1 Timothy 3:2-7 contains a list that people usually consider to be qualifications for a leadership role within the Church. The normal practice (at least in Baptist circles) has little to do with determining if their leaders actually meet the requirements of this list, but they often use it if they want to kick their leaders out. I believe this list is there for a question, because they are items that mark true discipline and discipleship for Christ. However, I do not necessarily believe that a Christ-Follower must meet all these requirements to be considered someones leader/pastor/elder (whatever you may call them). The Bible gives us a number of examples of people who were leaders, people chosen by God. In this post I am going to pull out a few key characters and compare their life to this list. Hopefully, it will shed some light on this subject.
| An overseer must (be) | |
| 01. above reproach 02. a one woman man 03. temperate 04. prudent 05. respectable 06. hospitable 07. able to teach 08. not addicted to wine |
09. not pugnacious 10. gentle 11. peaceable 12. free from the love of money 13. one who manages his own household well 14. keeping his children under control with all dignity… 15. not be a new convert 16. he must have a good reputation outside the church… |
| Noah | |
| 01. above reproach 02. a one woman man 03. temperate 04. prudent 05. respectable 06. hospitable 07. able to teach 08. not addicted to wine |
09. not pugnacious 10. gentle 11. peaceable 12. free from the love of money 13. one who manages his own household well 14. keeping his children under control with all dignity… 15. not be a new convert 16. he must have a good reputation outside the church… |
| Joseph | ||
| 01. above reproach 02. a one woman man 03. temperate 04. prudent 05. respectable 06. hospitable 07. able to teach 08. not addicted to wine |
09. not pugnacious 10. gentle 11. peaceable 12. free from the love of money 13. one who manages his own household well 14. keeping his children under control with all dignity… 15. not be a new convert 16. he must have a good reputation outside the church… |
|
| Isaac | |
| 01. above reproach 02. a one woman man 03. temperate 04. prudent 05. respectable 06. hospitable 07. able to teach 08. not addicted to wine |
09. not pugnacious 10. gentle 11. peaceable 12. free from the love of money 13. one who manages his own household well 14. keeping his children under control with all dignity… 15. not be a new convert 16. he must have a good reputation outside the church… |
| Jacob | |
| 01. above reproach 02. a one woman man 03. temperate 04. prudent 05. respectable 06. hospitable 07. able to teach 08. not addicted to wine |
09. not pugnacious 10. gentle 11. peaceable 12. free from the love of money 13. one who manages his own household well 14. keeping his children under control with all dignity… 15. not be a new convert 16. he must have a good reputation outside the church… |
| Moses | |
| 01. above reproach 02. a one woman man 03. temperate 04. prudent 05. respectable 06. hospitable 07. able to teach 08. not addicted to wine |
09. not pugnacious 10. gentle 11. peaceable 12. free from the love of money 13. one who manages his own household well 14. keeping his children under control with all dignity… 15. not be a new convert 16. he must have a good reputation outside the church… |
| David | |
| 01. above reproach 02. a one woman man 03. temperate 04. prudent 05. respectable 06. hospitable 07. able to teach 08. not addicted to wine |
09. not pugnacious 10. gentle 11. peaceable 12. free from the love of money 13. one who manages his own household well 14. keeping his children under control with all dignity… 15. not be a new convert 16. he must have a good reputation outside the church… |
| Solomon | |
| 01. above reproach 02. a one woman man 03. temperate 04. prudent 05. respectable 06. hospitable 07. able to teach 08. not addicted to wine |
09. not pugnacious 10. gentle 11. peaceable 12. free from the love of money 13. one who manages his own household well 14. keeping his children under control with all dignity… 15. not be a new convert 16. he must have a good reputation outside the church… |
| Judah | |
| 01. above reproach 02. a one woman man 03. temperate 04. prudent 05. respectable 06. hospitable 07. able to teach 08. not addicted to wine |
09. not pugnacious 10. gentle 11. peaceable 12. free from the love of money 13. one who manages his own household well 14. keeping his children under control with all dignity… 15. not be a new convert 16. he must have a good reputation outside the church… |
| Paul | |
| 01. above reproach 02. a one woman man 03. temperate 04. prudent 05. respectable 06. hospitable 07. able to teach 08. not addicted to wine |
09. not pugnacious 10. gentle 11. peaceable 12. free from the love of money 13. one who manages his own household well 14. keeping his children under control with all dignity… 15. not be a new convert 16. he must have a good reputation outside the church… |
| Peter | |
| 01. above reproach 02. a one woman man 03. temperate 04. prudent 05. respectable 06. hospitable 07. able to teach 08. not addicted to wine |
09. not pugnacious 10. gentle 11. peaceable 12. free from the love of money 13. one who manages his own household well 14. keeping his children under control with all dignity… 15. not be a new convert 16. he must have a good reputation outside the church… |
| Barnabas | |
| 01. above reproach 02. a one woman man 03. temperate 04. prudent 05. respectable 06. hospitable 07. able to teach 08. not addicted to wine |
09. not pugnacious 10. gentle 11. peaceable 12. free from the love of money 13. one who manages his own household well 14. keeping his children under control with all dignity… 15. not be a new convert 16. he must have a good reputation outside the church… |
| Acts 14:23 Guys | |
| 01. above reproach 02. a one woman man 03. temperate 04. prudent 05. respectable 06. hospitable 07. able to teach 08. not addicted to wine |
09. not pugnacious 10. gentle 11. peaceable 12. free from the love of money 13. one who manages his own household well 14. keeping his children under control with all dignity… 15. not be a new convert 16. he must have a good reputation outside the church… |
| James | |
| 01. above reproach 02. a one woman man 03. temperate 04. prudent 05. respectable 06. hospitable 07. able to teach 08. not addicted to wine |
09. not pugnacious 10. gentle 11. peaceable 12. free from the love of money 13. one who manages his own household well 14. keeping his children under control with all dignity… 15. not be a new convert 16. he must have a good reputation outside the church… |
*Disclaimer: These strikes are not exhaustive, they are based purely on my and another’s memory. Therefore, there may be more strikes given the lack of historical detail on some of these characters .
If this is truly a list of “qualification”, then I certainly do not “qualify”. And, in fact, I’ve never met anyone who does “qualify”.
-Alan
Lew,
I’m so pleased Alan commented because I’m in the same box, “unqualified”.
Thankfully, my lack has not limited God from using this imperfect, and “unqualified” child, for His glory, via the Gospel I’ve imperfectly preached.
If we view the list as a list of perfections – that is – a temperate person is someone who has never or does never loose his temper, then the reality is that no one but Jesus would ever have been qualified.
My understanding is that this isn’t a list of perfections, but instead is a non-exhaustive list of character traits that demonstrate true gospel transformation in a persons life.
So the question isn’t ‘has he, or does he ever loose his temper?’ Rather, could we say that his general character is that of a temperate, peaceable man?
Gospel transformation and Fruit of the Spirit issues, not perfections.
Keith,
I agree 100%.
Thanks for commenting,
Lew