1 Tim 3 - On Church Leadership

If you’ve never done a particular job, it is easy to think “anybody could do that, it is simple!”

5 years ago Salary.com evaluated all the roles of a stay-at-home mom and estimated what it would cost to hire someone for all those tasks. Before the inflation since Covid-19 the value was set above $178K, today we may be talking NFL quarterback money.

Let me set up this video clip by distancing myself from the comment 12 seconds in. I do NOT believe what this character asserts, but I do believe this 1 minute describes jobs that many of us perform regularly.

Play EDS, an HP Company 'Cat Herders'

Earlier this week an anonymous “Social Media warrior” took aim at my life calling. I don’t want to claim that my calling is any more difficult than yours, just that it IS different and is often misunderstood.

This isn’t about me, or trying to generate sympathy for those who get the rare privilege to do what I do. You have always treated me honorably! But I share this task with a team of godly men who share in the burden of compassion, concern, and anxiety over you without financial reward.

In today’s text the Apostle shines a spotlight on those who lead and serve in a local church. The New Testament uses 8 different titles (Overseer, Elder, Deacon, Ruler, Leader, Pastor, Teacher & Preacher) in at least 71 different verses to describe what we call Elders and Stewards.

America’s largest protestant denomination has spent the last 2 years debating the various shades of these 8 titles and has even excommunicated (or broken fellowship) with some congregations over differing understanding of this issue. Ironically, the rarest NT title of these 8 regarding leaders of a local church is “Preacher” (only used 2x) and the 2ndleast used is “Pastor” (appears 3x). But often the other 6 titles are ignored as heated debates fire up over the question of “Are all preachers pastors and are all pastors preachers?” Closely on the tail of that debate are questions of what God and society say about if SSA adults, women, or divorcees can be either preachers and/or pastors.

For all who want to know what the Bible says, more than what our society thinks or feels, I prepared a spreadsheet with the 8 Titles and the 70+ verses (from the Day of Pentecost through all the epistles) that use these words to describe leadership in a local church. Copies are available on the short table in the back middle of the Sanctuary.

With the awareness that this is only 1 of the 260 chapters in our New Testament, let’s take a moment to see what God says about those who impact His Church.

A Local Church Needs Noble Supervisors (1 Tim 3:1-7)

The 15 qualities of these 7 verses have been grouped in various ways with overlap of the other texts. Some divide into positive things to look for and negative aspects to avoid. Gene Gets merges these 15 with others in Titus to come up with a profile of 20 qualities to pursue.

These are not a checklist, but a filter where maturity can be identified. There is NO EVIDENCE that these behaviors and attitudes are reserved for a few but describe what we all should desire to grow into.

Andreas Kostenberger, an Austrian professor currently living in Kansas City, writes that “The character qualities are substantially the same as Graeco-Roman ideals for virtuous behavior, and the standards are not set particularly high.” Kostenberger goes on to write, Paul’s challenge to Timothy is that he “should make sure the elders are qualified and replace ones who are not[i].”

Since I have difficulty with lists longer than the 5 fingers on one hand, I like to group them into 4 categories.

Church Supervisors need honor in the community

Above reproach

Respectable

Not quarrelsome

Well thought of by outsiders

This matter of being honorable is a long-term trust. I could begin naming Christian leaders, many of whom you would recognize their names, who became disgraced when media dug up something from their past, even decades before, that accusers do not think was handled severely enough.

5. In one situation, current Elders are being shamed for what they did not know about a pastor’s history. Let me give some credit to our leaders. 7 years ago this month they were investigating me. In at least one situation, one of our Elders asked one of my references to provide the name of someone else in that church who could vouch for me. It was this person whom I did not name whose testimony had great influence.

Church Supervisors need character in their personality

Sober-minded

Self-controlled

Hospitable

Not a drunkard

Not violent but gentle

Not a lover of money

Several years ago I was advised by another preacher that If I take care of my character, God is able to take care of my reputation.

Perhaps that can be a word of encouragement for those of our congregation who have, are, or may in the future campaign for public office.

Church Supervisors need respect in their homes

Yesterday much of my extended family gathered to celebrate my parents’ 60th wedding anniversary. Many of you know that dad was a pastor since before I was born until 3 years ago. I could testify to the times that my parents demonstrated frustration and my sisters were not always submissive. Our oldest daughter is with us this morning and if you take up a collection, you may be able to buy some testimony about the one or two times that I came up short in this quality.

But generally, neither my siblings nor my children can ever speak of a time when their dad’s affections were set on anyone other than their mother. And honestly it could be said that both generations of pastoral fathers did the best that they could with what they had.

Husband of one wife

Manage his own household

With dignity keeping his children submissive

4. Likewise, their spouses surely know things I don’t, but I cannot think of a single accusation of any of our current or previous elders who ever had a wandering eye or miserable failures in their households.

