Ellen White's Principles on Denominational Property and Financial Investment

The financial and missional principles regarding denominational property investment focus on aggressive, faith-based advancement in establishing essential institutions while strictly avoiding worldly speculation, lavish display, and debtMTC 118.1+2. It is a wonderful privilege to strategically invest resources to build up the kingdom of God on earth, ensuring that every effort serves to uplift humanity and advance the gospel message6T 440.4.

A consistent personal example was set by investing thousands of dollars of personal means to keep the work moving and to encourage economy and industry among institutional workersPH138 31.1+1. For instance, a personal investment of fifty dollars was promised for the construction of a much-needed church building at Seven Hills to ensure the local believers had a proper place for worship1888 1259.1. Church leaders were directly counseled not to wait until every dollar was in hand before making strategic moves, as such hesitation would have cost the church special advantages in acquiring vital properties like the Fernando school and the sanitariums at Paradise Valley, Glendale, and Loma Linda9T 270.4+1.

The primary missional purpose for purchasing and building properties is to establish necessary schools, hospitals, and houses of worship in both home and foreign fields to bring physical and spiritual healing to the worldTSA 63.2+1. However, it is explicitly forbidden to expend large outlays of means to build massive institutions in a few favored locations while leaving newly entered and destitute fields without adequate facilitiesSpM 439.2+1. Instead of pouring funds abundantly into one or two places to create a towering influence, faithful stewardship requires distributing resources globally to advance the work in unworked territories14LtMs, Ms 199, 1899, par. 7+1.

Strict economy must be practiced in all construction; nothing is to be done for extravagance or mere display, yet the buildings must never be of second-class qualityPaM 243.2+1. Financial managers must be individuals of true financial intelligence who ensure that institutional outgoes never exceed income14LtMs, Lt 166, 1899, par. 9+1. The highest kind of education for church institutions is to learn to conduct operations on a basis of financial success and to shun debt exactly as one would shun a terrible disease15MR 52.2.

Furthermore, clear warnings are given against worldly financial speculation, which is a calculated snare of Satan designed to divert available means away from the cause of God13MR 236.2+1. Investing in large business interests in the cities is a great mistakePM 185.2. Believers are instructed to withdraw their investments from worldly, uncertain enterprises and instead place their means into the Lord's cause, thereby laying up an eternal treasure in heaven rather than tying up funds in fleeting earthly projectsSpM 228.2+1.

...st special advantages, such as we gained in the purchase of the Fernando school property and in the purchase of the sanitarium properties at Paradise Valley, Glendale, and Loma Linda— 9T 270.4 (1909)

As soon as I can get the money, and it should be in a few days, I shall invest fifty dollars in the little church which must be built at Seven Hills. Twenty are now keeping the Sabbath, parents and children together number about forty. When the ten...— 1888 1259.1 (1987)

...ding with carpets or enter into any preparation that requires an outlay of means, for we have none. I have been constantly handing out means, investing thousands of dollars to keep the work moving; but I know that we must heed the instruction given us in Melbourne to study economy in every line....— 11LtMs, Ms 41b, 1896, par. 25

The very highest kind of education you could give is to shun debt as you would shun disease. For Christ's sake, as the chosen people of God, call yourselves to task, and inaugurate a dif...— 15MR 52.2 (1990)

... Happiness, Not Extravagance.—As did Enoch, we must work in the cities but not dwell in them. Nothing that savors of extravagance is to be seen in the outlay of means for building or for furnishing because we have a prospect of receiving donations. Find a location that has a favorable atmosphere and carry on your work, but keep away from the residences of the rulers of the land. Exert your God-given powers for the people who need to be uplifted. Place not your institutions in the midst of the homes of wealthy men. If possible we must secure for the sanitarium a site that will not be crowded, where there is ground that can be cultivated. Nothing is to be done for display. By strict economy we are to show that we realize that we are strangers and pilgrims on the earth. ...— MTC 118.1 (2012)

God forbid that there should be a large outlay of means in a few places without considering the needs of the many fields that have scarcely any help. Self-denial exercised by the brethren in favored localities in order t...— SpM 439.2 (1985)

...n the very time when men should be selling their possessions to sustain the cause of God, he can so deceive them that all their available means shall be invested in land speculation and other worldly enterprises, thus taking away from the cause of God means which should flow into the treasury to advance His wo...— 13MR 236.2 (1990)

We call upon those who have invested money in worldly interests to withdraw it, and place it in the Lord's cause, where it is now greatly n...— RH March 23, 1905, par. 13 (1851)