The Prophet and the Presidents

by Gilbert M. Valentine

Power, politics and 1887-1913.Ellen White was early accorded an important though informal leadership role in the developing Seventh-day Adventist Church based on her demonstration of extraordinary charisma, which she recognized as coming from beyond herself.This volume explores the interaction between Mrs. White and various General Conference presidents and will give you an increased understanding of the numerous leadership conflicts during the 1890s and into the next century. You will also gain an appreciation of the dynamics of the interaction of the gift of administration and the charisma of the spirit of prophecy in the church’s formative years. The church’s continued growth through the years since Ellen White would seem to be a clear evidence of the continued blessing of the Spirit. The story unfolded here clearly develops the underlying conviction that the Spirit of truth that uniquely manifested Himself in the ministry of Ellen White still leads the Adventist community today.

384 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 8, 2011

Reviews

[Jaclyn Knight · Rating 3 out of 5]

Muscle past the first two chapters & then the book gets a lot easier to digest. I feel like I gained so many valuable insights into Ellen White’s work, her humanity, and the issues surrounding the structuring of the organization in the Adventist church. There are also many lessons to be learned about Christian leadership & it’s relationship to discerning God’s will & the spiritual life of the leader. As George Knight states in his review on the cover, you will see some of the same issues we are still facing in trying to balance “prophetic guidance & administrative responsibility.”

[Doug Church · Rating 5 out of 5]

A peak behind the curtain

I read this several years ago. I'm a Seventh-day Adventist. As I look at the life of Ellen G. White, I think about all the book she wrote. I tend to forget that she was a real person with her own challenges and struggles. She also had real relationships with people who both agreed and disagreed with her.

This is a well-researched history of her relationships with the various presidents of the Seventh-day Adventist Church who served during her life. The story is a fascinating glimpse at what these relationships were really like!