What Makes A Leader

Good morning everyone! Glad to finally be back with you all and worship with you all this morning, Thank you Pastor E for that powerful and timely word last sunday!!

Quick update we are a 501(c)(3) now!!! Praise God! anything that has been given since 10/2025 is now considered tax deductible! (Church meeting right after service)

Lets jump into the sermon

Read 1 Timothy 3:1–13

PRAY!

Todays sermon is titled: What Makes a Leader

-We live in a time where the metrics of success have become dangerously shallow. Many churches care more about buildings, budgets, and butts in seats…

-and when that becomes the priority we push people into leadership to attain and maintain those goals…..

Churches are growing faster than character.

Attendance is rising… but depth is optional.

leaders on Platforms are rising faster than maturity.

-Someone can go from unknown to influential overnight — not because they’ve been proven, but because they’ve been visible.

-Leadership is often granted by gifting instead of godliness. We elevate charisma. We platform confidence. We celebrate competence.

-But Scripture never said the church was built on talent. And the result?

-Too many people wearing titles… with too little spiritual weight to carry them. I mean we have pastors for everything now…Tech pastor, connections pastor, small group pastor, online host pastor, first time guest pastor, coffee pastor….

-I think you get it…We have cheapened the calling of pastor… ANd i have said for a while now we have been giving out pastor the way Oprah used to and out gifts on her show!

-Too many voices speaking for God…who haven’t learned how to walk with Him.

-Too many hands holding authority… that haven’t first learned surrender.

-An this all happens Because in our culture, visibility gets mistaken for readiness.

If someone can communicate well — we assume they can lead well.

If someone can gather a crowd — we assume they can shepherd a soul.

If someone can move people emotionally — we assume they can guide people spiritually.

-But gifting can open doors that character cannot sustain. And when leadership outpaces formation… collapse is only a matter of time.

-The problem isn’t just bad leaders. It’s a broken view and definition of what leadership actually is.

-We’ve started treating spiritual leadership:

Like a promotion… instead of a responsibility.

Like a reward…instead of a burden.

Like a position to attain…instead of a life to live.

But when God defines leadership in 1 Timothy 3, He doesn’t start with talent.

-He starts with a life.Because in the Kingdom of God…Leadership is not about what you can do in public —it’s about who you are in private.

-Its’s Not about how loudly you speak —but how faithfully you live. Not about how many people follow you —but whether your life is actually worth following.

-And before Paul ever tells Timothy how to appoint leaders…He tells him what kind of life must already exist before the title ever does.

Leadership in the church is not about influence… it’s about integrity.

Part 1: The Office of Elder

-And this is where Scripture lovingly confronts us.

“This saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to be an overseer, he desires a noble work.” (1 Timothy 3:1)

-Notice — Paul doesn’t rebuke the desire.

He doesn’t say wanting to lead is wrong.

He doesn’t say aspiring is sinful.

He doesn’t say ambition is automatically pride.

-He calls it noble.Meaning — the desire to serve, shepherd, guide, and protect God’s people is a good thing.

-The problem isn’t the desire for leadership. The problem is when we desire the role… without desiring the life that must support it.

-Because in our world, aspiration usually means:

“I want the influence.” “I want the platform.” “I want the impact.”

-But in Paul’s world, aspiration meant:

“I’m willing to carry the weight.” “I’m willing to be examined.” “I’m willing to live in such a way that my private life can bear public responsibility.”

-And This is the tension: Wanting leadership is noble. But leadership in God’s Kingdom is not a title you achieve…It’s a life you are already living.

-Paul doesn’t say:

“If anyone aspires… train him how to speak.”

-He says:

“If anyone aspires… examine how he lives.”

Because before leadership is ever about what you do — It is about who you are when no one is watching. And here’s where grace enters the room.

-This passage is not here to crush desire. It’s here to purify it. It shifts the question from:

“How do I become a leader?”

to

“Am I becoming the kind of person whose life can carry leadership without harming others?”

-Because leadership in the church is never meant to be: A shortcut to significance, A substitute for identity, Or a stage for insecurity

-So Paul now begins to show us what kind of life must already be forming…before the title ever arrives.

-Not so someone can become a leader… But so that when leadership comes — it doesn’t destroy them, or the people they are called to serve.

-So with that in mind, Paul doesn’t move into strategies, skills, or spiritual résumés — he moves straight into character.

-The desire may be noble, but desire alone is not enough. Leadership in God’s church must rest on something deeper , it must be anchored in a life that has already been shaped by the gospel.

