The office of pastor is a good work. God is calling men to serve in this role; however, few are answering the call. There is a shortage of pastors today not because God is not calling men out, but because many of those who are being called are not answering the call. There is also a shortage of pastors today because fewer and fewer men meet the qualifications of being a pastor. This good work of a bishop (pastor) must be advanced by those who meet the Biblical qualifications as Paul laid out to Timothy in First Timothy chapter three. Warren Wiersbe writes, “It was good for a growing believer to aspire to the office of bishop, but the best way to achieve it was to develop Christian character.”[1] We need men with such character to answer the call to serve in the office of pastor. Pastor and author Kent Hughes said, “Christian ministry is all about character. Lose your character and you lose your ministry.”[2]
Blameless. The first qualification for a pastor is that he is to be one that is blameless. This does not imply that he is to be perfect, for no man is prefect. The word ‘blameless’ literally means ‘nothing to take hold upon.’ To be blameless is to live such a life that there is no ammunition given to Satan to launch an attack. This does not mean that the man of God is not blamed. There will be many accusations made against the pastor. This is a regular tactic of Satan. He is our accuser. Satan will use others to attack the pastor with various accusations. However, to be blameless is to be found innocent when those accusations come. It gives the idea of one who is taken to court falsely accused and being found innocent. The pastor is to be such a man. A man of which when the accusations come, he is found to be innocent.
The husband of one wife. This qualification is one that is often debated. Does this mean that a divorced man can never serve as a pastor? It is imperative that we always approach scripture with an open mind and not read into the text our preconceived notions or whatever we have always heard or been taught. It is also important that we consider the historical and cultural context of the text. At the time of Paul’s writing of this letter to Timothy, the culture of the day was very pagan. Great temples were built in Ephesus and surrounding areas to false gods. Temple prostitution was rampant, and all types of ungodliness and immorality flooded the streets. The practice of polygamy was also common. It was common for men to have multiple wives and mistresses. It is in this context that Paul tells Timothy that the pastor should be the husband of one wife. It should also be noted that this statement by Paul does not mean one wife at a time. It is clear that Paul had in mind a man who is married to one woman for life. So, can a divorce man serve as a pastor? I believe this is a matter of personal conviction. Though contrary to some, it is not my view that a man who went through a divorce in his past is forever disqualified from serving as a pastor. I believe you must consider the circumstances surrounding that time in his life. I most certainly do not believe that a man currently having marital problems and is seeking a divorce is qualified to be a pastor. However, if one was divorced in the past, perhaps even before he was converted, I believe that grace should be given. I believe what we see here are two obvious principles: (1) The pastor must be a man. There is no other way to look at it, those who hold the office of pastor or deacon must be a man. (2) The pastor must be faithful to his wife demonstrated by a and strong and healthy marriage. The issue is not necessarily whether the woman he is married to is the only woman he has ever been married to. The issue is whether he is faithful to his marriage and ruling his house well. If his marriage and home is not healthy then he should not be serving as a pastor.
Vigilant or Temperate. To be vigilant or temperate is to “keep cool.” It is to be sensible in judgement. A pastor should not be one that easily panics. He should approach every situation with calm, control, and with wisdom. He should not rush to judgement or be quick to speak. A good pastor is one that outside the pulpit is usually a quiet and calm man who chooses his words wisely.
Sober. Warren Wiersbe provides excellent commentary on this point, “He must have a serious attitude and be in earnest about his work. This does not mean he has no sense of humor, or that he is always solemn and somber. Rather it suggests that he knows the value of things and does not cheapen the ministry or the Gospel message by foolish behavior.”[3] A pastor should be mature. Years ago, I served as a pastor at the young age of 21. The church grew tremendously, and I felt very inadequate to lead the church. I struggled with counseling others due to little real-life experience, and I responded to things as you would expect a 21-year-old to respond, nor did I have the demeanor of a mature and wise man. Therefore, so that I would not bring harm to the church in my immaturity, I chose to leave there and serve as an associate pastor to give myself time to mature. A pastor should be a mature man. A young man can certainly be mature beyond his years; however, life experience and personal growth should accompany the man who serves in such a high office as pastor.
Of Good Behavior. The word here for ‘good behavior’ is ‘orderly.’ The pastor should be one that lives an organized and structured life. He is to be one that uses his time wisely and does not take a lazy approach to things. He should be a man that ‘dresses for success’ in his demeanor, work ethic, and behavior.
