The man God choosesDevotion In motion
1 Timothy 4:1-7
“This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work.” The NT uses three titles for church leaders: “bishop,” “elder,” “pastor.” In Acts 20 and 1 Peter 5 you’ll find all three titles used exchangeably of the same person… “Elder” refers to the man himself – his maturity. “Pastor” or “shepherd” illustrate the man’s method. “Bishop” is the Greek word “episkopos.” “Epi” means “over.” “Skopos” is “to scope out, or to scrutinize.” Thus, an “episkopos” oversees. This speaks of what a leader does – his ministry. He views the big picture. He oversees the spiritual health of the Church.
Three ingredients factor into the qualifications for church leaders – gender, giftedness, and character. And as with the person who marries your daughter, gender and character are the most vital of the three. Sadly, today’s Church stresses the structure of church government, while the leader’s character is compromised. The NT, on the other hand, is flexible on structure, but uncompromising in regards to character. You can have the best structure possible, but its worthless if its filled with ungodly people. This is why, throughout Paul’s letters, you’ll find little outlining church government, whereas Paul has much to say on the quality and calibre of church leaders.
He begins in verse 2, “A bishop then must be blameless…” Just because a pastor preaches well – he can’t be a crook… or cuss out the umpires at the church softball game… or hide from his creditors… or cheat on his income tax… or neglect his wife and kids… He has to live in such a way that earns respect. It reminds me of the pastor who embezzled $25,000 of church funds. One of the elders commented, “We need to find him, and get him back here, so he can work off the money he owes us.” He’s missed the point. Here “a bishop… must be blameless…” not sinless, just blameless. We all slip up and sin, but we should repent immediately, and repair the damage done. The Greek word translated “blameless” means “nothing to take hold of.” There should be no glaring, blatant issues in my life that an outsider can point his finger at, and accuse me or the message I preach. Obviously, there was much in Paul’s past to incriminate him – but his past had been dealt with by the blood of Jesus – and now his life was a testimony to God’s amazing grace.
For us, the question becomes, “Are there current issues in my life that might discredit the message I preach, or the Savior I serve, or the church I represent? Is my life blameless?” One day as Saint Francis walked down the street a young boy reached out from the bushes and tugged on his cloak. He pleaded, “Please Sir, be as good as we think you are?” We need leaders who are blameless. Notice the next qualification, “the husband of one wife…” This is a hotly debated phrase. One group says this is a ban on a polygamist holding a church office. Polygamy was popular among first century pagans.
Other folks insist this verse refers to persons who’ve been divorced and remarried – essentially eliminating a divorced person from serving as a pastor or elder. I don’t think either interpretation gets to the heart of what Paul wants to communicate. A literal translation of the phrase would be rendered, “a one woman man.” Paul’s concern isn’t as much a man’s marital status as it is his attitude toward purity and toward women. A man may’ve been married for 50 years, yet still not be “a one woman man.”
He’s had women on the side, or a fascination with pornography, or he’s a flirt, or his eyes just wander to other women – his thoughts and desires are obviously not focused on one woman. Whereas a divorcee has repented of any wrongdoing in his previous marriage – he’s renewing his mind – he’s now deeply devoted to the woman he’s remarried… This is the fellow who qualifies as a one-woman man. Bible commentator Kenneth Wuest puts it, “We speak of the Airedale as a one-man dog. It is his nature to become attached to only one man. Since character is emphasized by the Greek construction… it’s the bishop’s nature to isolate and centralize his love.” This also has implications for a church leader who’s single. Though he’s unmarried he still needs to be a one-woman man. It’s wrong for Pastor Casanova to play the field. He’ll disrupt unity in the church. He should wait patiently on the woman God has for him. Here’s more of the check-list… “temperate” means self-controlled. It’s the opposite of having a temper. A temperate man is a leader with his emotions in check. “Sober-minded” a man who thinks clearly and keeps issues in perspective.
