The Role of a Pastor According to Ellen G. White

The role of a minister is a sacred and multifaceted calling that demands a blend of spiritual devotion, personal ministry, and physical health.

1. Pastors must visit from house to house among their flock, teaching, conversing, and praying with familiesGW92 76.4.

2. The work of a pastor is as much more important than a physician's as eternal life is more valuable than temporal existencePaM 127.2+1.

3. Gospel ministry is an organization that combines medical missionary work with the ministry of the WordWM 121.1+1.

4. Ministers should sacrifice personal inclinations for seclusion and study to avoid neglecting their pastoral dutiesEv 350.2+1.

5. It is the duty of the pastor to have special meetings with candidates for baptism to instruct them in the meaning of conversionCCh 297.3+1.

6. A minister must cultivate social qualities and a genial spirit to reach hearts through the social circleGW92 76.4+1.

7. Pastors are held accountable for the souls of the children in their church if they fail to reprove wrong or exercise pastoral authorityPaM 209.1+1.

8. The minister's influence depends on their character outside the pulpit; a lack of gravity or godliness can counteract even the best sermonsRH February 12, 1880, par. 13.

9. Ministers should be manual laborers for a portion of their time to preserve physical vigor and promote mental health4T 264.3+1.

10. The true spirit of a shepherd is one of self-forgetfulness, losing sight of self to work the works of GodGW 184.2+1.

11. Young ministers should not take the responsibility of teaching until they have been under the guidance of an experienced preacherGW92 141.2+1.

12. A pastor must become acquainted with an endless variety of temperaments to determine how best to influence each person2MCP 763.3+1.

13. True ministry involves taking people exactly where they are, in whatever condition, and helping them in every possible way2MCP 764.1+1.

14. Ministers are not to be called away from the gospel commission to attend to common business questions or board meetingsPaM 262.3.

15. It is a mistake for the preacher to do all the speaking; they must educate church members to share the burden of the workRH March 7, 1893, par. 10+1.

16. The gospel minister should possess a knowledge of disease and its causes to teach people how to care for their bodiesEv 547.2+1.

17. A minister should be a living representative of the truth they preach, characterized by spiritual life and simplicityPaM 31.2+1.

18. Pastors must not act as confessors or be exalted as supreme, but should instead point people to Christ2MCP 776.2.

19. If a pastor shows they are not fitted for their charge by failing to educate the church on duties like tithing, they should be relieved of responsibilityCS 106.1+1.

20. The absence of the Holy Spirit makes the ministry powerless, regardless of learning or talentCCh 100.2.

...ecause the minister lacks strength to sacrifice his personal inclinations for seclusion and study. The pastor should visit from house to house among his flock, teaching, conversing, and praying with each family, and looking out for the welfare of their souls. Those who have manifested a desire to become acqua...— GW92 76.4 (1892)

...emselves for ministerial missionary work. To this we may attach the word “medical”; for it is essential that the gospel minister shall have a knowledge of disease and its causes. He should know how to give help to the sick. He should be able to teach the people how to treat th...— Ev 547.2 (1946)

The spirit of the true shepherd is one of self-forgetfulness. He loses sight of self in order that he may work the works of God. By the preaching of the word an...— GW 184.2 (1915)

...bear in mind that it takes more than powers of oratory to make a minister an ambassador for Christ. The church and the world look to the pastor for an example in self-denial and cross-bearing and devotion to God. Indolence, fitfulness, irresolution, disqualify him for the position of a mini...— NPUGleaner January 29, 1908, par. 1 (1907)

...h earnest labor in order that the people should realize that they must individually act their part. The minister who does all the talking is not doing his duty as a faithful minister of Christ— 9LtMs, Lt 54, 1894, par. 34