Key Principles for Church Nominating Committee Members

As a member of the nominating committee, you must prioritize selecting individuals based on spiritual maturity, practical ability, and a deep commitment to following God’s will over personal influence or tradition. 🌟

Core Qualifications for Candidates

• Proven Ability and Experience: Select individuals with the best talent and ability who will handle the work systematically and with persevering energyMC 15.3. It is essential to choose experienced men who have been successful in their previous undertakings and have the ability to advance the work committed to them9T 264.2+1.

• Spiritual Integrity: Candidates must be blameless, fearing God, loving truth, and hating covetousness Titus 1:5-9GCB April 18, 1901, page 307.9. They should be earnest, full of zeal, and possess a living connection with God that avoids long, dry public prayers in favor of short, pointed testimonies5T 618.2.

• Practical Skills: For specific boards, such as those for schools, you must seek practical men who understand the specific enterprise, whether it be education, finance, mechanics, or agricultureGCB April 18, 1901, page 307.9.

Principles of the Selection Process

• Avoid Haste: Never hurry men into office without due consideration and much prayer for the Holy Spirit’s guidanceT33 145.1. Disregarding the Bible rule by electing leaders prematurely brings grievous trouble to the churchT33 145.1.

• Seek Divine Direction: The process should involve asking the Lord, who knows the hearts of all men, to show whom He has chosenGCB June 1, 1909, par. 6.

• Representative Counsel: The committee should consult widely with those who understand the specific needs of different districts or departments to ensure a balanced and representative boardGCDB March 5, 1899, page 146.28+1.

• Independence from Office-Holding Influence: You must ensure the committee does not simply reinstate the same persons currently in office if that particular combination fails to remove existing difficultiesEGWARGC 8.4.

Spiritual Dangers to Guard Against

• Self-Confidence and Ambition: Those chosen must not be rash, self-confident, or selfish9T 264.2+1. Ecclesiastical ambition and canvassing to obtain subscriptions or promises for office are severely condemnedECE 193.1.

• Unconverted Leadership: It is a great evil to ordain men who are not fitted for responsible work and who need to be converted, refined, and ennobled before they can serve the causeT33 145.1.

• Satanic Opposition: Understand that Satan will seek to stir up doubting, questioning, and jealousy against those appointed to special responsibilities to hinder their work3T 343.1.

The Sacredness of the Work

• Maintaining Sacredness: Those appointed are guardians of God's work and must never remove the sacredness that surrounds it by advancing ideas that bring "commonness" into the cause9T 264.2.

• God as the Source of Appointment: The first essential for those who rule in the name of God is to be appointed directly by Him rather than by their own ambition or the mere voice of the peoplePTUK June 18, 1896, page 404.9.

• Individual Consecration: Every leader and member is elected to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling and to be obedient to every word of God Philippians 2:12TM 453.5.

In all your deliberations, remember that the health of the general work depends upon the faithfulness of those appointed to carry out the will of God9T 264.2. May you be counted faithful in your office to distribute responsibilities to your brothers Nehemiah 13:13. 🙏