1 Timothy 3 - Conduct for Leaders

        Paul says his aim was to set the mandatory standard for conduct in the household of God (1 Tim. 3:14).  I love how in just a few words Paul gives us overarching principles that every church everywhere must apply.  It is not a legal policy that covers every conceivable issue (what if I’m single, what about big churches versus little churches, what about societies that have such and such normative standards).  Thank God that He gives us reason and discernment to apply His principles wisely in every context.

        It is interesting to pause for a few days on this chapter and to reflect on how we as modern Christians are living up to God’s household standards.

        For those of us in our 50s and 60s, we’ve put a little wear on the tires.  Hopefully, we’ve learned a bit about leadership in our households, the church, and in our business organizations.  We know this for certain: we’ve made mistakes.  It’s tough to manage well, to parent well, and to stay on the right path over the long haul.  That’s the path God calls us to and with God we will stay on it - or get back on it if need be.

        About five years ago Kari and I went to Mexico for our 25th wedding anniversary.  In the Calgary Airport, we bought the classic, ‘How to Win Friends and Influence People,’ by D. Carnegie.  I had never read it before.  We read it out loud to each other by the pool.  We both loved it.  We loved his little stories and the timeless principles.  Listen well.  Don’t argue.  Be genuinely interested in others.  Think of creative ways to find agreement.  Etc.  Honestly, it should be mandatory reading for all young lawyers (maybe I’ll call the AB Law Society and see if I get that book added to the Bar Course!).  But seriously, the secular world often gets it.  There are practical and productive benefits to good conduct.  Useful conduct.  Godly conduct.  And for some reason, we need to be reminded of this.  New Years is a good time to do it.

        I see Paul encouraging the Church with such an essential reminder here.  The church of the living God, which is the pillar and foundation of truth, has mandatory rules for how people must conduct themselves in the household of God.  The modern church largely ignores these rules and requirements for organization and conduct.  To our great detriment.

        When I was in my early 30s I was quickly elected to our church board after we joined the church and were baptized.  I trusted God as my Saviour at 19, started reading the Bible daily at 25, but wasn’t baptized until I was 30.  Slow mover!  I was a young lawyer as I’d only been practicing for about five years.  And, frankly a relatively new believer with a family of four (soon to be five) little kids.  I’m extremely thankful that the church got Kari and me involved in service so soon.  That is key for churches.  Get people involved ASAP.  Don’t wait.  Get people serving.  It is transformational.  But I don’t think I met these nonnegotiable rules or standards of leadership to be on the leadership board.  There was a lot that we did right in that church and a lot that we did that was way off of the New Testament mandates.  I should have apprenticed if you will for a while longer.

        We need to get our young men involved in leadership and in the management of the church and our church organizations early on.  I don’t see nearly enough leadership training and mentorship.  Every Christian man ought to be mentoring at least one other Christian man.  Same for the women.  If not, why not?  There is no good excuse.  But in our mentoring and discipleship process, we must intentionally follow God’s requirements and His principles outlined here by Paul.

        And it should not be a mystery as to how churches operate.  Make it clear to all what the expectations are.  Teach on 1 Timothy.  My proposition is that if the modern church adheres to God’s standards it will flourish.  God’s Kingdom will grow as He desires.  The church is in desperate demand for Bible-honoring conduct, a community that honors God’s Way.  It is what we do that matters.  Show our faith by our actions.

        So, let's have transparency in the requirements to lead and in the way that our church leadership is qualified and evaluated.  Don’t have anything to do with churches that give lip service only to God, but instead consolidate power in a few men for their personal gain.

        The principles and standards of conduct Paul lays out are not complex.  Senior leaders or elders must be men.  They must be married.  Yes, there may be exceptions for a Paul or a Timothy, but they should be extremely rare as these are God’s rules given through Paul, but commanded by Jesus Christ.

        And the leader must not only be married, but he must manage his household well.  That is the first test.  Examine whether a man is faithful to his wife.  If not then he may not be a leader in the household of God.  And this is an ongoing process.  We constantly grow and improve our organizations.  We are constantly on guard for the devil’s traps.

        And a church leader’s wife must be well respected.  Examine husbands and wives and make sure each is committed to the mystery of the faith now revealed (3:9).  If the wife meets these standards, then their husband may serve as a church leader.

        There are differences between the requirements of elders and deacons.  The elder is older, more experienced, able to teach, and one who opens his house for gatherings of Christians (gladly so).

        Elders must have a proven good reputation.  In the church community and the community at large.  This takes years of living wisely constantly exercising self-control and serving others - winning friends.

        The church leaders must have integrity.  They must not love money.  Greed is cancer, a disqualifier for the Christian leader.  Same for drunkenness.  Self-control is a prerequisite for leadership.  Similarly, and really importantly a Christian leader must be gentle, not quarrelsome, rude, or arrogant (3:3).  I’ve simply been shocked over the last few years by how many rude and quarrelsome people populate Church leadership.  You see it in the public disputes, you see it in private conversations and we certainly see it in social media.  And weak leaders let such conduct persist.  A prideful, boastful man is disqualified as a Christian leader.

        The Christian leader must have a clear conscience before God (3:9).  The free will God gives all people comes with God’s desire that all people be saved and that all exercise self-control.  We hear this throughout Scripture.  In the heart of every human is a strong desire for freedom.  That desire is from the Holy Spirit.  God gives us a desire, sometimes talked about as emptiness or dissatisfaction with our situation, to have peace and contentment and freedom from sin and addiction.  The good news is God offers all people true liberty, that is, freedom in Jesus Christ.

        But as we hear in this chapter each person is responsible for producing godly desires in our hearts and choosing conduct that accepts the Holy Spirit as our lead.  Who will lead you today?  Your sinful nature or God?  Yes, the clear conscience and self-control that Paul talks about in this chapter means that we must choose well, and live wisely.

        Let’s not fall for the devil’s trap.  The safety and comfort of our situation is deceiving.  The devil is eager and hard at work to set traps for potential and current Christian leaders.  These traps are pride in accomplishment, money, sex, idolatry, and fear of people or authority rather than fear of God.

        There are a million books and programs on leadership just like Dale Carnegie’s classic.  But in just a few words of this chapter, we have the standards for the overseers and managers of God’s household.  If we take these standards seriously we will do well.  

        Lord Jesus, may we as Christian men and women aspire to serve you as You make plain for us in Scripture.  May the Spirit of the Sovereign LORD be upon us today.  Amen.

Stained glass I saw in a church in Newport, Rhode Island.