He’s a level-headed person. “Of good behavior…” He lives an orderly life. “Hospitable…” the word literally means “to love a stranger.” An elder should be friendly to newcomers. And “able to teach…” Maybe not in front of a crowd of 5000, but certainly in a small band of hungry believers. Then “not given to wine…” In verse 8 the deacon should not be “given to much wine,” but an elder needs to abstain completely. A pastor or elder is in a decision making position and could be called on at a moment’s notice.
A leader’s senses should never be dulled, or his mind cloudy or foggy from the influence of alcohol. In addition, “not violent…” A church leader doesn’t push people around. He’s not a spiritual bully. He doesn’t use force or manipulation to get his way. A pastor or elder understands how to lead people with love and gentle persuasion. He’s a peacemaker. “Not greedy for money…” A pastor needs to feed the flock, not fleece the flock! He doesn’t love money.
Once a toddler was playing in the living room and found a quarter in the carpet. Like toddlers do, he stuck it in his mouth, and accidentally swallowed the quarter. The dad saw what happened, and yelled to his wife in the other, “Quick, call the pastor!” She said, “You mean 911. Why call the pastor?” The man replied, “Because the pastor can get money out of anybody!” He’s “gentle, not quarrelsome…” It’s been said, “A troublemaker is a guy who rocks the boat then convinces everyone else there’s a storm at sea.” A contentious, argumentative, combative personality should disqualify a person from spiritual leadership. And “not covetous…” or envious over other people… even over other pastors, and churches, and ministries. Verse 4, “one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence…”
This is the key – does his wife and kids respect his authority? If a pastor can’t win the respect of those who know him best, you have to question if he lives respectably. When it comes to pastors’ kids they’re kids. They’ll make mistakes. No kids are perfect. My kids didn’t sign-up to be pastor’s kids. I’m the pastor, not them! It’s not whether a pastor’s kids will rebel – they’re sinners – all sinners rebel. It is how a pastor responds in the wake of their rebellion. And coming down too hard, is as foolish as not coming down hard enough. Paul here says that a pastor’s ability to manage his household is an indicator of how well he’ll manage the house of God.
Verse 5, (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?)…” Being both a pastor and a father, I’m often struck with the similarities of the two roles. Both require the combination of a strong hand and a sensitive heart. Pastors and dads have to rule (or take charge), but they also have to love (or take care). Family leadership is good training for spiritual leadership – and spiritual leadership is good training for family leadership. A pastor should be good at both. It’s strange, you can neglect your wife, and beat your kids, and still be a good doctor – but not a good pastor. If you can’t lead your family, don’t lead God’s family.
A wise pastor will prioritize his family. And he shouldn’t be “a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.” Often a new believer wins a few early victories, and it goes straight to his frontal lobe. He gets inflated. He mistakenly thinks the power is his… he’s wrong! And if he’s a leader – when he falls, and he will – innocent people nearby will go down with him. This is why a newbie needs time to mature before he leads. “Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.” The snare of the devil is a progression – puff him up, set him up for failure, knock him off his pedestal, then bury him in condemnation. Rush a new believer into leadership and you play right into the devil’s hands.
The church needs seasoned men with character – not just clever characters. I’m often reminded of a scene from the movie “Eight Men Out.” It’s about the 1919 Black Sox Scandal. Eight Chicago White Sox players threw the World Series. There’s a scene where the great player, Shoeless Joe Jackson, is leaving a building and gets swarmed by reporters. They’re shouting, “What did you do Joe? Were you in on the fix?” Suddenly a little boy, ten years old, his voice rises above the din of the crowd. Everyone else grows silent. The boy looks at his hero and says, “Say it ain’t so, Joe. Say it aint’ so.” Joe hangs his head, then turns and walks away in shame. We don’t want some little boy to look up at us, and say, “Say it ain’t so
Amen
Victor Tafoya
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