God Calls Church Leaders

God calls church leaders.

Paul refers to the church leader as an “overseer”.
(in another passage (Titus 1:5-7) he used the term “elder”)
Note:
Most interpreters agree that both words refer to the same position.
    “overseer” – Indicates the oversight duties of the position.
    “elder” – Refers to personal dignity and maturity.

1 Timothy 5:17:
– Apparently many elders oversaw the work of a particular church
  (their functions included ruling and teaching).

Paul wanted competent people selected as church leaders,
not just selecting anyone just to fill an open position.

1 TIMOTHY 3:2-15

VERSES 1-5:
“above reproach”
– Someone who could not be blamed for unethical or immoral behavior.

“husband of one wife”
– No polygamy (only one wife).
– He should be sexually pure in conduct and thoughts.
– If married, he should have no romantic ties with anyone else.

Note:
During Paul’s time, the world was in a state of moral chaos.
– The Jews valued marriage, but divorce was easy to get, and happened  often.
– Immorality and polygamy were running rampant.
Note:
It was essential for the church to demonstrate the sanctity of marriage
(through the monogamous and faithful behavior of its leaders).

“temperate, self-controlled, respectable”
– Should live lives that showed order.
– Should have a well-balanced mind of someone in control of themselves.
– Should know when to be serious and the importance of modesty.

“hospitable”
– The inns in those days were often places of heavy drinking and fighting.
– Overseers were to set an example for the church by providing hospitality    to strangers.
Examples:
   Traveling teachers, believers running from persecution, the poor, widows.

“able to teach”
– An ability to communicate the basics of the faith.
  Note: Not all overseers were teachers, but they needed to be capable.

“not given to drunkenness”
– Should have an alliance to godly, and not worldly things (including  addictions).
– Should exercise self-control and have respectability.

“violent” “quarrelsome”
– Should not be physically (or mentally) abusive.
– Should not have harsh dealings with others.
– Should be considerate of the feelings of others when they ministered.
Note: It was not uncommon for those in religious authority
          to strike someone in the face.
(John 18:19-22) – Jesus was struck for an answer He gave to the high priest.
(Acts 23:1-2) – Paul was struck when he came before the Sanhedrin.

“not a lover of money”
– Loving money show a weakness in faith and an alignment with the world.
– God should be the first love of religious leaders.

“manage his own family”
– Should demonstrate an ability to lead the church.
Note: Does not imply that church leaders have to be married with children.

VERSES 6-7:
“not a recent convert”
– As a new Christian, a leadership position could cause them to be prideful.
– They need to solidify their own faith, and mature spiritually first.

“good reputation with outsiders”
– They should be respected within the church, and outside of the church.
Note:
A leader with a poor reputation and lack of integrity
would be constantly battling attacks from Satan.
Others in and outside the church would be gossiping about him.
Those in the church would be trying to get them
removed from a leadership position.
In defending himself, he could damage his reputation even more
by stretching the truth, or lying.

VERSES 8-10:
Deacon qualifications:
“deacon”
– Servant (used in reference to someone who waits on tables).
– They may have taught or ruled too, but they performed essential duties of  the church.
– Although they have less responsibility, the church still needs to carefully  select them.

“worthy of respect”
– Should have a good reputation in the church, and in the community.

“sincere”
– Should not give conflicting statements, depending on the situation.
– Their duties probably took them into many homes,
  so it was essential that they be consistent in what they said.

“not indulging in much wine”
– Should not drink enough wine to feel the effects of the alcohol.
  (just avoid alcohol completely).
Note:
In those days, wine had much less alcohol content than today.
Wine could be good for the stomach, but drinking enough to feel the
alcohol effect, meant the person was drinking for that purpose.
(1 Timothy 5:23) – Timothy was told to drink a “little” wine for his health)

“not pursuing dishonest gain”
– Should not be a greedy person.
– Should be an honest and trustworthy person.
Note: Since the deacons distributed goods to the poor, they needed to be
people who could be trusted with the resources of the church.

“deep truths”
– Although deacons didn’t teach, they needed to be doctrinally sound.
– They needed to know and understand the truths revealed to them by God
  (see 1 Corinthians 2:7-10).

“clear conscience”
– Their faith was reflected in their lives; they should not have any  dishonesty.
Note:
Our lives should be a reflection of what we believe.
If we say “Jesus is Lord”, we should act as though He is in charge of our lives.

“be tested”
– Before they were selected, their lives should be watched
  to see if they had the characteristics listed.
Note:
When they showed they were serious about their faith,
then they could be considered. (the same is implied for the overseers).

VERSES 11-13:
Wives expectations.

“worthy of respect”
– She should have a good reputation (in the church and the community).

“not malicious talkers”
– Should not be gossipers or back-biters; should be not trouble-makers.

“temperate”
– Should be mild-mannered (not quick to anger).

“trustworthy”
– Should be someone who can be told things in confidence.

In summary, they need to have the same strength of character as the men.

Question:
Why is it so important for the wives to have good character?
– Their character affects the perception of the character of their husband.

More for deacons:
– Faithfulness in marriage and well- managed households.

– Rewards for serving well
  (which means serving faithfully and using the gifts God gave them):
– Respect from the congregation.
– Increased confidence in their faith in Christ.

VERSE 14-15:
Godly conduct.
When Paul left Timothy in Ephesus, he hoped he could return to him soon.
When circumstances caused a delay, he felt compelled to write to Timothy.

He wanted Timothy to understand:
– The guidelines for selecting church officials.
– The behavior expected within the church.
Note:
“household”
– Not a reference to the building
  (the church still met in homes throughout the region).
– Refers to the believers themselves.

“pillar and foundation of the truth”
– In those days, pillars were used as much for display
  as they were for supporting structures.
The statue of a famous person would be on top of a pillar
so it would stand out from everything around it.
The church is to proudly display the truth of its faith.
Note: By doing this, others would be attracted to the Gospel.

– The church was also expected to protect the faith and message from error  or perversion.

SUMMARY:
– Church leaders in Paul’s day were expected to have certain qualifications.
(The same is true for churches today)

– Since the church today is on display, all of us (as agents of the church)
  are expected to be of good character in the church and the community.
Note:
Our character, our actions, and the sincerity of our faith
not only strengthens the church, but can have a positive impact on the lost.