The Qualifications of a Pastor

There are many persons that may have a desire to be a pastor or church leader. We must always remember that, with those who desire such a position, there are requirements presented from God’s Word that need to be fulfilled (1 Timothy 3:1-7). For example, a pastor must exercise discipline and self-control in several areas, including the use of adult beverages and in controlling anger (v. 3, Proverbs 20:1, 23:30-35, 31:4-7). In the area of ministry, it is even better for the pastor to avoid drinking altogether as he will likely minister to alcoholics or to persons who are in different stages of weakness. The pastor often has to set the example of leadership through restraint from even things that are deemed acceptable. “‘Everything is permissable,’ but not everything is helpful. ‘Everything is permissable,’ but not everything builds up. No one should seek his own good, but the good of the other person (1 Corinthians 10:23-24).” The pastor must always hold up the Word of God and be ready for any occasion or situation. He must be “gentle, not quarrelsome (v. 3),” not contentious or deceptive with the use of flamboyant speech.

A pastor must respond to the flock of his church even when some of the members are harsh with him (1 Peter 2:18), in much the same way as Jesus Christ was gentle and gracious and yet still stand for righteousness (1 Corinthians 10:1-2). A pastor must be patient in dealing with his church members and its accompanying responsibilities.

A pastor should never be difficult to get along with, or quarrelsome. Some will say negative things about a pastor, but rather than challenge those statements with an argument (James 4:1-3), his actions will speak for themselves (Matthew 11:18-19). A pastor has to be mature and “wait for the Lord (Psalm 27:14).” He must always remain in God’s will in everything that he does (Acts 5:38; Romans 14:23).

A pastor should not be a lover of money. He should be able to handle his finances well (Luke 16:13-16), and also manage his own family well. There should be respect for the pastor and his position from his family members as the pastor leads and respects his family (1 Thessalonians 5:12; Hebrews 13:7). The wife and children of the pastor should be of good character and behavior and are not be unruly or disrespectful to him (Leviticus 21:9; 1 Samuel 2:12, 22-25). “If anyone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of God’s church?” (1 Timothy 3:5).

The pastor has a tremendous responsibility to lead a church and the requirements are not to be taken lightly or ignored. He must be called by God and appointed by the people (and not of himself), and he is to serve in the position with humiity and faithfulness. The qualifications of a pastor are clear and require our utmost attention when we select leaders for our churches. “Whoever is faithful in very little is also faithful in much, and whoever is unrighteous in very little is also unrighteous in much (Luke 16:10).”

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Relationship Conference – November 7, 2009 – “A Foolproof Existence”

Melvin Gaines

Please join us for our next relationship conference on Saturday, November 7, 2009 from 9:00 a.m. to 12 noon here at Akron Alliance Fellowship Church, 688 Diagonal Road, Akron OH 44320. This conference, A Foolproof Existence, will deal specifically with our interpersonal relationships with the difficult people in our life. Together we will look at how we are to seek God and live above the fray and fallout from the foolish behavior of those closest to you. You can truly overcome the pain, heartache and bewilderment from these difficult relationships with real encouragement from God’s Word and His promises! Admission is free and there will be a continental breakfast available. For more information, please call 330.376.4654 or 330.328.1385.

1 Timothy 3: Are the Qualifications of an Overseer For Today?

The qualifications of church leaders as noted in 1 Timothy 3 have come under attack in recent days because there is a much more liberal view taken by those who are in the position of church leadership. The reality is that all men should fulfill the requirements noted by his actions and how he governs his life and his family. Every man should adopt and live in this way, and as we choose our pastors and overseers, we should be comfortable in choosing someone with these standards.

The qualifications for the office of pastor are clear: “An overseer, therefore, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, self-controlled, sensible, respectable, hospitable, an able teacher, not addicted to wine, not a bully but gentle, not quarrelsome, not greedy–one who manages his own household competently, having his children under control with all dignity. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of God’s church?) He must not be a new convert, or he might become conceited and fall into the condemnation of the Devil. Furthermore, he must have a good reputation among outsiders, so that he does not fall into diisgrace and the Devil’s trap (1 Timothy 3:2-7).”

To be blameless and above reproach is to be without fault. The issue is not to single out someone’s faults, but rather to adhere to God’s high standard according to His word. We know that there is a high standard because God declares that “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).” The compromises of today have diminished or lowered the standards, which has allowed the permeation of causes into churches that contradict God’s Word.

