Paul
has just written that women are not to hold positions of authority in the
church;
A) Not Pastors but he does not want to leave the impression
that just any man is qualified!
B) No man is qualified to be
a spiritual leader in the church just because of his gender.
C) So Here in Ch.3 Paul lays
out the qualifications for spiritual leadership:
1)
Elders or Pastors – those who minister in the word and in spiritual aspects of
the Church. People ministry!
2)
Deacons those who minister in the Practical aspects of the Church. Project ministry.
Today
Pastors – Three fold purpose of today’s study
1)
Be clear about what the Bible says about these things.
2)
Provide a check list for those who might feel called to Pastoral ministry.
3)
Better equip you as a congregation of how to pray for those who are in pastoral
leadership of this Church.
RD V.1-7
Opening statement: This is a faithful saying: If a man desires
the position of a bishop, he desires a good work.
A) “bishop,” “pastor,” and
“elder” are used interchangeably throughout the New Testament,
B) Bishop – Ministry=
Overseer – watches out for the Flock – their care and their protection
1)
Elder- The Man – One who is spiritually mature
2)
Pastor- The Method = Shepherd one who feeds the flock and tends the flock or
cares for it’s well being.
C) Paul says those who
desire that type of role in the family of God – Desire a good work !
Spiritual
leadership in the church is WORK !
A)
It isn’t about titles and honor and
glory; it’s not a good salary, w/ Benefits/ it not a good retirement plan,
B) The ministry is not a
profession one enters into, saying, “These are my office hours.
1)
These are my off hours. My phone number is unlisted.”
C) As Jesus said If anyone desires to be first, he shall be
last of all and servant of all. (Mark 9:35)
What
Makes for a good Pastor?
Results
of a computerized survey: What makes a for a good Pastor?
The Perfect Pastor preaches exactly 12 minutes. He condemns
sin soundly, but never hurts anyone's feelings.
He works from 8 a.m. until midnight, and is also the church
janitor.
The Perfect Pastor makes $80 a week, wears good clothes, drives a
good car, buys good books, and donates $60 a week to the poor.
He is 28 years old and has been preaching for 30 years. He is kind, gentle and handsome.
He has a burning desire to work with teen-agers, and he spends
most of his time with the senior citizens.
He smiles all the time with a straight face because he has a sense
of humor that keeps him seriously dedicated to his work.
He makes 15 home visits a day, and is always busy evangelizing the
unchurched, and yet he is always in his office when needed.
If you find a
Pastor like this – Don’t let him go!
It
is interesting that the List of Requirements that Paul lays out here have
nothing to do with any of those things.
A)
Nor does it have anything to do with giftedness – How educated, how well he
speaks.
B)
How Charismatic he is ? God looks at the Heart
God
is more interested in leaders who evidence character than those who elevate
spiritual gifts.
2
Chron.16:9a “For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the
whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose
heart is loyal to Him.”
Ezek.22:30 “I looked for a man among them who would build up the
wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would
not have to destroy it, but I found none.”
B) He’s still looking today for godly leaders, those who met
these requirements!
Robert
Murray M'Cheyne wrote to his missionary friend Daniel Edwards in 1840:
Remember you
are God's sword‑His instrument, a chosen vessel unto Him to bear His
name. In great measure, according to the purity and perfections of the instrument
will be the success. It is not great
talents God blesses so much as great likeness to Jesus.
A holy
minister is an awful weapon in the hand of God.'
Consider
the Requirements:
#1 The Main
requirement- Blameless – Godly Character!
A) Blameless = above reproach” - Having a good track record or behavior.
B) If
“blameless” meant “flawless,” we’d all be disqualified from ministry at Step
One!
1)
blamelessness implies a heart that says:
“Lord, I know I’m not
perfect. But there’s nothing in my life I’m clinging to or holding on to which
I know is contrary to You.”
C)
Godly Character: Wiersbe
“Character
is the raw material of life, out of which we either by diligence construct
a temple or by
negligence create a trash heap.”
Abraham
Lincoln said that character was like a tree and reputation like the shadow of
the tree. "The shadow is what we think of
it," said Lincoln. "The tree is the real thing."
Reputation is what people think we are; but character is
what God and the holy angels know we are.
D. L. Moody once said that character was "what a man is in the dark";
Spurgeon a good Character is the best Tombstone!
D) That is the main
requirement – A man after God’s own heart!
#2
The Marital requirement: The husband of one wife.
A) Another text supporting
why a woman cannot hold the office of a Pastor – Husband of one wife.
B) Denise is not Co- Pastor
of Calvary Chapel of Vista – She is my wife.
1)
She oversees the women’s ministry. Helps in worship – Not a Pastor.
