1 Timothy 3:1-2 - Christian Leadership

        The Bible has a lot to say about leadership and lack thereof.  The message of this chapter needs to be at the center of what we teach the next generation.  We need young men who aspire to lead and manage their families in a way that honors God.

        God has harsh words for poor leadership.  We see that throughout Scripture.  God has no time for greedy Pharisees or those who believe it is their academic pedigree or family connection that somehow qualifies them as church leaders.  God’s disciples were a motley crew.  Educated and uneducated.  God saw their hearts.  God is after servant leaders who get it.  First and foremost, they are men who love God, so much so that they show it in every aspect of their lives.  Their lives are above reproach.  And their reputation inside and outside the church honors God.  In spades.

        In the Book of Isaiah, we hear God’s point of view about what godly leaders are supposed to be like.  God’s watchmen, His shepherds are supposed to be diligent, prudent, protectors of the sheep, well aware of the status and condition of everything in their households and their flock, and well informed.  God saw through the wicked leaders' whitewashing and gaslighting.  In the Old Testament God calls them blind, ignorant, idle, lazy, greedy gluttons.  They were selfish men focused on personal gain (Isaiah 56:12).  Sound familiar?  Sadly, we see that way too often in the church.  There is nothing new under the sun.

        “This is a trustworthy saying: ‘If someone aspires to be an elder, he desires an honorable position.’  So an elder must be a man whose life is above reproach.  He must be faithful to his wife  He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation.  He must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must be able to teach” (1 Timothy 3:1-2).  That is our standard.

        When we ask kids, “So, what do you want to be when you grow up?” what do they say?  “I want to be a church elder, one who manages my family well and cares for God’s church.”  I suspect that’s likely one in a million responses these days.  It shouldn’t be.  I don’t think even inside the church that kids, teens, or even churchmen think about the offices and roles of elders and deacons - the authority and responsibility in the church.  Jesus' way of leadership is different.  It is a matter of service and hard work.

        But yet, the Bible makes clear that our young men should aspire to be elders.  So should our older men.  For the elder holds an honorable position.  Honor not as determined by men, but as determined by God our Father.

        Who are we kidding, many churches today don’t even have elders.  They just don't care.  They have one-man CEOs, church “boards” that no one knows what they do or who they are, or various egalitarian collectives.  We have no idea if these people manage their own families well.  In many instances, they have terrible reputations.  Yet no one cares.  God does.  I’m not saying every church needs to be the same or have my congregationalist bent on governance.  But I am saying God’s standards here for elders must be adhered to.  We ignore and disregard Scripture at our peril.

        When Kari and I were first baptized (second time for each of us as we were both baptized as infants) about 24 years ago we became members of a Southern Baptist Church in Calgary.  The old pastor there was incredibly wise.  He saw the mustard seed of faith in both of us and fanned it into a burning fire.  His name was Pastor Allen Schmidt.  He was a Canadian farm boy who went to seminary in Dallas and started and pastored various Southern Baptist churches in Western Canada.  I didn't appreciate him as much as I should have.  He held monthly business meetings.  Everything was transparent.  He was pastoring in the most affluent part of Calgary, but he was a straight-talking, hard-working carpenter.  Just like his Saviour, Jesus Christ.  He honored the reading and teaching of Scripture.  He loved his family, but he wasn't into nepotism.  He loved the flock the way God expected.  Allen made a point of getting everyone involved in service in some way.  He said yes way more than no.  Can we start a new kids' ministry?  Yes.  Can we try this evangelism idea?  Yes.  Can we plan a mission trip to Saskatchewan?  “Yes.  Do it.  Go, God be with you.”  His kids his grandkids and his extended family all saw him walk the walk.  Allen has long since passed on to eternity, but I think of him often and I'm so thankful for his example.  He honored God.  He was an elder in the order of 1 Timothy 3.  And he was the hardest worker in the congregation.

        Here’s a novel idea: Let’s follow God’s way.  God’s way is way more exciting anyway and - it is better.  Better than our worldly schemes and structures.

        God’s way says an elder must be a man.  Is God wrong about this?  Mistaken?  Misunderstood?  The proof is in the pudding, God’s church requires elders to be men whose lives are above reproach.  This does not mean women do not have areas to serve, lead, and teach.  There is more than enough responsibility in the church to have every one of us active in service.  We are not looking for perfect men - there is only one of those.  But we must be honest about the lives of those we choose as elders.  Are they of questionable character?  Are they deceitful?  Are they greedy, etc?  Heavy drinkers?  If so, they are disqualified.  We need to stop pretending this chapter of the Bible doesn’t exist.  It does.  And it is there for the health of our families and our churches.

        The devil will indeed set traps for our leaders.  Sex, money, power, pride, family, distraction (think football), and addiction.  Our leaders have to be well-prepared and strong.  For the battlefield is dangerous and the traps are deadly.

        An elder must be faithful to his wife.  Marriage is God’s.  It is sacred.  Here’s an idea.  Part of the marriage ceremony should be a charge that the young husband be faithful to his wife forever and aspire to the honorable position of elder in the church.  Too much?  Too conservative?  I think not.

        Lord Jesus, may we as your followers and servants have the desire to please you, to care for your church, and to love all people as you do.  May we as Christian husbands love and treat our wives well, and be faithful to God and to our wives.

        And may we raise a generation of Christian men who are eager and qualified to serve the noble and honorable position of elder.  God’s way.  May our sons and grandsons all be qualified in the eyes of God to serve well.  And may our daughters be the women that God describes in this chapter.  The industrious women as described in Proverbs 31.

        Thank you for this wonderful day Lord Jesus.  Thank you for this Christmas Eve, a day to ponder your rescue mission.  And the awe that Mary and Joseph were about to experience.  We entrust it to you.  Amen.

Merry Christmas, 2023