-And that’s why Paul now begins to lay out the qualifications — not as a checklist to earn a title, but as a portrait of the kind of person whose life can sustain the weight of shepherding God’s people.

(Lets Read v. 1–7 again)

Let’s walk through each of these 14 qualifications Paul lays out.

1. Above Reproach

Lets remember what an overseer is:

-In Scripture, an overseer is a shepherd of God’s people is interchangeable with pastor/elder.

-The word Paul uses refers to someone who watches over, guards, and cares for the spiritual well-being of the church. Their role is not to control people, but to care for them… not to dominate faith, but to cultivate it.

-An overseer helps guide the church in truth, protects it from harm, models godly living, and ensures that the people of God are being led toward Christ — not away from Him.

-Pauls say’s an overseer must be above reproach. This doesn’t mean sinless.

-Above reproach speaks to consistency.

-Their private life does not contradict their public calling. Their character does not collapse under scrutiny.

-Their relationships, habits, and decisions don’t form a pattern that undermines the gospel they proclaim.

-This doesn’t mean they never fail.

-It means when they do fail — they repent. They own it. They don’t hide it. They don’t defend it. They don’t build systems to protect their image instead of pursuing holiness.

-Most of you know at one point a few years ago i had to stop down because my life was matching up with what I was proclaiming, an I had to go away to heal and repent.

-An elder’s life should not give oxygen to slander — it should suffocate it.

-When accusations come, they don’t stick — because the overall witness of their life speaks louder than the claim.

-But unfortunately, in much of the Western church today… We have normalized leaders whose private lives contradict their public ministry.

Hidden addictions.

Secret compromises.

Unrepentant pride.

Relational wreckage at home while appearing polished on stage.

-And instead of being shocked by it… we’ve started expecting it. No longer are we suprised by the scandals that are all to common place in this day and age.

-Scandal has become explainable. Manageable. Even survivable.

-But in Paul’s vision for the church — it should be unthinkable. Because leadership in Christ’s church isn’t meant to survive exposure. It’s meant to withstand it.

-Above reproach means living in such a way that if the lights came on… if the messages were read… if the habits were known…The gospel would not be contradicted — it would be confirmed.

2. Husband of One Wife

-When Paul says an overseer must be the husband of one wife, he is not merely checking a marital status box.

-He is describing a kind of man. Literally, the phrase points to a “one-woman man.” A man marked by singular devotion.

-A man that is Faithful. Steady. Covenant-minded.

-This isn’t simply about being married versus unmarried. It’s about sexual integrity. It’s about whether a man’s heart is disciplined in a world that constantly invites it to wander.

-Because you can be legally married… and still not be a one-woman man.Paul is pressing deeper than paperwork.

-He’s asking:

Is this a man whose affections are anchored? Is this a man whose desires are shepherded? Is this a man who lives with covenant loyalty — not just outwardly, but inwardly?

-A one-woman man has:No hidden lust life, No private indulgences that contradict public holiness, No emotional entanglements that rival covenant commitment, No pattern of wandering imagination or attention

-Because sexual faithfulness is never just about marriage… It is about mastery of the heart.

-And this matters deeply for anyone who would oversee God’s church. Because if a man cannot shepherd his own desires… he cannot shepherd God’s people.

-If he is ruled by appetite… he cannot lead with wisdom. If his affections drift in secret… his leadership will eventually drift in public.

-Paul understands something we often ignore: Leadership failures rarely begin in theology. They begin in desire.

In the quiet places.

In the unseen compromises.

In the small allowances that slowly erode devotion.

-So before a man is entrusted with caring for Christ’s bride — the church —

-He must demonstrate faithfulness to his own. Not just in action…but in affection.

-Because the man who is entrusted with God’s people must be a man whose life says:

I understand covenant. I honor covenant. I keep covenant.

-Not perfectly — but genuinely. And that kind of faithfulness doesn’t just protect a marriage…It protects a church.

3. Self-Controlled

-When Paul says an overseer must be self-controlled (1 Timothy 3:2), he is describing a man who is not mastered by himself.

-He is not ruled by impulse. Scripture consistently calls God’s people — and especially leaders — to this kind of inner governance.

-Proverbs 25:28 says: “A person who does not control his temper is like a city whose wall is broken down.”

-In the ancient world, a city without walls was defenseless — exposed to every threat. Paul is saying an elder cannot be spiritually unguarded in this way.

-He must be steady. Not reactionary. Not explosive. Not constantly swinging between emotional extremes.

James 1:19–20 reinforces this:

“Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger, for human anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness.”

-An overseer cannot be driven by mood. His leadership cannot rise and fall based on stress, criticism, or pressure.

