1 Timothy - God’s Design Ch 3

Lost But Not Forgotten

LBNF is a mission we as a church support through offerings. They have an opportunity to go into a new area to share the Gospel but need some support.

Possible new flow

Character is key.

We can look at the and see he had no character.

Those who leading the church Ephesus when Timothy got there were horrible.

You can be a bad leader in the secular world, and it does not necessarily have such a bad impact on the business. But not in the

Character Is Key

Today’s message comes from 1 Timothy chapter 3 and we are calling it, Character is Key. I want to be clear I am going to talk about leadership in the church and I am very passionate about this. I may talk some of you out of leading in the church. That is OK. But I believe God is calling some to lead. I believe that God is calling us as a church to a new level of leadership.

The bulk of chapter 3 is dedicated primarily to the characteristics of a church leader. Part of the issue that caused the letter to be written in the first place was to

1 Timothy 1:3 CSB

remain in Ephesus so that you may instruct certain people not to teach false doctrine

Leaders who should never have been leaders were and they teaching false doctrine. In week 1 we said that we need

Love from the right motives for the right things.

These church leaders were not teaching right doctrine because they did not have the right motives.

1 Timothy 1:7 CSB

They want to be teachers of the law, although they don’t understand what they are saying or what they are insisting on.

People were teaching not because they loved the law or the Gospel or other people but position. They wanted to be important. To be called “Pastor so and so” was important to them. Their position was important. They were ignorant of the truth but continued to speak anyway.

The Bible has much to say about this.

James 3:1 CSB

Not many should become teachers, my brothers, because you know that we will receive a stricter judgment.

This verse kept me from teaching for many years as it should many others. There is grace and there is mercy and sometimes we get it wrong but there should always be a caution for those who want to teach the Scriptures. God has standards. He desires for those who proclaim the Word of God to give themselves to the study of the Word of God.

At the highest level there are different types of Pastors in our modern day. We have worship pastors, children’s pastors, family pastors, and so on. These are ways we have contextualized the Gospel to our culture and that is ok, all teach in some way. Maybe not in the pulpit but all Pastors are teaching in some way. To teach the Word of God is to submit yourself to it.

Be careful before you decide to teach the Word of God as a preacher do not run into it hastily. Be sure of your calling.

In our church and thousands of other churches we call them pastors. For all including teachers God via Paul has qualifications. I think it is interesting that the qualifications listed here in 1 Timothy are about character and not skill. They are about the type of person not their role in the church. I believe and hold to this idea that all leaders in the church need to hold to this ideal. Again, none of us are perfect but we will pursue this.

As it pertains to Journey this applies to pastors, those on the leadership team, and those who lead people from worship, to students, to prep, to kids. To lead at Journey is to commit to a lifestyle of seeking God’s way above all else. This is because we are not just leaders we are setting a tone and calling people up to something. We are setting an example. This is another reason we run background checks.

What is interesting is that,

Paul is concerned not only that the elders have Christian virtues (these are assumed) but they they reflect the highest ideals of the culture as well.

Gordon D Fee

What does that mean? It means that it is assumed they are Christians who give themselves to Christian virtues like hope, faith, and love. That is a given. But they also are ideal citizens.

Christians are always called to be the best citizens.

Justin Martyr who died around 165 AD wrote to the emperor and said,

“We are also your fellow citizens, and we know that the Christians are the best of the citizens, and we are not anarchists, but obey the laws, not only of your kings but of God Himself.” (First Apology, Chapter 14)

We are called to be not just followers of God but representatives of Him on earth. As Christians we are called to be good citizens.

We will lump overseers and deacons together for the sake of time. And we will leave these up here for a while.

Here is the list.

Above reproach

Devoted to their spouse

Self Controlled

Respectable

Hospitable

Able to Teach

Not a Drunkard

Not a bully but gentle

not argumentative

Not greedy

Manage their own house well (money and family)

Not a new convert

a good reputation among outsiders

Worthy of Respect

Tested or tried

Their spouse must also be of worthy of respect

I keep this list on my phone and review it from time to time and examine myself to see were I stand. Sometimes I fall shorter than I like so I ask God to help me be the man He has called me to be.

We need to be honest that none of our perfect and it is not about perfection.

When we are talking about being a leader is it not just about skill. Skill is important but it is about character as well.

Character is Key. Are you the right type of person. Who are you as a person.

If you want to be a business leader it might be ok that you are a heavy drinker.

If you are a baseball coach it might be ok that you are a bit of bully.

If you are the manager of a grocery store maybe it is not a big deal that people do not like you. That you are not well respected.

If you are a doctor maybe being greedy is not as big of a deal.

If you are the manager of a business maybe your family not being right it not a problem.

If you are lawyer maybe it is ok if your wife and kids are out of control.

But not in the church.

Leaders in the church suffer the most.