C) The Pastor is to be the
Husband of one wife – A woman cannot be a Husband sorry!
Now
There are those who, on the basis of this verse, say that a bishop, pastor, or
elder must be married.
A)
But the ultimate minister was Jesus- And He was single. { So was Paul –
B) Therefore, this verse
doesn’t mandate marriage.
1)
It does, however, mandate complete faithfulness for those who are married.
C) Idea: ONE
WOMAN MAN!
D) The grk culture of
Paul’s, held that every man should have three women in his life:
1)
a mistress for conversation,
2)
a concubine for pleasure,
3)
and a wife to bear his children.
Those
in the ministry must be one-woman men.”
Eyes
for only one –
A)
His wife needs to be very secure in his love for her. If she doesn’t feel that way- he is not ready to be called.
B)
See When God calls a man into the ministry- His whole family needs to agree
with that calling –
1)
because they will be affected by it.
A
Police officer pulls over a carload of nuns....
Cop:
"Sister, this is a 70 MPH highway -- why are you going so slow?"
Sister:
"Sir, I saw a lot of signs that said the speed limit is 22."
Cop:
"Sister, that's not the speed limit, that's the number of the highway
you're on!"
Sister:
"Oh! Silly me! Thanks for letting me know. I'll be more careful."
At
this point the police officer looks in the back seat where he saw two other
nuns, trembling like they were having nervous breakdowns.
Cop:
"One more thing, Sister... what's wrong with your friends back there?
They're shaking something terrible."
Sister:
"Oh, we just got off of Highway 101."
The same thing
holds true in ministry: The whole family is affected – everyone is in the car.
Increased spiritual warfare!
– Whole family!
Calling to Sacrifice.
A) Consider our Pastoral
staff at CCV
Aa) Each guy works a minimum
of 5 days a week occasionally 6 and at
least 3 nights a week.
B) That is a lot of
sacrifice – a wife needs to be ready to do that.
C) Wife his going to share
her husband and kids their father with 100’s of other people.
1)
That in itself is something a lot of women can’t deal with. It is a CALLING.
D) Wife in many ways is like a single mother:
At least 3 nights a week, she is putting the kids to bed by herself.
1)
Sunday mornings she gets them ready for Church alone – She comes by herself /
sits by herself/ and goes home by herself.
E) On call 24/7 – Can’t turn
the phone off – Emergency – available – not a 9-5 M-F gig!
1)
Now I don’t say all of that to bring sympathy upon our families- that are
called and God supplies the grace to do that.
F) But I would say this – If you feel called and your wife or family
is not ready for that type of life –
1)
You are not ready.
#1
Main requirement: Blameless
#2
Marital requirement – Husband of one wife
#3
The Ministerial requirements
A)
Temperate: Not given to extremes
B)
Sober-minded: Able to think clearly and with clarity.
Wiersbe
on sober
minded: “This does not man he has no sense of humor, or that he is
always solemn and somber. Rather it
suggests that he knows the value of things and does not cheapen the ministry or
the Gospel message by foolish behavior.”
C)
Good behavior: Orderly or Modest.
1) Conducts himself with
moderation and self control.
D)
Hospitable: Loving the Stranger.
1)
They are willing and able to open up their homes when needed.
E)
Apt to teach: Able to effectively
communicate God’s word.
1)
Groups or one on one –
His Attachments v.3:
1) Not given to wine:
A) There is a lot of
Controversy as to what is meant here by this statement:
A) Notice first of all the
difference here from what is said in v. 8 concerning the deacons – Deacons –
Not given to much wine.
B) There is a
differentiation between the Deacon and the Elder.
1)
Greater responsibility for the Elder –
C) My personal conviction:
An Elder shouldn’t drink at all
1) It blurs the senses, clouds the mind, and makes him
emotionally unstable.
D) God wants us to be clear thinking, alert, discerning
individuals, capable of making decisions.
Proverbs.31:4-6
“It is not for kings, O Lemuel, It is
not for kings to drink wine, Nor for princes intoxicating drink; Lest they drink and forget the law, And pervert the justice
of all the afflicted. Give strong drink to him who is
perishing, And wine to those who are bitter of heart.”
A)
We forget the Word easy enough when we’re sober, gang.
B)
Therefore, we can’t afford to have leaders who are less than sober.
C)
I feel very strongly about this because I believe the times are influencing the
ministry rather than the other way around.
2)
Not given to wrath – Not violent not a striker.
A) “Someone who’s quick w/the blows, physical or verbal, always
looking for a good fight.”
“A good leader knows how to take the heat…w/o spreading the
flames!” (Swindoll)
.”
