 |
 |
||||
The first mark to look for in selecting a pastor is that the candidate must be a male according to 1 Tim. 3:2. While being a male is not a mark of maturity, it is a requirement that God has for those who serve as elders or pastors.
An overseer, then, must be . . . the husband of one wife . . . (NASB) 1 Tim. 3:2 The Greek word for “husband” in this verse is “male.” The literal Greek says that the overseer or elder must be a “one woman male.” Since it is impossible for a woman to be a the “male of a woman” - a husband - we understand that a pastor must be a male. 1 Timothy 2:12 also tells us that a woman cannot teach adult males. That is, a pastor or elder must be a male in order to minister to the entire congregation.
Second, the pastor must not be a novice in the faith.
. . . not a new convert . . . (NASB) 1 Tim. 3:6 It is unfortunate how many times men are asked to be pastors who have been following Jesus for only 5-7 years. Seminary can educate a man, but it cannot make a man spiritually mature. There is no substitute for length of life in the faith. On occasions it works out well, but only because the Holy Spirit has performed a remarkable work in the life of the individual. Men who became Christians in the childhood or in their teenage years have an advantage over those who become Christians in their twenties because the Holy Spirit has been working in their lives for a longer period of time.
Third, most young men are idealistic in their thinking, and the tempering of time has not yet occurred. Some men, young and old, like a good fight. Once they are convinced how things should be done, they are willing to fight with others in order to win. At first they may try to be diplomatic but if necessary some will go to war. That is the reason God gave us the following marks of spiritual maturity.
. . . temperate, prudent, respectable . . . not pugnacious . . . (NASB) 1 Tim. 3:2-3 . . . not self-willed, not quick-tempered . . . (NASB) Titus 1:7 Is the candidate self-willed,? Does he get angry when his desires are frustrated? Is he basically a fighter, or is he kind, patient, and willing to defer to others? Does he want to be the “king of the mountain” or have the “last word” about most issues?
When you see a man who wants things his way, he is not qualified to be in the ministry. A self-willed man is very difficult to work with. He might be eager to fight every theological battle that comes along. Or, he might minimize the teaching of the Word of God in order to achieve his own goal. That is a common pattern. Anyone in the leadership team can be guilty of these sins. Their perspective is often selfish. They have assumed that God does not lead through the entire team of elders. They have concluded that they have a corner on God’s will. For an expanded discussion regarding God’s pattern for making decisions, we would refer the reader to “Recovering the Pattern of Biblical Leadership.”
Fourth, the prospective pastor must be a skilled teacher.
. . . able to teach . . . (NASB) 1 Tim. 3:2 The Greek word for “able to teach” actually means that he is a skilled teacher. That is, an elder should be a skilled teacher. This is usually the primary characteristic that most churches look for in a pastor. But there is more according to Titus 1:9.
. . . holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict. (NASB) Titus 1:9 Titus 1:9 says that a pastor must hold to the “faithful word” - the Word of God. It is not enough for the Call Committee to read the doctrinal statement that he submitted when he applied for the position. How much of the Bible does he really know? If he is a recent seminary graduate, he should have a good grasp of scripture; but if he has been out of seminary for some time his grasp of scripture might be poor if he does not spend very much time studying it. Can he answer questions about what he believes? It is not uncommon for churches to ignore the doctrinal statement that a prospective candidate submits. A quick look is often what it receives, especially if he is already a friend of someone in the church. Rarely is a pastor seriously quizzed about what he believes when he visits the prospective church. |
|||||
|
|||||
| Thoughts On Selecting A Pastor | |||||