130.3

In our several callings there is to be mutual dependence on one another for assistance. A spirit of authority is not to be exercised, even by the president of a Conference; for position does not change a man into a creature that cannot err. Every laborer entrusted with the management of a conference is to work as Christ worked, wearing His yoke and learning of Him His meekness and lowliness. A conference president’s spirit and demeanor in word and in deed reveal whether he realizes his weakness and places his dependence on God, or whether he thinks that his position of influence has given him superior wisdom. If he loves and fears God, if he realizes the value of souls, if he appreciates every jot of the help that the Lord has qualified a brother worker to render, he will be able to bind heart to heart by the love that Christ revealed during His ministry. He will speak words of comfort to the sick and the sorrowing.PCL 130.4

If he does not cultivate a masterly manner, but bears in mind always that One is his Master, even Christ, he can counsel the inexperienced, encouraging them to be God’s helping hand. —Letter 10, 1903 (January 8); TM 496PCL 131.1