Charles Spurgeon told his Pastor’s College students, “Don’t go about the world
with your fist doubled up for fighting, carrying a theological revolver in the
leg of your trousers.”
B) Not quarrelsome - not trigger-happy in their relationships w/others.
1) i.e. quick on the draw, itching for a good argument.
C) He keeps his gun
holstered until he needs it for his real enemy.
Contrast: Gentle =
yielding, forbearing.
A) A gentle leader doesn’t demand his own way, or lash out when
treated unfairly.
B) He doesn’t
feel threatened when others disagree w/him.
1)
His words & actions are seasoned w/grace, forgiveness, & kindness.
3)
Not given to Money:
A)
Sometimes people ask me if I have another Job or is Pastoring all that I do.
B)
I would love another Job- Building fund. – Salary – No time
1)
Not wrong for a Pastor to be compensated – Jesus taught us that a work man was
worthy of his hire –
C) But you can’t be in it
for the money!
Modest living
1)
Average of the congregation –
D) See I can teach you that
you need to tithe and trust God – if I am not willing to do that.
1)
Can’t teach you to live within in your means and be a good steward if I am not
willing to do that.
In
the realm of being not given to money – Not covetous
A)
Money isn’t the problem…it’s our
attitude toward it that gets us into trouble.
B)
The Love of money is the root of all evil.
(don’t “love it”!)
1) The leader needs to be
free, not from money, but
from the love of it!
C) He is a model of generosity
& simplicity of lifestyle.
1) “Love God & use money”…& never get that reversed!
His Attainments:
1) In the
parental sphere: v. 4-5
A)
Rules = manages. Carries the idea of governing, leading, & giving
direction to the family.
B) Notice he doesn’t speak of managing a business”
but a home!
C) Why? The church is a family,
not a business!
1) “It has a heavenly Father, not a chairman of the
board. Brothers & sisters, not
shareholders.
D) We have a Groom,
Jesus Christ, not an impersonal boss.”
The
experience gained in the home would develop sensitive compassion for his role
in the church.
A) These leadership
skills in the home were a prerequisite
for using them in the church.
B)
We have to be able to manage our time, priorities, staff, ministries,
& more.
1) It doesn’t
matter if a man is successful in every
other area of life, let’s look at your family!
C) Does your home function in spite of you? L
D)
Titus His kids not given to dissipation
= drunkenness or Rebellion !
In
the Personal Sphere:
A) Not a Novice - Not a
new believer { Pride!
B) Why was the
devil—Lucifer—initially condemned? Because of pride (Isaiah 14:12–15).
1)
So Paul warns Timothy not to place a novice in a position of leadership because
novices tend to think that if anything good happens through them it’s because
they’re a skilled
speaker or a clever person.
C)
Only someone who has walked with the Lord awhile understands that if anything
good happens through him it’s not because of him, but rather in spite of him!
D)
Satan enjoys seeing a youthful pastor succeed and get proud;
1)
then he can tear down all that has been built up.
5
Confirmations to a man’s calling:
1) Man points to
himself – He desires it – knowing full well what it entails
2) The Holy Spirit points to the man: The
fruit of the Spirit is evident from his life.
3) Current
leadership points to the man: They bear witness to the calling that
the heart that is behind that calling.
4) Family points to the man: The family is behind
that calling and is ready to support their husband and father in it. Willing to
Sacrifice.
5)
The sheep point to the man –
They
respond to the calling they see on his life.
Willing
to hear and receive instruction and counsel from him.
Parental
sphere / Personal sphere/
In the Public Sphere v.7
A)
A good testimony/reputation w/those outside
the church!
Q:
How do they speak to the waitress?
Handle the neighbor’s ball through their window?
Treat the person at the cash register when they get shorted money?
Final
quiz:
A) Personally(Does their inner character measure up to their outward appearance?)
B) Domestically(would his family vote for him?)
C) Publicly(would his co-workers smile at the news of
him being raised up in leadership?
1) or ask, “Are
we talking about the same guy?”)
Your Part?
Encourage them: How can you help them? Ask them.
Q: What can you do to free them up to spend more time in the
presence of the Lord?
Pray
for your spiritual leaders that they might
more & more be what God wants them to be
A)
Pastors are listed on the back of the Bulletin
B)
Lay Elders - Home group leaders
Follow them –
Hebrews
13:17 “Obey those who rule
over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who
must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that
would be unprofitable for you.”
Attending a wedding for
the first time, a little girl whispered to her mother, "Why is the bride
dressed in white?"
"Because white is the color of happiness, and today is the happiest day of
her life."
The child thought about this for a moment, then said, "So why is the
groom wearing black?"