Leadership in the Church pt 4
The Qualifications of Elders 2
25/10/09
Recap
We got started in looking at the qualifications of Elders last week using 1 Timothy 3:1-7 as our text, and referring to a parallel passage in Titus 1:5-11.
We covered the passage up to the middle of verse 2 last week…
Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task. 2 Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife [1]
Within these verses we covered three key qualifications of an Elder.
· First we noted that an Elder in the church must be a man. We recognized that there are differences of opinion among Christians on this, but we believe the Bible sets out a pattern that was meant to be followed not just in the cultures of biblical times but in our culture also.
· Secondly we noted that an Elder is a man who is above reproach, not meaning without fault, but meaning a man who is above accusation. When he sins he confesses that sin – publicly where necessary – and is restored by God. An Elder cannot be a person who harbours sin in his life or denies sins when they occur. These two qualifications are the overarching ones, the things that follow in the list simply add more specific detail to these general qualifications.
· Thirdly we noted that an Elder is a man who is faithful to his wife if he is married. He is a model to other men in how to treat their wives. He is not flirtatious. He does not entertain lustful fantasies. He is not adulterous. If he is single, he should likewise be a model of how to treat women as sisters with absolute purity (1 Tim 5:2), in the same manner that married men do with all but their wives.
As we begin our study today I want to remind you that as we consider these qualifications they are meant to not only guide us in our selection of Elders, but also to show us what sort of people we are to be. May God speak to us about our own lives as we look at the sort of qualities He desires in His people – the sort of qualities that will glorify God, build up His people and cause us to be faithful witnesses of Christ Jesus.
We are going to deal with the next three qualifications together, as they are very closely linked…
An Elder must be temperate, self-controlled, respectable
The first two terms are very closely related. The first one, “temperate” refers to being clear minded. It means to be alert and to not have your thinking impeded by anything – uncontrolled emotions, sinful desires, intoxicating substances or whatever. An elder must be able to think clearly in all situations. Remember they are charged with keeping a careful watch over themselves and the flock.
The second term “self-controlled” refers to not just their ability to be clear minded but also well behaved. They put into practice the principle of Romans 12:2 – they are not conforming to the pattern of this world, but are being transformed by the renewing of their minds.
We all know what it’s like to be so caught up in something so powerfully that we don’t think clearly and therefore don’t do what is right and good.
I don’t have any experience being caught up in drunkenness or other substance us that has taken over my ability to think, so I can’t identify with that one, but I do know what it’s like to be caught up in anger and caught up in pleasure. I have told you many stories in the past of the unwise things that I have done in those situations.
1 Peter 4:5 says
The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.
Don’t get caught up in the things of this world that threaten to control you whatever they may be. Recognise that our time here is short and we must use it for the glory of God and His eternal kingdom. Be clear minded and self controlled in order that we can pray – so that we can live in right relationship with God through His Spirit.
1 Thessalonians 5:1-6 puts it like this:
Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, 2 for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
4 But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. 5 You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. 6 So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled.
As we get closer to the return of Christ there are going to be more and more things trying to pull us away from following Him. The Church will be infiltrated by people who seek to tell people what they want to hear – teaching people to follow their own desires as if that’s what God really wants for them. There will be great temptation for leaders also to pursue popularity and in the process sacrifice faithfulness to God. Listen to the advice Paul gives to Timothy about this in
2 Timothy 4:1-5…
In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.
Do you see those two essential qualities of a leader coming through again? “Keep your head” – be clear minded and alert! Enduring hardship, doing the work of an evangelist and discharging all the duties of ministry – that’s talking about self discipline. Even when it gets hard and the pressure is on, keep doing what you know is right. Preach the Word! Correct, rebuke and encourage!
Elders must be men who follow this sort of example. They don’t get caught up in other things, they are clear minded and self controlled, and that is what produces the third qualification in this group: being respectable.
When a person gives careful thought to their life and teaching and when they exercise self discipline in carrying out what the Holy Spirit is prompting them to do it produces a life that wins the respect of others.
The classic text on this is Matthew 5:13-16, where Jesus says:
13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.
14 “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
I want to illustrate this by taking you back in the book of 1 Timothy just a little way to where Paul is addressing Christian women, in…
1 Timothy 2:9&10
9 I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, 10 but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.
The word “modestly” is the same word as “respectable” in chapter 3 verse 2. Also, the word “propriety” comes from the same root word as “self-controlled” in the later passage. So basically we see Paul applying the same standards to Elders as he has just applied to all Christian women in regard to how they present themselves!
Both words basically refer to being properly ordered. When our lives are properly ordered others will see it and respect us for it.
As he addresses the women Paul points out that in their culture the way a woman presented herself was a big deal – that’s true today as well! Basically women felt under pressure to appear attractive as well as to communicate their status in society by their adornment. What they did with fancy hairstyles, expensive clothes and jewellery is still done today, but it just looks a little different!
