Chapter 22—
Education by Ministers and Church Officers[1]
Those who go forth as ministers have a solemn responsibility
devolving upon them which is strangely neglected. Some enjoy
preaching, but they do not give personal labor to the churches. There
is great need of instruction concerning the obligations and duties to
God, especially in regard to paying an honest tithe. Our ministers
would feel sadly aggrieved if they were not promptly paid for their
labor; but will they consider that there must be meat in the treasure
house of God wherewith to sustain the laborers? If they fail to do
their whole duty in educating the people to be faithful in paying to
God His own, there will be a shortage of means in the treasury to
carry forward the Lord’s work.
The overseer of the flock of God should faithfully discharge his
duty. If he takes the position that because this is not pleasant to
him, he will leave it for someone else to do, he is not a faithful
worker. Let him read in Malachi the words of the Lord charging
the people with robbery toward God in withholding the tithes. The
mighty God declares, “Ye are cursed with a curse.” Malachi 3:9.
When the one who ministers in word and doctrine sees the people
pursuing a course that will bring this curse upon them, how can
he neglect his duty to give them instruction and warning? Every
church member should be taught to be faithful in paying an honest
tithe.[2]
Instructing New Converts
A laborer should never leave some portion of the work undone
because it is not agreeable to perform, thinking that the minister
coming next will do it for him. When this is the case, if a second
minister follows the first, and presents the claims that God has upon
His people, some draw back, saying, “The minister who brought us
the truth did not mention these things.” And they become offended
because of the word. Some refuse to accept the tithing system; they
turn away, and no longer walk with those who believe and love the
truth. When other lines are opened before them, they answer, “It
was not so taught us,” and they hesitate to move forward. How much
better it would have been if the first messenger of truth had faithfully
and thoroughly educated these converts in regard to all essential
matters, even if fewer had been added to the church under his labors.
God would be better pleased to have six thoroughly converted to
the truth than to have sixty make a profession and yet not be truly
converted.
It is part of the minister’s work to teach those who accept the
truth through his efforts, to bring the tithe to the storehouse, as an
acknowledgment of their dependence upon God. The new converts
should be fully enlightened as to their duty to return to the Lord His
own. The command to pay tithe is so plain that there is no semblance
of excuse for disregarding it. He who neglects to give instruction on
this point leaves undone a most important part of his work.
Ministers must also impress upon the people the importance
of bearing other burdens in connection with the work of God. No
one is exempt from the work of benevolence. The people must
be taught that every department of the cause of God should enlist
their support and engage their interest. The great missionary field
is open before us, and this subject must be agitated, agitated, again
and again. The people must be made to understand that it is not
the hearers, but the doers of the word, who will gain eternal life.
And they are to be taught also that those who become partakers of
the grace of Christ are not only to communicate of their substance
for the advancement of the truth, but are to give themselves to God
without reserve.[3]
The Pastor’s Duty
Let the church appoint pastors or elders who are devoted to the
Lord Jesus, and let these men see that officers are chosen who will
attend faithfully to the work of gathering in the tithe. If the pastors
show that they are not fitted for their charge, if they fail to set before
the church the importance of returning to God His own, if they do
not see to it that the officers under them are faithful, and that the
tithe is brought in, they are in peril. They are neglecting a matter
which involves a blessing or a curse to the church. They should be
relieved of their responsibility, and other men should be tested and
tried.
The Lord’s messengers should see that His requirements are
faithfully discharged by the members of the churches. God says that
there should be meat in His house, and if the money in the treasury
is tampered with, if it is regarded as right for individuals to make
what use they please of the tithe, the Lord cannot bless. He cannot
sustain those who think that they can do as they please with that
which is His.[4]
The Responsibility of Church Officers
It is the duty of the elders and officers of the church to instruct
the people on this important matter, and to set things in order. As
laborers together with God, the officers of the church should be
sound upon this plainly revealed question. The ministers themselves
should be strict to carry out to the letter the injunctions of God’s
word. Those who hold positions of trust in the church should not
be negligent, but they should see that the members are faithful in
performing this duty.... Let the elders and officers of the church follow
the direction of the Sacred Word, and urge upon their members
the necessity of faithfulness in the payment of pledges, tithes, and
offerings.[5]
Teaching the Poor to Be Liberal
Frequently those who receive the truth are among the poor of
this world; but they should not make this an excuse for neglecting
those duties which devolve upon them in view of the precious light
they have received. They should not allow poverty to prevent them
from laying up a treasure in heaven. The blessings within reach
of the rich are also within their reach. If they are faithful in using
what little they do possess, their treasure in heaven will increase
according to their fidelity. It is the motive with which they work, not the amount they do, that makes their offering valuable in the sight
of Heaven.[6]
[1] Ellen G. White, Counsels on Stewardship (Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Pub. Assn., 1940), chap. 22.
[2] Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church (Mountain View, Calif.: Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1948), vol. 9, pp. 250, 251, https://m.egwwritings.org/pl/book/115.1411#1412.
[3] Ellen G. White, Gospel Workers (Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Pub. Assn., 1915), pp. 369-371, https://m.egwwritings.org/en/book/35.7#0.
[4] Ellen G. White, “Honesty Toward Men and Toward God,” Review and Herald Supplement, Dec. 1, 1896: https://m.egwwritings.org/en/book/821.15443.
[5] Ellen G. White, “The Duty of Paying Tithes and Offerings,” Review and Herald, Dec.17, 1889: https://m.egwwritings.org/en/book/821.10086
[6] E. G. White, Gospel Workers, p. 222.
Pull Quotes
The new converts should be fully enlightened as to their duty to return to the Lord His own.
Let the elders and officers of the church follow the direction of the Sacred Word, and urge upon their members the necessity of faithfulness in the payment of pledges, tithes, and offerings.