-In a culture of outrage and emotional volatility — where everyone is quick to react and slow to reflect — elders must be anchored souls.

-Self-control is not personality — it is evidence of the Spirit.

-Because leadership requires calm in moments of tension.

-Paul later tells Titus that an elder must be:“self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined.” (Titus 1:8)

-Why? Because people do not need leaders who mirror the storm. They need leaders who can stand in it without becoming it. So a self-controlled man lives out Proverbs 15:1: “A gentle answer turns away anger, but a harsh word stirs up wrath.”

He listens before speaking.

He prays before reacting.

He pauses before deciding.

-He does not let anger steer him. Meaning — emotions may come, but they do not get to rule. And this matters deeply.

-If discipline matters in temporary pursuits…How much more in eternal leadership? The man who cannot govern himself cannot help guide others.

-But a self-controlled elder becomes what Paul calls in Philippians 4:5:“a gentleness evident to all.” A stabilizing presence. A calm voice.

-A shepherd formed by the Spirit — not driven by impulse. Because before a man helps guide the hearts of others…He must show that his own heart is submitted to Christ.

4. Sensible

-When Paul says an overseer must be sensible (1 Timothy 3:2), he is pointing to a man who is clear-headed in how he sees life and how he lives within it.

-To be sensible means he is not extreme, reckless, or careless in judgment. He lives with spiritual and practical wisdom.

-He thinks rightly. He weighs things carefully. He is not naive about sin, people, or himself.

-The word carries the idea of being sober-minded — not just in behavior, but in perspective.

He isn’t impulsive in decisions.

He isn’t gullible in discernment.

He isn’t easily swept up in trends, pressure, or emotional reactions.

-Instead, he lives with measured judgment. A sensible man doesn’t just react to life — he reflects on it. He understands consequences. He sees beyond the moment.

-He considers: What is wise here? What honors Christ here? What protects people here?

In leadership, this matters deeply.

Because an elder will face:

Conflict

Complexity

Criticism

And emotionally charged situations

-And if he lacks sensibility — he may respond in ways that are technically sincere… but practically harmful.

A sensible elder is not:

Overly rigid

Overly permissive

Overly reactive

He has a settled mind shaped by truth.

He doesn’t panic in pressure. He doesn’t chase novelty. He doesn’t make decisions based on preference or popularity.

He lives out Proverbs 19:11: “A person’s insight gives him patience, and his virtue is to overlook an offense.”

Because sensibility allows a leader to: Slow down, See clearly, Respond wisely

-Instead of simply reacting loudly.

— a sensible overseer is a man whose mind has been formed by Scripture and steadied by the Spirit.

-So that when difficult moments come… He doesn’t just do what feels right — He does what is right.

5. Respectable

-When Paul says deacons must be respectable (1 Timothy 3:8), he is pointing to a life that carries quiet dignity and integrity.

-A respectable person is taken seriously because their conduct matches their confession — they are not flippant about holy things, careless in responsibility, or inconsistent in character.

-Their life reflects a seriousness about following Christ that earns trust both inside and outside the church.

-This doesn’t mean they are harsh or overly formal, but that there is a visible steadiness and sincerity about them that causes others to see their faith as genuine and their service as worthy of confidence.

6. Hospitable

-Leadership is not just platform ministry. It is table ministry.

-When Paul calls leaders to be hospitable, he is describing a heart posture more than a personality trait. Hospitality is the willingness to open your life — not just your home — for the good of others.

-It reflects warmth, accessibility, and a readiness to make space for people, especially those who might otherwise feel like outsiders.

-A hospitable leader does not live closed off or insulated, but creates environments where others are welcomed, known, and cared for. This kind of openness builds trust and reflects the gospel itself, reminding us that God welcomed us in Christ, and so His servants should live with the same posture toward others.

-Shepherding happens in living rooms, not just pulpits. If a shepheard/pastor does not smell like the flock…He is more than likely not hospitable….

7. Able to Teach

-When Paul says an overseer must be “able to teach” (1 Timothy 3:2), he is highlighting a core responsibility of leadership: feeding God’s people with truth.

-This qualification is not about eloquence, popularity, or public speaking skills. It is about clarity in the gospel and understanding of God’s Word. A man who shepherds the church must be able to explain Scripture, correct error, and guide others in faith.

-Leadership without teaching is like a shepherd without sheep—direction is meaningless if no one understands the path.

-Being able to teach also implies sound doctrine and discernment. ‘

-the ability to teach is not merely academic—it is transformational. The goal is not to impress people with knowledge, but to draw them into truth, correct error, and nurture faith.