The qualifications in 1 Timothy 3 allow the ability to teach and counsel on the complete will of God (Acts 20:27; Ezekiel 3:17-21; Romans 2:21-23). In order to be able to teach Scripture effectively, the teacher has to have a high standard of morality and lifestyle and that his personal life is an asset to the church and its people. He is to be the husband to one wife. The reference to this passage (1 Timothy 3:2) is not to be loosely interpreted for men and women, especially when you consider that there are many marriages and divorces that occur today for many different reasons. The standard of marriage between a man and a woman is upheld through these high standards (Genesis 2:14; 1 Corinthians 7:10-15). The overseer also must be vigilant in the use of not just wine, but even how he handles his food, possessions, gifts, and even his temper. This is an issue on how he uses self-control. To be of sound mind is in how one makes good decisions and is not clouded by wrong thinking, prejudices, narrow-mindedness, unfairness, or even bigotry. Self-control is also to curb one’s desire and impulses, not forcing his own will onto others, especially in the pastor’s case where he has a congregation. A good overseer always seeks the will of God, and does not allow his own will to overshadow it, and exhibits good, respectable and orderly behavior (1 Corinthians 6:12; 10:23; 1 Timothy 5:25). Even if you have a right to do something, the position of overseer means that your choices should be of good taste. “‘Everything is permissable,’ but not everything is helpful. ‘Everything is permissable,’ but not everything builds up. No one should seek his own good, but the good of the other person (1 Corinthians 10:23-24).”. An overseer must also be hospitable and generous to guests in his home. He also must have the aptitude and skill to teach Scripture and be helpful to others (2 Timothy 2:24-25). A good teacher should always challenge themselves in what they know and understand in order to be able to continue to challenge those that they instruct.

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Sunday School Today: God’s Existence Does Not Need Proof

When it comes to the existence of God, there are many systems that have false teachings or deny the existence of God. There are atheists, skeptics and agnostics, just to name a few. The religions or movements attempt to provide evidence that supports their conclusions, but the Bible does not seek to prove the existence of God. It is readily assumed in Scripture that God already existed with the first verse of the Bible (Genesis 1:1). God’s existence is presented as a statement of fact that needs no proof. The man who says that there is no God is called a fool in Psalm 14:1. We also need to connect this verse with John 1:1-5, which clearly states that Jesus was also there at the beginning of creation with God, therefore validating His eternal Sonship. The Holy Spirit also took part in creation. “The Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters (Genesis 1:2).” the triune God created the heaven and the earth.

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God Sets The Standard For Qualification of Church Leadership

1 Timothy 3 (and Titus 1:5-9) addresses the qualifications of the person who seeks to be the leader of the church or in church leadership. There are specific requirements for those who have a strong desire to serve (1 Timothy 3:1-13). While some would say that the guidelines of 1 Timothy would not apply today, God’s desire is for those who seek to be the pastor to have a strong commitment and to live according to his specific guidelines. Paul was providing instruction to Timothy on this and other areas of ministry in the church. He told Timothy that God had already selected him for the work, even though he was a young leader, and that the elders laid their hands on him to also affirm that He was God’s choice (1 Timothy 4:14). Leading a church requires a call to ministry with an urging, and it should always be confirmed as a calling by the Spirit and not just as a childhoood desire. If you are working in ministry without receiving confirmation from God, it is a recipe for failure. God must provide the ability for anyone in leadership to serve Him effectively.

When does one demonstrate a desire for the office of pastor or bishop?
1. There is a letting go of the present.
2. There is a stretching forth and a reaching out.
3. There is a strong appetite and a longing to shepherd others (Hebrews 11:16; 1 Timothy 6:10).

What is the meaning of a bishop, presbyter, or a priest?
These titles always indicate the overseer of a particular congregation (Acts 20:28; Philippians 1:1; 1 Peter 5:2).

“If anyone aspires to be an overseer, he desires a noble work (1 Timothy 3:1).” It is not just the desire for the work, but it’s all about “the work.” The work is work for God (and it will be seen as either that of God or work of the flesh as time passes). The work for God is honorable, beneficial, and nothing to be ashamed of. It is good before God (as it is pleasing to Him) and man (as it has a benefit for mankind)–it brings glory to God and good unto its people. The work is not something you appoint yourself to do (Hebrews 5:1-6). Moses, Aaron, Samuel, and Abraham were selected by God to do His work, and he knew just when they were to be called to serve. Jesus Christ was obedient to the Father in that He did not appoint Himself to be High Priest. He was selected to be the Head of the church in agreement and was chosen by God. He had the desire to serve the Lord and met the requirements and qualifications to do so.

