Over the next couple of sessions we are going to look at what the New Testament teaches about the characteristics leaders in Church should exhibit. We will draw particularly on what Paul has to say to Timothy and Titus in the letters he addressed to them and which forms the general guidance for recognising and appointing leaders today.
If a church were to place an advert in a local newspaper or a well-known Christian magazine inviting applications for a leader in a church, what would be the job description and what would the person specification include? Would we see “able to lead worship” in there? What about “having a heart for evangelism”? And then there is “able to work with young people” and perhaps “good administrator” – and so the list could go on – with the hope that “superman” (or “superwoman”) – the person that can do everything - will apply. While these things may be important, Paul’s emphasis is on the character of the leader – what they are rather than what they can do. The focal point for both elders and deacons is the person’s reputation among believers and unbelievers – one that is based on proven moral character and maturity. Duties are hardly mentioned.
You might like to pause this podcast and read 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1:5–9.
The ‘code of conduct’ for elders as set out in 1 Timothy 3 is all about character and needs little explanation. As a former elder and church leader I have to admit that they are quite daunting and – without God’s grace and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit they would be impossible to achieve. People will judge the church by its leaders and they must maintain a good reputation among those outside the body of believers – so that the witness of the church is not damaged and that the devil has nothing to use to entrap them. But let us, too, remember what we looked at in session 3 - we serve a God of outrageous grace and, with repentance, there is forgiveness and a way back for those who have sadly failed to meet the standard set out here.
I’ll turn to Paul’s instructions to Titus (which virtually mirror those to Timothy) to look at the leaders domestic sphere, their lifestyle and their ability to teach the Christian doctrine.
- Domestic: The husband of but one wife’ literally means “a one woman man” and this statement has provoked discussion in churches for many years – which we don’t have time to go into now. The main issue here is about faithfulness in marriage – how we conduct ourselves in our private life spills over into how we conduct ourselves in church life. Unfaithfulness in marriage is not a good advert for a church leader who will be emphasising to their flock the need for faithfulness to God and obedience to His commands.
Then Paul turns to the children of the elders – they, too, must be believers who behave well. This has caused considerable anxiety to many (including me) who are in positions of leadership in the church but one or more of their children at this time are not walking with God. The clue, I believe (I hope – otherwise I will shut off the microphone and stop now!), is in the next verse – where the overseer is described in most translations as “God’s steward” – which suggests that the elders’ responsibility for their children’s faithfulness and behaviour is restricted to the time when they are part of their household.
- Lifestyle: Paul considers the lifestyle of the elder in both the negative and positive aspects. Tendencies toward overbearing behaviour and anger are indications of unfitness for working as part of a team – such people do not listen to the views of others but rather force their wills on then, causing disunity. Arguments and quarrels were in fact characteristic of false teachers – so they have no place in the lifestyle of the leaders of the church of God. Drunkenness and violence are indications of a lack of self-control – so such people are in no way fitted for looking after the church. The ‘dishonest gain’ prohibition is in direct contrast to the reason the false teachers do what they do – faithfulness in financial matters is necessary if the leader is to be ‘blameless’.
Then Paul turns to the positive aspects of the bishop (or elder) – first hospitable (remember, at the time Paul wrote, this was often about sacrificial sharing where fellow Christians may be forced from home and work because of their faith – today we have largely devalued it to “entertaining”), then a lover of the good (for a definition see Philippians 4:8), self-controlled (part of the fruit of the Spirit – Galatians 5:23), upright and holy (uprightness describing behaviour in relation to others and holy in relation to God) and disciplined (a true disciple who lives a balanced and ordered life before God and others).
- Ministry: Good leadership involves “word” as well as character. The people chosen for the task of bishop / elder / overseer must have a sound understanding of Christian doctrine – the apostolic teaching both in its theological and ethical dimensions. Only such a person will be able to instruct others with sound doctrine and will have the confidence and intellectual ammunition with which to resist the currents of false teaching which were a serious problem for Titus on Crete, for Timothy in Ephesus and for us today..
Paul reminds Timothy that elders should display some Christian maturity – ‘not a recent convert’ (3:6). There is something attractive about the enthusiasm and commitment of many a new convert and it may seem a good idea to harness these qualities into the leadership of the church. But experience shows that too much responsibility too soon can go to a person’s head – and if that happens, the devil will be delighted.
The importance and urgency of the church’s evangelistic mission require that its leaders be of the highest calibre. They must be those whose leadership skills and purity of lifestyle instill confidence in Christians and draw respect from outsiders to the faith. While the standard set is high Paul is not proposing perfection or appointing those not needing to grow any more – otherwise no one would qualify. Rather Paul was looking for those in whom the Holy Spirit was evidently and actively at work (but not yet finished) in the whole of life. Next time we will look at the ‘code of conduct’ for deacons.
A prayer: “Father, we thank you for those that lead us in Church. Keep them close to You in all aspects of their life and bless them abundantly. Amen.”
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