What We Should Look for in Leaders of the Church - 1 Timothy 3:1-13

What We Should Look for in Leaders of the Church

1 Timothy 3:1-13

Copyright January 26, 2020 by Rev. Bruce Goettsche

If you spend time in other churches, you will see that they have differing forms of government. Some are part of a denomination and placed under a supervisor who may be under a bishop. In Roman Catholicism, you have priest, Bishops, Archbishops, Cardinals, and then the Pope. Some churches are independent and governed in ministry by a board of Elders and for decisions regarding a Pastor or the buying or selling of property by a vote of the congregation. This church has boards and committees, overseen by the Church Council. Significant decisions are all made by the congregation.

We work hard to keep you informed about what is going on in the church. You are involved in decision making. We give full financial reports so you are well aware of resources the church possesses and how we are using those resources. It is perhaps the least efficient way to get things done but we believe it is the best way to manage a church for the long haul.

The real question, however, is not "what form of church government do you prefer?" The question is: “What does the Bible say about organizing the church?” As I think we will see this morning: Paul does not tell us how to organize or govern the church . . . he instructs us on the type of people who are to lead the church.

In the book of Acts, we are told Paul appointed elders in the various churches he began. Frequently we are told about the "apostles and the elders." The word "elder" or "episkopon" in the Greek, can refer to an overseer, Pastor, or Shepherd, and these terms seem to be used interchangeably.

The word deacon or "Diakonos" in Greek means "servant" or "minister." It is most translated as servant. Some people believe the calling of the first deacons is found in Acts chapter 6,

But as the believers rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. The Greek-speaking believers complained about the Hebrew-speaking believers, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food. 2 So the Twelve called a meeting of all the believers. They said, “We apostles should spend our time teaching the word of God, not running a food program. 3 And so, brothers, select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility. 4 Then we apostles can spend our time in prayer and teaching the word.”

So, elders had a teaching gift and deacons originally were designed to help the teachers focus on teaching. Deacons needed to have a firm grasp on the gospel but they served rather than taught.

From time to time we are asked, "Why doesn't your church have any elders?" The Biblical answer is: By definition we have two elders we call Pastors. There is nothing in the Bible that says the church must be led by a committee of elders. In fact, the focus is not at all on WHAT these people do . . . it is about who they ARE. There is freedom for the local church to structure themselves in the way that works best for them.

Dr. Gilbert Bilezekian (one of the founders of the Willow Creek Community Church) wrote,

It is obviously unwise to draw rigid definitions of the actual functions that devolved to elders and deacons in various communities. It is equally difficult to determine how these two offices interrelated, and how together they combined with the score of other church ministries that derived from spiritual gifts...The evidence that may be garnered from the Book of Acts and the Epistles suggest that the organizational structure of the churches was flexible, and that it was adapted locally to the corporate personality and the specific needs of each community. (Bilezikian Beyond Sex Roles p. 186,187)

With that disclaimer, let's look at the qualifications for those who are put forth as leaders in the church. There is a virtually identical list in the book of Titus. The list for Deacons is very similar except that the Elder (Pastor) is to be able to teach.

Let me address an issue that is a carryover from last week. All the pronouns in these verses are masculine. As Rick mentioned last week, that may be because there were no (or very few) qualified woman leaders in the church, or it could mean God designed men to lead . . . especially in the role of elder. In the instructions about deacons, verse 11 is translated "deacon's wives" but that could also mean "female deacons." As Rick said, there are numerous women who appear to be leaders in the church. We have women Deacons and they are some of our finest leaders. With that clarification, let's get to the text.

This is a trustworthy saying: “If someone aspires to be a church leader, he desires an honorable position.” 2 So a church leader must be a man whose life is above reproach. (1 Tim. 3:1-2)

It is an honor to serve the Lord in any capacity. No good leader would stand up and proclaim they are above reproach. Paul is not saying a godly leader is one who doesn't struggle. He is saying a leader must be one who follows the Lord and leaves no doubt about that fact. There should be no doubt about their faithfulness.

Leaders are held to a higher standard than others. That is the way it has to be. It is not only important that you lead, it is important WHERE you are leading people. It's not their talent, but their integrity and faithfulness that is the key. With this understanding let's look at the list.

Qualifications of A Godly Leader

He must be faithful to his wife. He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must be able to teach. 3 He must not be a heavy drinker or be violent. He must be gentle, not quarrelsome, and not love money. 4 He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him. 5 For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church?

