1 Timothy 3:15-I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. NKJV
As we continue in the book of Timothy, Paul addresses the issue of church leadership. It doesn’t matter what denomination you find yourself in at this time, one thing they all have in common is a leader. Whether that leader is a local pastor, a district superintendent, or the head of the denomination, the Bible has guidelines they all must submit to.
As a young believer, I met a former church overseer. He had been relieved of his headship because he had begun to see himself as a god. His word was law, he could have sex with other women and create a “godly seed”, and a bunch of other foolishness. When I met him he was still trying to present himself as this “godly leader” whom the church had forced out because of jealousy. As young as I was, as inexperienced as I was in the word of God, I am grateful that I saw through that foolishness! Paul wrote:
This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work.
1 Timothy 3:1 NKJV
The word bishop is taken from the Greek word episkopē, which is literally translated to mean overseer. I’m sure Paul ran into many eager young men who wanted to be in leadership in the church. As a proclaimer of the truth of God’s word, Paul felt there was no better work to want to be a part of. He was sure that as the work in Ephesus continued to grow, Timothy would have to appoint more and more overseers over the work of God and he wanted to help Timothy to make wise decisions for the protection of the ministry and the people of God. Paul gave us a list of things we should look for in godly leadership:
A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable…
1 Timoth 3:2a NKJV
Paul wrote that an overseer in the church must be blameless. Looking at the literal definition in Greek and what the Vines dictionary says about the word is helpful, but we know what blameless means. It means without blame. It’s one thing to be under the attack of the media and others for righteousness’ sake. It’s a different ball game when we are under attack because we don’t know how to conduct ourselves in a godly manner. It’s great to feel a call to ministry and leadership within the church, but if you have a questionable life, please do not apply. The last thing the church needs is another leader embarrassing the faith!
Paul said that an overseer should be the husband of one wife. Some tend to think that if a person has gone through a divorce this disqualifies them from leadership in the church. That’s ridiculous. Even if a person did get a divorce, when they remarry, they have only one spouse! A bigamist does not a good leader make! However, a leader has to understand that their life is on display for all to see, so be careful when you choose a mate, or make a decision to divorce. People are watching!
Paul stated that a godly leader should be temperate and sober-minded. These words have similar meanings. When we think of temperate and sober people we automatically think of “sipping saints”. But that’s not what Paul is addressing here. Paul was addressing the issue of self-control and having a sound mind. According to the Vines dictionary, the word temperate alludes to the fact that God bestows a lot of power on the leadership of the church and abuse can be the outcome of that power. Therefore, a temperate overseer needs to be one whose will is controlled by the Spirit of God. It’s an admirable quality to see and possess! I also think this word is reflective of a person with self-control and all that conveys! Leaders should be in control of their words and actions at all times.
So what does it mean to be sober-minded? I’m glad you asked. The Greek word for sober-minded literally means to save the mind. No unstable people need to apply for ministry. Does that mean that Paul has a problem with people who are struggling with mental illness? I don’t think so. Am I being insensitive? I hope not! I just think Paul is stating that this is a tough position and having a sound mind is important when handling the crises that will come with the position of leadership.
Again, Paul mentions the character of a godly leader by stating this person should be hospitable. In its original text, it means to have a love of strangers. A hospitable person is a welcoming person! Leaders should have open arms and open hearts where people are concerned. If you are locked up in your biases, maybe a position of leadership isn’t for you. We don’t have to agree with or accept all the issues people bring into our space, but we can still demonstrate the love of God and the respect for humanity to all!
There is such a huge need for leadership in the world, but especially in the church! And Paul said that if that’s what you desire, you desire a good thing. However, do yourself and the church a favor and make sure that you qualify for leadership! And if you’re a leader, please check out your members before placing them in leadership! The church needs godly leadership more than it needs bodies to hold positions! I couldn’t get through the entire list in this blog, but maybe there will be a part two. Wonderful Jesus!
Wonderful Jesus! 