What does Ellen White write about...
Adventistische Schriften über: "How can church leaders and members avoid an atmosphere of competition, and why do we so easily get entangled in essentially unimportant things?"
Answer
Competition and the pursuit of dominance in the church can be avoided by leaders and members setting an example of love, respect, and humility, and by laying aside selfishness and spiritual pride. We become especially entangled in insignificant matters—such as criticizing outward appearances or bringing up points of contention—when our thoughts are distracted from God and His truth, and we focus on the faults of others instead of examining our own spiritual life and heart.
Exemplary Leadership and Avoiding Rivalry
»Those who are called to watch over the spiritual affairs of the church should carefully strive to give a proper example, offering no cause for envy, jealousy, or suspicion, but always revealing the same spirit of love, respect, and courtesy that they wish to foster in their brothers. ... When trials arise in the church, each member should examine his own heart to see whether the source of the difficulty is not internal. Through spiritual pride, the desire to dominate, an ambitious longing for honor or position, lack of self‑control, yielding to passion or prejudice, instability or lack of discernment, the church can be disturbed and its peace sacrificed.«
The Unholy Pursuit of Dominance and the Need for Humility
»The congregation in Battle Creek needs a self‑denying, unassuming spirit. I have been shown that many harbor an unholy desire for dominance. Many love to be flattered, and they jealously guard against offenses or neglect. There is a hard, unforgiving spirit. There is envy, strife, and competition. Nothing is more essential to fellowship with God than deepest humility. ... While you are so eager to be the first, remember that you will be the last in God's favor if you fail to cultivate a gentle and humble spirit. The pride of the heart will cause many to fail where they could have succeeded.«
Why We Get Entangled in Trivialities and Fault‑Finding
»People have grasped at straws; and when there were no real difficulties in the church, trials were artificially created. The thoughts of the congregation and the servants of the Lord are diverted from God, truth, and heaven, lingering in darkness. Satan rejoices when such things happen; it is a feast for him. ... A person's clothing, hat, or apron captures their attention. They must discuss this or that about it, and that is enough to cling to it for weeks. I saw that the entire religion of some poor souls consists of watching the clothing and actions of others and finding faults in them. ... But when people are so concerned with the faults of others, they do not pay attention to themselves.«
Focus on the Essential Rather Than Meaningless Questions
»We must turn away from a thousand topics that seek to draw our attention. There are matters that consume time and raise questions, yet lead to nothing. The highest interests require the careful attention and energy that are far too often given to comparatively insignificant things. Adopting new theories brings no new life to the soul. ... We must feel our responsibility to provide our souls with nourishment that sustains and stimulates spiritual life.«
Original Sources (English)
Stephan Krol
Founder of EGW Vision
Why I built EGW Vision
Hello, I am Stephan Krol. I started this Ellen White website to make the writings of Ellen G. White and the Adventist pioneers easier to access for everyone.
EGW Vision helps you find topics, statements, and quotes faster, especially when many original sources are not yet fully available in your language. The tool searches semantically, groups relevant content by topic, and presents matching results as clearly as possible in your language.
My hope is that this tool supports personal Bible study, strengthens trust in the original sources, and helps more people discover the message of these writings with clarity, depth, and joy.