6 A church leader must not be a new believer, because he might become proud, and the devil would cause him to fall. 7 Also, people outside the church must speak well of him so that he will not be disgraced and fall into the devil’s trap. (1 Timothy 3:2-7)

This is a picture of what people who serve the Lord, and other believers in His name, should look like. I am going to divide them as traits that qualify for leadership and those that disqualify for leadership.

The first trait is a controversial one, the leader "must be faithful to his wife." It has been more commonly translated, “The husband of one wife.” Some have interpreted this to mean people who have been divorced are unqualified as elders and deacons. Since they have failed in the most important earthly relationship, they are not able to lead in the church. Since you have two Pastors (or elders) who have been divorced, we need to take a good look at this text.

For a long time, I was one of the people who believed a person who was divorced was disqualified for Pastoral ministry. When I learned my wife wanted to divorce me, I offered to resign. Our board said to me, "If grace can be applied to us, why doesn't it apply to you?" They offered time off, to send us to counseling, or to a retreat. That is the response of a group of leaders who understand the gospel. In fact, at that moment, they understood it better than me.

When I was "surprised by love" and wanted to marry again, I came back to the board to ask if they felt this would disqualify me from ministry. It does not say the "husband of two wives, but one." They again affirmed that healing and a new chance at love and joy was not grounds for someone to leave the Pastorate. Forgiveness means a new start.

But what about the text? We cannot and must not change what Scripture says simply because we don't like what it says. The Greek in this text, actually says, the leader is to be a “one-woman-man.” They are to be people faithful to and committed to their mate. They are not to be womanizers, cheaters, or flirts. They are to be people who value the marriage covenant.

The IVP Bible Background commentary says,

“Husband of one wife” refers to one’s current marital status and behavior; validly divorced people who remarried were considered married to one spouse, the second one, not to two spouses. (p. 606)

I thank our church boards for their wisdom. They chose to stand with both Rick and me rather than beat us up. Neither of us wanted the divorce, initiated the divorce, or would have considered divorce. Our boards chose to help us heal rather than cut us loose. Not everyone in our church embraced that grace. Some felt they could no longer worship with us. They must do what their conscience tells them is right. I believe we are much better Pastors than we used to be. Grace transforms people.

A person who abandons or abuses his family or someone engaged in immoral activity is disqualified for leadership. You cannot lead people TO God if you are walking away from Him in your personal life. People who repent of their sinful actions may be reconsidered for positions of leadership.

Second, the leader should be self-controlled. They should live wisely or be disciplined. This is especially true in Pastoral ministry. You do not punch a clock and don't spend all of your hours in the office, you must be disciplined, or you will just coast in your job. Leaders should strive for discipline in their reading and study of Scripture, disciplined in personal worship, in prayer, and in their work with people.

Third, they must be people who are respected by those outside of the faith. Those outside the faith can sniff out a phony in a matter of minutes. A leader who is known for not paying their bills, overcharging their customers, or being a terrible neighbor, should not be put in a position of leadership where they are publicly representing the body of Christ. HOWEVER, sometimes this reputation is from a long time ago (like when you were a teenager). In small towns, people have long memories; but that is not fair. God changes people. We must examine the person who is rather than the person who was.

Fourth, they should enjoy people. Leadership is not about programs; it is about people! It is not about crowds; it is about individuals. Good leaders like people. They like to invite people into their home. They are willing to take in hurting people. They have time for people. Leaders should want to show the love of Christ to others in any way possible. If you don't like to be around people you should not be in a position to lead them.

Fifth, they must be able to teach. This is a requirement of those who are considered elders. Teaching is more than standing up and talking in front of people. It is about communicating truth effectively. If you want to know if someone is a good teacher, ask the listeners. Elders, Pastors, overseers should be out front teaching others. The apostles said they needed Deacons so they could devote themselves to the teaching of the Word. Deacons are told they must have a clear grasp of the gospel. In other words, they should understand what it means to be a follower of Christ.

Sixth, they should be gentle. Leadership is not about power . . . it is about example. The true Christian leader is a servant! This is what Jesus showed when He washed the feet of His disciples. Sometimes Pastors feel they can rebuke people from the pulpit or tell individuals what they must do in their lives. They lack gentleness and their position turns them into bullies. Such people should not be in positions of leadership. They will shatter the church rather than build it up.