Paul says to them “Hey, don’t be caught up in your own attractiveness or your own status. Don’t be controlled by the things that control so many other women. Instead, a Christian woman’s is to order her life around doing what is good, to the glory of God.”
That is also what Elders are to be like. They are to be people who are observed by others to have ordered their lives around doing what is good to the glory of their Father in Heaven.
Let’s move on to our next qualification:
An Elder must be hospitable
Hospitality is an incredibly important part of the Christian life. It is what builds a group of strangers into a family.
You might remember quite a few years ago now a particularly smug reporter asked a certain politician if she was xenophobic. She replied “Please explain” and has been ridiculed for it ever since. I suspect most people who watched it on T.V. didn’t know what xenophobic meant either – it means to be afraid of strangers. The Greek word for hospitality is “Philoxenia”, which means to love strangers.
If we’re honest, most of us tend to be closer to xenophobia than we are to philoxenia!
Most of us tend to be a little shy or wary, a bit stand-offish when it comes to making people feel welcome and accepted. All Christians are commanded to show hospitality with cheerfulness (1 Pet. 4:9) and particularly to share with those who are in need (Rom. 12:13), and to those who are doing the Lord’s work (3 John 8). Hebrews 13:2 tells us that in doing so some people have even entertained angels without knowing it!
Hospitality is a test of Christian love. It’s easy to say we love others, but often we have these mutual benefit societies where we just hang out with people we enjoy. We have people over for a meal knowing that they’ll have us over for a meal. We lend someone something knowing they’ll do the same for us. We help someone knowing they’ll help us.
It doesn’t take a lot of love to live like that. What you sometimes see is that when someone in a group like this starts getting a bit harder to love because they don’t have as much as the others or don’t always agree with the others, they start getting left out of the loop! That exposes the real selfishness that is being indulged.
If you only hang out with people and look out for people who you already have a loyalty to and friendship with, you are not being hospitable. You’re just doing what any other person does. It’s tribalism – you have your group and you look out for your group, and anyone else can go jump… unless they are going to join your group and fit in with your group and add something to your group. In that case they are most welcome!
Over the years I’ve seen so many different ways that people only give to relationships that they expect to get something from. That’s not the Christian way. Love is not selfish. True hospitality is a great litmus test to see if we are truly loving or whether we are self serving. It’s the standard expected of Elders.
So if hospitality is a demonstration of whether a person has matured in love, the next qualification is a test of their maturity in the truth.
An Elder must be able to teach
Remember that the “ministry of the Word” was one of the two primary tasks of the Apostles, and has been passed on to their successors who fill the role of Elder. The ministry of the Word refers to faithfulness in teaching the Word and applying the Word in the life of the church. The ability to teach the Word is an important part of caring for the needs of the flock. A sound knowledge of the Word is essential in order to be able to protect the flock and to rightly govern the flock.
The phrase “able to teach” comes from the Greek word “didaktikos”, which only occurs in one other place in the New Testament.
It’s found in 2 Timothy 2:22-26, where Paul is writing to Timothy to encourage him to be faithful in every aspect of his ministry. He says…
22 Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 23 Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. 24 And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. 25 Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.
This is the type of teaching that Elders are to engage in. Not getting caught up in arguments. Not being resentful about those who don’t listen or won’t agree or don’t seem to put into practice the things that are taught. An Elder faithfully teaches the written Word which is centred on the Living Word – Jesus Christ. He seeks to help people to find truth in Jesus, to find freedom, forgiveness, fulfilment, a future – all in Jesus. An Elder is gentle in his instruction, because he knows that truth and love always go hand in hand in the
This is what James writes on this subject in James 3:13-17:
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.
Lots of people are wise in their own eyes! Lots of people think that they know what other people need to hear.
Here’s the test to apply to yourself – what sort of fruit is your wisdom producing in your life and the lives of others?
When we think of men who are able to teach we are looking for men who will be able to pass on wisdom from above. A simple knowledge of the Bible isn’t enough, it must be accompanied by spiritual maturity such as James describes in this passage.
By the way, being able to teach doesn’t mean they must regularly preach! They should be able to do so, but teaching happens in many different ways. Elders should be active in small groups where the Bible is studied. Their conversations with others should impart wisdom. The example of their lives should demonstrate wisdom. They should be men that others can turn to when they want to know what the Bible teaches. They should be men that others can turn to when they need advice on how to live for Jesus.
So we’ve done 6 so far, only 8 more to go!! So far we’ve determined that…
1. An Elder must be a man
2. An Elder must be above reproach
3. An Elder must be faithful to his wife if he is married
4. An Elder must be temperate, self-controlled, respectable
5. An Elder must be hospitable
6. An Elder must be able to teach
I hope that as your understanding of these qualifications grows or is refreshed that God will continue to guide us in our selection of leaders and will show us what we should each be aspiring to as followers of Jesus.
[1]All Scriptures from The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984.
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