This requires:

A deep understanding of Scripture.

The ability to apply truth to real life.

Patience to guide learners gently.

Integrity in living what is taught, because teaching is only credible when the teacher embodies the message.

-In short, an elder who is able to teach is a man whose mind is saturated with God’s Word and whose life demonstrates it, so that he can lead others in understanding, believing, and living the truth of Christ.

8. Not Addicted to Wine

-When Paul says an overseer must be “not addicted to wine” (1 Timothy 3:3), he is not merely giving a comment about alcohol consumption.

-He is drawing a line about mastery. Because the deeper issue is not the substance —the issue is control. Who is ruling this man?

-Paul is clear: an elder must not be mastered by anything outside of Christ.

Not by drink. Not by habit. Not by coping mechanisms that quietly take functional authority in his life.

-Wine in Paul’s day was one of the most common ways people escaped pressure, numbed stress, or softened pain — and Paul’s concern is not that leaders never face pressure… It’s that they do not look to something other than Christ to carry it.

-Because addiction is not always loud.

Sometimes it is socially acceptable.

Sometimes it is culturally normalized.

Sometimes it is even joked about.

-But Scripture consistently warns against anything that begins to take governing influence over a person’s life.

-Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6:12: “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial… I will not be mastered by anything.

-That’s the heart of this qualification. An overseer may have freedoms… But he refuses enslavement.

-Because leadership requires clarity. And anything that dulls judgment, weakens restraint, or becomes a functional refuge can slowly replace dependence on Christ.

-An elder is not ruled by anything but Christ.

-He does not need a drink to steady his soul. He does not depend on a substance to regulate his emotions. He does not reach for external relief as his primary refuge.

-Because if something becomes the place he runs to… It eventually becomes the thing that rules him.

-And a man who is ruled by anything other than Christ cannot faithfully help lead people into freedom.

-An overseer must model what true liberty looks like:

Not the freedom to indulge — but the freedom to live unmastered.

-Submitted not to appetite… But to the Lordship of Jesus.

9. Not a Bully but Gentle

-The qualification of being not a bully but gentle matters because spiritual authority is meant to heal, not harm. drawing a sharp contrast between forceful control and Christlike care.

-A bully leads through intimidation, pressure, or dominance — getting results by overpowering people rather than shepherding them. Gentleness, on the other hand, is not weakness; it is strength under control.

-It is the ability to correct without crushing, to lead without threatening, and to exercise authority without wounding the souls entrusted to you.

-This qualification is painfully relevant because there are leaders who function more like enforcers than shepherds — using harshness, fear, or manipulation in the name of conviction or strength. And the damage is real.

-When leadership becomes domineering, it silences the vulnerable, breeds spiritual anxiety, and turns the church into a place of survival rather than refuge.

-Paul’s standard reminds us that God’s people are not to be driven but cared for. A gentle leader reflects the heart of Christ, who described Himself as “gentle and lowly in heart” (Matthew 11:29), ensuring that authority builds up rather than breaks down the body it is meant to serve.

10. Not Quarrelsome

He is not addicted to conflict.

Some men love fighting more than shepherding.

An elder seeks peace, not victory.

11. Not Greedy

Ministry is not a financial ladder.

-When Paul says a leader must be not greedy (1 Timothy 3:8), he is addressing the posture of the heart toward money and gain. A godly servant is not driven by the pursuit of profit, status, or personal advantage.

-Their decisions are not shaped by what they can get out of ministry, but by how they can give themselves for the good of others. This reflects the warning of 1 Timothy 6:9–10, that the love of money can lead to ruin and pierce lives with many griefs.

-A leader who is not greedy serves with contentment and integrity, showing that their true treasure is not found in what they accumulate, but in the Christ they follow.

-When leadership becomes transactional, the church becomes a marketplace.

12. Leads His Household Well

-The qualification of leading his household well matters because the home is the proving ground of spiritual leadership. Paul makes this connection explicit here— if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he care for God’s church?

-This isn’t about control or perfection; it’s about faithful presence, responsibility, and relational stewardship. His leadership is first seen in how he loves, guides, disciplines, and serves those closest to him.

-The rhythms of patience, sacrifice, consistency, and grace must show up at home long before they are expected in the church.

-It also reveals that leadership in God’s kingdom is not proven on a stage, but in ordinary life. A man’s ability to nurture faith, cultivate order, and model Christlike character within his family reflects his readiness to shepherd others.

-The home exposes what public ministry can hide — whether authority is exercised with gentleness, whether love is consistent, and whether responsibility is embraced rather than avoided.