Seventh, they must manage his own family well. This doesn’t mean the person’s family must be perfect. No one has a perfect family. However, we are being told here that leaders should be faithful parents just as they are to be faithful spouses. They must know how to balance the demands of leadership without neglecting their family.

Personality Traits that Disqualify

Paul also lists several traits that should be red flags, that disqualify someone from leadership (at least at the present time) in the body of Christ. The leader, like it or not, represents the church. There are some specific character weaknesses that should cause us to wait on putting someone into a leadership position.

First, we should beware of people who have problems with Alcohol. In each list the Paul lists drunkenness as a red flag. A person who cannot control their addiction to alcohol needs to deal with their addiction first! Alcohol leads to poor decisions, reckless words, and regrettable behaviors. A drunk Christian is being led by the wrong spirit! They have surrendered control of their life to a substance. That is the sign of someone who has a problem.

Second, we should shy away from people who are violent or quick-tempered. Angry people destroy. They tend to manipulate and bludgeon rather than lead. One out of control outburst from a leader in the church and someone could turn away from the gospel forever. Angry people hurt other people. They need to deal with their anger before they should ever be in leadership. There are many frustrating things about leadership, an angry person will be angry a good deal of the time. They will divide people rather than bring them together.

Third, we should beware of those who are arrogant. Arrogant people are dangerous to have as leaders. They believe they are always right and everyone else is wrong. They lack the humility necessary to be a good leader. Arrogant people may thrive in the business world, but it takes humble people to lead like Jesus.

Fourth they must not be materialistic or money-driven. People who are materialistic and focused on profit should not be in leadership. Decisions in the church should be based on need and ministry, not just on cost. There is a difference between a money-wise person and a person who is a lover of money. If someone is serving because of what they hope to gain, they are not qualified for leadership.

Finally, they must not be new to the Faith. Many talented people come to Christ and are thrust into positions of leadership. People need time to grow in their faith before they are made leaders. They need to have a firm grasp on the truth of the gospel. This takes time. People need to walk with Jesus for a while before they can begin to lead other people. They must learn how to develop roots. People young in the faith have a tendency to overvalue their ability and they become intoxicated by the praise of men (in other words, they can get a “big head.”) Once that happens you start to seek the praise rather than be truthful about the Scriptures.

Principles

This is a lot of material. It is hard to take all of it in. Let's sum it up with some practical principles of application.

Representing the Lord is serious business. This is not only true for leaders, it is true for everyone. When you tell someone you are a Christian other people are going to watch you to see if they see any reflection of Jesus in you. The witness of a changed life is generally necessary before anyone will listen to what it was that changed our life. James warns us that those who teach will incur a stricter judgment because they are influencing others!

How we respond to frustration and personal trials; how we conduct our business; how we relate to people with whom we disagree; how we treat our families; and how we treat our brothers and sisters in Christ are all ways we reveal faith or discredit faith. Wearing the name of Jesus is serious business. Being a leader is even more serious.

Leading others is not about power or authority, it is about service and the example of faith.

James 3 says, “Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly.” Those who seek to lead for status or power do not understand biblical leadership. Leadership in the kingdom of God is about serving the needs of others. It means demonstrating faith as well as talking about it.

Third, one of the most accurate tests of character is how you relate to those in your own household. You can learn a great deal about a person by the way they treat their family. The person who sees their family as a means to an end; or the one who puts their family down in public; or the parent who is oblivious to the needs of their children; or those who never have time for their family, reveal they are not qualified for leadership. If their priorities are messed up at home, they will have a hard time leading in the church.

Fourth, and this sums it all up: A Leader is only as good as the person he/she is on the inside. It is character more than talent that is essential. People will listen to someone talented for a while. However, if their life does not reflect what they are teaching, people will eventually stop listening.

It is tough to be in the spotlight. People will take “shots” at you. Sometimes it is very lonely to lead. It seems like everyone wants something from you. But the only way people are going to follow is if they KNOW you are true to what you say. They are looking for authenticity. So, leadership is less about talent and more about character.

Think about the leader who has most impacted your life. I suspect what impacted you was not how much they knew, but how much they cared; it was not how talented they were, but the kind of people they were.

May God raise up godly leaders in our church who will lead us to where God wants us to be. And if you are tapped to be a leader, read these lists regularly to remind you of what God has called you to be.