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A Woman’s Role In the Church

In the study of 1 Timothy, Paul gives Timothy guidance in his instruction to both men and women as to how they are to come to church and prepare for worship. At that time, the church of Ephesus was heavily influenced by the existing culture, which was involved in idol worship, prostitution, and false teaching with meaningless “myths and endless genealogies” (1 Timothy 1:4). To counter the existing culture, Paul discusses that the women of the church have an important role in maintaining the structure and unity of the church. A woman is to be modest, decent and under self-control (1 Timothy 2:9a). Modesty does not mean that a woman has to cover herself up or go out of her way to look ordinary, but in such a way where she is not to attract attention in a wrongful way. Paul also mentioned to avoid the use of “elaborate hairstyles, gold, pearls, or expensive apparel” (1 Timothy 2:9b), so as to not cause a disruption within the church. He had to give these guidelines to those women coming in because some of the women did not know any better or were involved in prostitution. The women were asked to act with decency, which is living with the proper behavior, in good taste, and with the socially appropriate manner of dress. This is important not just in their appearance, but also in how the women were to value themselves in their own self-esteem and their own self-respect. While many women today may not see it from this viewpoint, how they dress, whether they are modest or not, can be a reflection of how they value themselves before others. A woman’s real identity is in their “good works, as is proper for women who affirm that they worship God” (1 Timothy 2:10). It is not in her beauty but in her good works and in where her heart is for God (Acts 9:36-39; 1 Peter 3:3-4). The woman’s beauty was in how they submitted to the authority of God and their husbands (1 Peter 3:5). It does not mean that a woman should not make herself beautiful, but not to overdo it. The woman who is truly following Christ will have self-control through the presence of the Holy Spirit working in her life.

An equally controversial subject is how a woman is instructed to learn within the church. “A woman should learn in silence with full submission. I do not allow a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; instead, she is to be silent” (1 Timothy 2:11-12). Anyone who is willing to learn must quiet themselves in order to gain knowledge and instruction–they must be silent (Acts 22:1-2; Luke 10:38-39, 14:2-5). The submission of the woman referenced in 1 Timothy is not so much to the teacher or to man himself, but to hear the knowledge of the truth (Acts 11:1-18). A woman is to submit to God’s authority, just as a man must do the same. If you study the culture in Paul and Timothy’s day, the woman’s education was not valued. Here, we see that there is value to a woman learning the truth and knowing God’s Word, but now with the proper emphasis on the woman’s role.

Paul expands this instruction on gaining knowledge to a woman not having authority or teaching a man. He refers to the natural order of man (Adam) being created first, then the woman (Eve). Eve had not yet been created when God gave Adam the instruction that was necessary to teach Eve (Genesis 2:15-17). God established the natural order for instruction, yet Adam relinquished his authority to Eve when he followed Eve’s desire for knowledge of the forbidden fruit, knowing full well that it was against God’s command. The consequences were significant (Genesis 3:16-19). God never states, however, that a woman does not have the ability, intelligence or knowledge to lead or teach a man. She does, however, need to respect God’s authority from a spiritual perspective. Man must come under God’s authority through Jesus Christ, and the woman comes under the man’s authority. It is the faith, love and holiness of a woman’s relationship with God that makes the difference in her life and how she serves him. She can help the man shoulder the responsibility that God has given to him. Paul speaks under the authority of Christ and the church. “To sum up, each one of you is to love his wife as himself, and the wife is to respect her husband” (Ephesians 5:33).

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Sunday School Today: The Law and Your Conscience

Today we discussed the origin of the law that we read about in the Bible. Reasonable discussion of this would conclude that the law originates from God Himself. How do we know that the law has a relevance and is importance to us? It starts with our awareness of the presence of good and evil and right and wrong from the fall of man (Genesis 3:1-19). In that passage, the evidence of the Tree of Knowledge and the reference that the serpent (Satan) makes to Eve about having knowledge of both good and evil confirms that there has always been a “right” and a “wrong,” which means that there has always been a law to distinguish between them. Adam and Eve had free reign of the garden of Eden as they worked and watched over it, but God had established that there was a rule that had to be followed or there would be a consequence. “And the Lord God commanded the man, ‘You are free to eat from any tree of the garden, but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for on the day you eat from it, you will certainly die’” (Genesis 2:16-17). It was when Adam and Eve had actually eaten the forbidden fruit that they soon after realized that they had a conscience. They realized that they were naked and sewed together fig leaves to cover their nakedness (Genesis 3:7). They also hid from the Lord because they were afraid (Genesis 3:10). Their consciences were the result of their knowledge of the sin that they committed. The law defines what is sin in our lives in addition to defining right and wrong. Our conscience let’s us know when we have done something wrong. The law was not intended to be a restriction for mankind, but God also knew that without the presence of the law there would be no need for a Savior.

