the_business_management_of_the_campaign

Ministers should not be burdened with business matters and should focus on their special work of prayer and speaking the word. They should not be preoccupied with settling church difficulties or attending long committee meetings. Their minds should be free to proclaim the gospel clearly. Financial matters should be managed by businessmen, not ministers. Conference leaders should find businessmen to handle the financial details of city work or train others to do so. Heading, the business management of the campaign. Subheading, ministers not burdened with business. To every man is given his work. Those who enter the ministry engage in a special work and should give themselves to prayer and to the speaking of the word. Their minds should not be burdened with business matters. For years the Lord has been instructing me to warn our ministering brethren against allowing their minds to become so engrossed with business matters that they will have no time to commune with God and to have fellowship with the Spirit. A minister cannot keep in the best spiritual frame of mind while he is called upon to settle little difficulties in the various churches. This is not his appointed work. God desires to use every faculty of his chosen messengers. Their mind should not be worried by long committee meetings at night, for God wants all their brainpower to be used in proclaiming the gospel clearly and forcibly as it is in Christ Jesus. Overburdened, a minister is often so hurried that he scarcely finds time to examine himself, whether he be in the faith. He finds very little time to meditate and pray. Christ in his ministry united prayer with work. Night after night he is spent holy in prayer. Ministers must seek God for his Holy Spirit, in order that they may present the truth aright. Manuscript 127, 1902 Subheading, Business Details Carried by Men of Business Ability. It is a great mistake to keep a minister who is gifted with power to preach the gospel constantly of work and business matters. He who holds forth the word of life is not to allow too many burdens to be placed upon him. The finances of the cause are to be properly managed by businessmen of ability, but preachers and evangelists are set apart for another line of work. Let the management of financial matters rest on others than those set apart for the work of preaching the gospel. Our ministers are not to be heavily burdened with the business details of the evangelical work carried on in our large cities. Those in charge of our conferences should find businessmen to look after the financial details of city work. If such men cannot be found, let facilities be provided for training men to bear these burdens. Review and Herald, October 5, 1905.