D. A. Carson

That is why character is key.

Now if you are a leader do not miss hear me. I am not saying your life must be hard but what I am saying is that we must be willing to suffer for the sake of the Gospel and the church. You must be willing to sacrifice. To be a leader in the church is to be regularly tested.

And as the level of leadership increases the level of testing increases because Jesus cares about His church.

Judges 3:1–2 NLT

These are the nations that the Lord left in the land to test those Israelites who had not experienced the wars of Canaan. He did this to teach warfare to generations of Israelites who had no experience in battle.

The testing of a leader is good.

These are not in order.

Small Group Leaders

To lead is a small group is to shepherd people. You do not need all the answers. You do not need to know everything, but you need the right heart. Are you willing to be a shepherd to the people of God? Are you willing to walk with people in their joys and in their pain? Are you willing to pastor the flock of God?

It means to invite a certain level of examination. You are asking people to judge your actions and demeanor. To come into your home or your life and respect you.

A small group leader is a type of pastor, a shepherd of God’s flock. I believe that God is calling some of you today into this level of service.

Children’s, Prep, and Student Leaders

You do not simply teach Bible stories to kids or hang out with kids to play games you are modeling Christ and Christlike living to them. You are the ones they will look to when they are questioning what it means to lead. You are the ones they will look to when asking how to handle difficult situations.

To teach kids or students. To volunteer as a leader is to commit to modeling Christ to those who lead after you.

You are leaders not just volunteers. You have accepted a sacred responsibility. Some of you are being called to lead this way and it is time to step into this role.

Worship Leaders

To stand on this stage and sing is not just to sing but to lead people into worship of the living God. It is to worship and bring people with you. It is an area where pride can creep in and cause you to feel elevated above the role.

To stand on this stage and worship is to walk a dangerous road that can quickly lead to pride. Guard yourselves carefully.

Always remember you are not preforming. You are here to worship. With songs, with instruments, with tears. You worship in your pain, your trouble, and your joy. You are teaching people that God is worthy of and can be worshipped in all situations.

Some of you have been standing on the sidelines when you should be standing up here and teaching others how to give God your all.

Pastors

In Christian ministry the higher you go the less you can do.

Are you willing to suffer for the bride of Christ? To be a pastor in the church is not like other jobs. You might have an office and do office things but it is not an office job.

To accept this level of leadership is to submit to a high calling. You are inviting a level of spiritual testing that is not for the faint of heart. The enemy will tempt you and the Lord will test you. You will be put through the crucible and refined often without notice.

1 Peter 5:2–4 CSB

Shepherd God’s flock among you, not overseeing out of compulsion but willingly, as God would have you; not out of greed for money but eagerly; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

Are you willing to accept it? Are you willing to be judged constantly? Are you willing to have people talk about you? Are you willing to know that people will second guess your decisions? Are you willing for your family to be held to an impossible standard by people. Not by God but people are people. They will always be looking at your family. Are you ready for that?

As pastors we are not perfect but often times people are difficult and you have to be willing to deal with that.

We are starting a 9 month process with the Mortons and with Jesse to lead to ordination. To test them, to try them, to shape them. Please be praying for them.

The Call

Some are hearing and me feel a passion burning. You hear this call and this warning and you are saying yes I will serve. You are prepared to go the distance and push. You hear the call of leadership want to dive in. You are prepared to suffer for the call. You hear the call and your spirit is stirred.

I believe that God is calling some to accept the mantle of leadership today. You are ready to press in and not make excuses.

It is not a desire, it is not a want, it is not a job, it is a calling. If that is not you that is ok but this is what is expected of your leaders. That is the expectation of leadership here at Journey.

We need to stop sugar coating the cost of leadership. We need to stop appealing to the lowest common denominator. We need leaders who are willing to do the work.

We need those who are called.

God does not call the qualified, He qualifies the called.

To accept the call is to be willing to suffer for the of the Gospel at times. But it is a call you cannot resist.

For me it was simply,

1 Corinthians 9:16 CSB

For if I preach the gospel, I have no reason to boast, because I am compelled to preach—and woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!

Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel. What is your woe to me?

My question is what is your calling in the church? We all have various callings for vocation and maybe what God is calling you to leads to vocation or getting paid and maybe it does not. I like many other pastors led for a long long time before ever being paid and then worked two and three jobs while being paid, but that can be part of accepting the call.

I was telling the first impressions team the other day Julie and I first served as greeters, then in students, and so on. I knew I had a calling to ministry and I was willing to do anything to serve.

Will you serve? Will you teach kids, will you serve students, will you serve in worship, will you be a leader? You know if this is you. I do not need to tell you. You feel the call burning in you. You feel the stirring. Maybe you need to start out in first impressions or tech to make sure, but I can promise you this. If you answer the call everything will change and we will help develop you.

Will you answer the call?