Ellen White on Employing Unbelievers in Sacred Institutions

While the labor of all people is valued by God, the permanent employment of unbelievers in sacred institutions is not permitted because these facilities must be managed exclusively by those consecrated to the present truthPM 77.1+2.

The Standard for Employment

• Consecration is Essential: Every individual connected to the Lord's institutions must be consecrated in soul, body, and spiritPM 77.1+1.

• Temporary Trial Periods: Unbelievers should never be permanently employed; instead, they are to undergo a period of trial and testingPM 77.1+1.

• Dismissal for Lack of Conversion: If an unbeliever is hired out of necessity but shows no interest in conversion after being exposed to the truth, they should be quietly dismissedPM 77.1+1.

• Spirit-Led Workers: No one whose mind is not under the direct control of the Holy Spirit should be allowed to handle the sacred work of God, as they can become agents for the enemy to hinder the causePM 77.1+1.

Risks of Unbelieving Influence

• Spiritual Weight: Bringing unbelievers into responsible positions creates an influence that tells with great weight against the spiritual mission of the institutionPOSDAI 16.3+1.

• Compromising the Truth: There is a grave danger of lowering the standard of truth to accommodate the feelings of unbelievers or to secure their patronage, which makes them harder to reach in the long runPOSDAI 15.1.

• Temptation for Youth: Large institutions that mingle youth with worldlings bring great temptation and retard the genuine work of soul-savingSpTB02 23.3+1.

• Business Partnerships: Believers must not bind themselves to the world in business partnerships, for two cannot walk together unless they are agreed Amos 3:320LtMs, Lt 283, 1905, par. 1.

The Purpose of Interaction

• Soul-Saving as the Object: The primary goal of receiving unbelievers into an institution is to lead them to embrace the gospel and the brightness of the truthPOSDAI 15.1+1.

• Gifts and Means: While unbelievers should not hold positions of authority, gifts and means offered by them are to be received with gratitude and used to honor GodWM 279.3+1.

• The Power of Example: By maintaining a kind, courteous, and Christlike spirit, workers can make a favorable impression on unbelievers, leading them toward the Great Healer6LtMs, Lt 6a, 1890, par. 30+1.

• Avoiding Reproach: We must take care not to make the truth a matter of quarrel or behave with uncultivated manners, as this makes the Sabbath annoying to neighbors and acts as a stumbling block to sinners1T 420.1.

Fairness and Integrity

• Just Wages: All workers, including those hired for temporal tasks, must be paid fairly and not "ground down" to the lowest price James 5:4GW92 201.2+1.

• Faithfulness in Dealing: Directors are strictly required by God to deal with everyone they employ in faithfulness, avoiding selfishness or fraud8T 143.1+2.

• Consistency in Character: It is better to have few students or workers who are diligent and appreciate the truth than many who lack vital pietySpM 117.3+1.

May your heart and meditations always be acceptable to the Lord as you seek to follow His counsel Psalm 19:14.