Given to Hospitality. To be hospitable is to ‘love strangers.’ The pastor should be one who has an open-door policy. He welcomes others and works hard to make people feel at home. One thing that I try to remind myself frequently is that people are not a distraction, they are opportunities. My day is often interrupted by phone calls or unannounced visits to my office. As a pastor, in those moments, I try to drop whatever I am doing and give my full attention to the one who dropped by or gives me a call. God allows people to cross our paths for a reason. Every person that crosses our path is an opportunity to share the Gospel, disciple, mentor, and encourage. We should all strive to be hospitable.
Apt to Teach. A pastor should have several spiritual gifts. One of those gifts he must have is the ability to teach. The primary role of a pastor is to preach and teach the Word of God. Such ability to teach does not come automatically. The pastor must spend adequate and quality time in the study of the Word. Phillips Brooks, famous American bishop of the 1800s, said, “Apt to teach—it is not something to which one comes by accident or by any sudden burst of fiery zeal.”[4] A pastor should be a life-long learner. He should seek to increase his education so that he may rightly divide the Word of Truth. It is said that “the pastor who is lazy in his study is a disgrace in the pulpit.”[5] This is so very true. A pastor must be one who takes his study and preparation time seriously.
Not given to wine. The pastor must not be a drunkard. I personally believe that as you compare scripture with scripture it can be said with great authority that the pastor should never drink intoxicating beverages. Anything that has the potential of impending his ability to lead effectively, the pastor should stay clear of.
No Striker. Charles Spurgeon told his Pastor’s College students, “Don’t go about the world with your fist doubled up for fighting, carrying a theological revolver in the leg of your trousers.”[6] The pastor is not to be one who is looking for a fight. I have dealt with many people over the years that spend their time looking for things they don’t agree with so they can start an argument. The pastor should simply preach the Word of God and be prepared to answer questions that come to him, but he should never be looking for nor desiring to engage in debates that are ineffective and hinders the Gospel ministry.
Not greedy for filthy lucre. Pastors should not serve just to get a paycheck. A man who qualifies to serve as a pastor is one that is not in it for personal gain. He should not be one that is filled with greed or desire for riches. I believe that a pastor should never have such problems if the church supports him well. However, if he still desires more and is filled with a love for money even while being in a church that pays him well, he should no longer serve as a pastor. A pastor is one who follows the will of the Lord and not the almighty dollar.
Patient. All of us struggle with patience. However, the pastor must be one who is known as a patient man. This literally means that the pastor is to be a gentle man. He is one that listens to others. He is one that handles criticism well and is able to respond to others in a gentle and patient manner.
Not a brawler. “Pastors must be peacemakers, not troublemakers.”[7] A pastor with a bad temper will never be effective or successful in his ministry. He should not be one that lashes out at others or raises his voice or purposely causes trouble. He should seek peace with everyone. This does not mean he is to compromise on truth. He is to stand firm on God’s Word. However, he should not be looking for nor inviting trouble.
Not covetous. A pastor should be content with however and wherever God chooses to use him. Sometimes through various circumstances God may move a pastor from one place to another. However, the pastor should never look for or covet personal advancement or gain. His desire should be for the furtherance of God’s Kingdom wherever God calls Him to.
One that ruleth well his own house. When a church is examining a man to be their pastor, they should look carefully at his family. A man’s family defines him. If a man has led his family well and it is obvious by the conduct of his wife and children, then he should be one that is considered for the office of pastor. If a man does not have is house in order, how can he keep God’s house in order? The pastor must put his family first. It serves the church well to have a pastor who leads his family well.
Not a novice. A novice is one that is a new believer. A man should not be considered for the office of pastor unless He has been a Christian for some time. He should also be one that has prepared. It is often said that the call to pastor is the call to prepare. I am a firm believer that if a man seeks the office of pastor, he should go to Bible college or seminary and serve a period of time with seasoned pastor. The office of pastor is too important and too crucial to be occupied by a novice.
A good report of them which are without. The final qualification for pastor that Paul gives to Timothy is that the pastor must have a good reputation in the community. Is he a man that is engaged in the community? Do people know him? Is he visible in the community? Is he known for his integrity? Does he pay his bills on time? Does he keep his promises? Can he be trusted? If he is not trusted in the community, then he should not serve as a pastor in that community. He should be a man that has a good reputation amongst unbelievers.
Being a pastor is not for anyone. It is a high office that requires a man of high quality. Such men are few and far between. Thank God for the pastors that He has given us.
[1] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 219). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[2] Robinson, S. J. (2004). Opening up 1 Timothy (p. 58). Leominster: Day One Publications.
[3] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 220). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[4] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 220). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[5] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 220). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[6] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 220). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[7] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 221). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
Pastor Chris Noland 