Menu
In the News
In the Almanac

How can I help my stake, ward or family council be more effective?


How can I help my stake, ward or family council be more effective?

The Church News interviewed several Church leaders about how principles of counseling at the general level can be applied to stake, ward and family councils. Here are 8 principles they identified:

  1. Understand stewardship: Leaders receive revelation for their own stewardships.
  2. Know your purpose: The primary mission of any council is to bring souls unto Christ.
  3. Invite the Spirit by preparing: Spiritual preparation helps foster a revelatory experience.
  4. Seek the Lord’s will, not your own: The Savior should be the center of every council.
  5. Make sure every voice is heard: Revelation is scattered among the various participants of the council.
  6. Seek women’s perspectives: Progress is made when men and women are unified and work together.
  7. Listen to learn: Be open to others’ ideas and actively listen, rather than waiting for a turn to speak.
  8. Seek consensus through revelation, not compromise: Once a decision is made, all move forward actively supporting it.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland and Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles attend the Leadership and Planning Committee meeting at the Church Administration Building in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, May 11, 2021.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland and Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles attend the Leadership and Planning Committee meeting at the Church Administration Building in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, May 11, 2021.

Credit: Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News

Read more from the Inside Church Headquarters series at thechurchnews.com/category/inside-church-headquarters.

Newsletters
Subscribe for free and get daily or weekly updates straight to your inbox
The three things you need to know everyday
Highlights from the last week to keep you informed