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1 Timothy: Paul’s Call To Pray for the Ministry and For Others

Where was Timothy’s place of ministry? It was in Ephesus, a city of great wealth and cultural significance, but also a place where there was a great deal of idol worship and wayward living, especially within its own church. Paul, in speaking with Timothy, wanted to address the men of the church to behave in such a way where they are honoring God, abstaining from immoral sexual behavior, and to overcome the false teachings that existed there. Timothy’s ministry there appeared to be a monumental task! Paul instructs Timothy, first and foremost, to pray for everyone and for the ministry (1 Timothy 2:1-4), and to be enabled by God through the Holy Spirit to carry on the work. All of our success in ministry begins with prayer and continues with a sincere heart and desire to pray consistently on a regular basis. In order to overcome the idol worship in the temple of Diana within the church, Timothy needed to also pray for others, as a measure of intercessory prayer. We also need to have a heart for prayer of thanksgiving, for both the answers provided and yet to come and for even being involved in minstry! There is also an importance for prayer for those who are in positions of authority (1 Timothy 2:2). If you are involved in God’s work, you will inevitably deal with persons, whether Christian or non-Christian, who are in authority. Prayer Is to cover those who are young and old, angry, depressed, filled with bitterness. Our prayer is to be against evil forces and those who oppose Jesus Christ. “Finally, pray for us, brothers, that the Lord’s message may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you, and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men, for not all have faith. But the Lord is faithful; He will strengthen and guard you from the evil one (2 Thessalonians 3:1-3).” In Acts 19:23-41, Paul received a tremendous amount of opposition from business leaders in Ephesus where he was convicting many from worshiping idols which, by nature of their change, was depriving the business owners of income because sales of idols had been affected. Thankfully, it was a city clerk that restored order with reasoning and prevented an additional uproar against Paul and the disciples. Why are we to pray? We are to pray in order to live peacefully amongst others (an inward peace) and quiet lives (without fighting or arguing). We pray to live a godly life and to be good and pleasing to God (1 Timothy 2:3) and to make God’s will known to others (2:4). In our ministry we are to speak up about the truth. We are to lift up holy hands and surrender our lives to him, rejecting a sinful lifestyle. As Ephesus was a place where there was false teaching within the church, idol worship and sexual immorality, the prayers for the people were born out a desire, through God’s will, for everyone to be saved. The gods of Artemis and Diana were not the way of life. The people of Ephesus were to be taught the truth of salvation and were to be instructed without anger or wrath. The testimony could not be tarnished by anger over the circumstances (1 Timothy 2:8). It was to be done with love and a genuine concern for the people. “For there is one God and one mediator between God and man, a man, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself–a ransom for all, a testimony at the proper time (1 Timothy 2:5-6).”

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Sunday School Today: Adding and Removing Scripture

There are warnings within God’s Word about adding or taking away scriptural passages. “I testify to everyone who hears the prophetic words of this book: If anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book. And if anyone takes away from the words of this prophetic book, God will take away his share of the tree of life and the holy city, written in this book (Revelation 22:18-19).” Please note that some church denominations may take this verse and imply that it was not meant to reference the entire Bible because of the number of authors who wrote it over time and as to when its books were historically written. These actions are an effort to justify the additional texts found in some bibles (for example, the Apocrypha and the Book of Mormon). Note, however, that Deuteronomy 4:2, 12:32 are also often included in this discussion about adding or removing scripture. The context of what Moses was referring to was more in line, however, with an admonition to the people to follow the Lord with a strict obedience and to rain focused on the attention that God has given to them. Proverbs 30:5-6 (“Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. Don’t add to His words, or He will rebuke you, and you will be proved a liar.”) and Jeremiah 8:8-9 provide even greater insight to the false use of scripture (adding and removing meaning and interpretation) with dire consequences. The Bible admonishes those who intend to teach God’s Word deceitfully, and for all of us to be wary of false teaching.

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God’s Grace is Working In Your Life

Sometimes we need to take the time to evaluate our lives and understand that, in good times and bad times, God is actively working in your life. We know that He keeps His promises, but He gives us constant reminders of His presence. In the family of God and within the body of Christ, we need to not be ashamed about our circumstances or about our testimony about God (2 Timothy 1:8). He wants us to seek Him and trust in Him in all circumstances in order that we can see the totality of how He works in our lives. He reminds us that He is greatest in our troubles and that His grace is sufficient for us (2 Corinthians 12:8-10). In difficult times, God comforts us and provides healing with His presence. In our humility and obedience to Him and to His Word, He shows Himself to us as a living God.

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