Church Supervisors need integrity in the church

Able to teach

Skilled to care for God’s church

Not a recent convert

We read the word teach and we naturally think of group settings. But historically more teaching has occurred in the trades and ethics between a mentor/apprentice than ever happens in a lecture hall. The ability to explain is the one quality that is glaringly absent from the next role.

TRANSITION: Some lead by serving and others serve by leading. The inactivity attributed to the halls of government can be linked to too many bosses without workers.

A Local Church Requires Dignified Servers (1 Timothy 3:8-13)

v.8 begins with a word that describes a person who serves but is different than words for servants or slaves. In our bylaws we use the term steward for one who cares for property belonging to another.

The word can be used to speak of either a male or female and that is the first group of qualities, then Paul addresses directly the female deacons (which could be a deaconess whose husband is not a deacon, OR the female half of a couple that serves together) and back to deacons who are husbands.

I’m choosing to highlight just 3 words that address personality, behavior and faith.

Church Servers must be dignified in their demeanor

Dignified – this word is used 2x (once for the gender-inclusive deacons and again for female deacons in v.11)

This is not stoic or stiff, it is the idea of responsible or attentive. Our workdays are marked by laughter, but the task remains forefront until completed.

You may have chuckled at a funeral or laughed at a wedding, but hopefully you never walked away thinking the pastor was trying to be a stand-up comedian. That is the idea of dignified.

Church Servers must be exemplary in their behavior

blameless is not perfection. It means that if someone starts to make accusations, the accuser will regret it. It is the same idea as above reproach that we had in v.2.

I admit that I hold law enforcement in high regard. That does NOT mean that when I see a story of one cop who used his own money to buy groceries for a hungry, neglected kid that I assume all cops are obligated to do the same. I also can separate the bad apples who do atrocious things in uniform from the rest of the staff who would never do the same.

2. Just like Olympic scoring, I can throw out the high and low scores and average the rest. That is the expectation we can have of those who hold serving offices in the church.

Church Servers hold to strong faith (v.13)

Confidence – their great confidence is linked to faith that is in Christ Jesus.

These are not just “good ole boys”, but they are individuals whose life is shaped by their faith.

TRANSITION: Finally, whether you lead or serve, we all find identity in vv.14-16.

A Local Church Demands Godliness (1 Timothy 3:14-16)

Behavior is not determined by pragmatism, but by a person.

Belongs to the Living God (v.15)

The household of God is bigger than any congregation or denomination.

The household of God is bigger than any language or citizenship.

The household of God is not limited by location or time.

Whether Paul came to them or remained away, they belong to God’s household. Whether Paul came soon or delayed, they belong to God’s household. Whether they identified as blue, red, purple or orange, they belong to God’s household.

Belonging to God’s household is an allegiance that runs deeper that color, location, culture, or language!

Belonging to God’s household means we have observed the mystery.

A Hidden Mystery (v.16a)

A mystery doesn’t have to be spooky or shocking.

It is simply something that used to be hidden but is now revealed.

I remind you that Timothy was pastor at Ephesus and Paul wrote a letter to that church that we call the book of Ephesians. In 4 of the 6 chapters of that book, Paul mentions a mystery. Paul also wrote a letter to Colosse (126 miles to the East) about this mystery.

This mystery involves who, where and what He does.

Eph 5:32 gives a name to Timothy’s mystery

Col 1:27 places Him within us.

Paul echoes in Eph 3:10 what his buddy Peter (1 Peter 2:10) wrote that the people of God used to all be from one clan, but the mystery is that God could make one people out of very different tribes through His presence.

Godliness has a Name (v.16b)

“He” is emphatic.

The mystery of godliness is not ordinary, it is great.

The godly mystery is that a person was manifested in the flesh.

He is an additional unnecessary word that makes the person manifested bold, italicized and underlined and enlarged.

There is only 1 who came from Heaven (was manifested in the flesh) and was taken up in glory.

There is only 1 who was both vindicated and witnessed in the Spiritual world.

There is only 1 of whom preaching about Him is believed throughout the world. [yes, there are other religious figures whom people are raised to follow, but only 1 universally brings a conversion of belief through preaching that is supported (vindicated) by God’s Spirit]

Conclusion:

There are GREAT leaders in business and politics who have NO PLACE in leading a local church. You can find wonderful workers who simply do not rise to the qualities of a local church server or steward.

The church is not like other organizations or enterprises, our reputation and our priority MUST be singularly on the mystery that Jesus Christ takes up residence in us and makes us one body.

Response Song #277.............. “The Church’s One Foundation”

[i] Mangum, Douglas, and E. Tod Twist. 2013. 1 Timothy. Edited by Douglas Mangum and Derek R. Brown. Lexham Research Commentaries. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.