-By calling elders to lead their households well, Paul reminds us that spiritual care begins in the everyday relationships entrusted to them, forming the character necessary to guide the wider family of God.

13. Not a New Convert

-The qualification of not being a new convert matters because spiritual leadership requires tested depth, not just fresh enthusiasm.

- A new believer may love Christ sincerely, but without time to be rooted, shaped, and humbled by the rhythms of growth, they are especially vulnerable to pride — elevating them too quickly can confuse calling with readiness and position with maturity.

-Paul warns that rapid elevation can lead to becoming “conceited and falling into the same condemnation as the devil” (1 Timothy 3:6), reminding us that leadership must rest on formation, not excitement.

-Time in the faith allows a believer to develop resilience, self-awareness, and a proven track record of walking with God through both joy and hardship. Spiritual authority is not meant to grow faster than spiritual stability.

-By ensuring an overseer is seasoned rather than newly converted, the church protects both the individual from pressure they are not ready to carry and the congregation from leadership that has not yet been refined by time, truth, and testing.

-The Western church often platforms people before they are formed. ( I was guilty of this, reflecting back I wasn't ready to be a pastor when I became one)

14. Well-Thought of by Outsiders

-The qualification of being respected by outsiders matters because a leader’s life should make the gospel believable to those who don’t yet believe it.

-Paul says an overseer must “have a good reputation among outsiders” (1 Timothy 3:7), not to win popularity, but to ensure there is no credible hypocrisy that discredits Christ.

-This assumes something important — elders are not hidden in church subculture, but are living visible lives in the world. Their integrity at work, in neighborhoods, in friendships, and in everyday interactions should reflect consistency, humility, and trustworthiness that even nonbelievers recognize.

-It also reveals that faithful leadership involves proximity, not isolation. You can’t be respected by outsiders you never interact with.

-This qualification quietly assumes that elders are rubbing shoulders with nonbelievers — present in real spaces, building real relationships, and living out their faith where it can be seen and evaluated.

-When leaders engage the world with grace and integrity, their lives silence suspicion and remove unnecessary barriers to the gospel, showing that Christianity is not a performance for the church, but a transformed way of life in the public square.

A Necessary Hard Truth

-When we hold Paul’s list up next to much of what we celebrate in Western church leadership today… we have to be honest enough to feel the tension. Because somewhere along the way, we didn’t reject the standards outright…

-We just quietly lowered them.

-We began to prioritize what is impressive over what is formed.

-So holiness was slowly replaced with gifting. If someone could preach powerfully, lead dynamically, build quickly — we assumed their life must be solid enough.

-Maturity was replaced with momentum. If things were growing… if influence was expanding… if results were visible — we called it readiness.

-Character was replaced with charisma. If someone was compelling, confident, magnetic — we platformed them before they were proven.

-And when you build leadership on what is visible instead of what is vital… The outcomes are predictable. Moral collapse.

-Because gifting can take you where character has not yet sustained you.

-Because charisma without humility often becomes control.

-Because when the leader falls, people don’t just lose trust in a person — they begin to question the faith itself.

-And none of this should surprise us. Because God never designed leadership to be sustained by talent.

Talent may open doors.

Personality may gather crowds.

Skill may build systems.

But only transformation sustains souls.

-Only a life reshaped by the gospel can carry the weight of shepherding God’s people without turning leadership into performance, pressure, or power.

-Paul’s list reminds us:

The church doesn’t need impressive leaders.

It needs formed ones.

Men whose lives have been shaped in private long before they are seen in public.

Because when leadership rests on transformation… It doesn’t just grow something. It guards something.

-And that’s what these qualifications are meant to protect. The people of God.

Let’s move on.

Part 2: Why Deacons Are Needed

(Read vv. 8–13)

-Paul then turns to deacons. Why?

-Because elders cannot do everything. And they were never meant to.

-The word deacon means: Servant.

-Deacons are not lesser leaders. They are essential ones. They protect the church by supporting its health

Deacon Qualifications

Notice something: Their character standards are nearly identical.

1. Dignified

They carry spiritual seriousness. Not flippant about holy things.

2. Not Double-Tongued

No duplicity.

They don’t say one thing here and another there.

Trust is foundational.

3. Not Addicted to Much Wine

Again:They are not controlled by appetites.

4. Not Greedy for Money

Because many deacons handle resources.

Integrity in stewardship matters.

5. Hold the Mystery of the Faith with a Clear Conscience

They live what they believe.

Doctrine is not theory to them.

It shapes their lives.

6. Tested First

No rushed appointments.

Proven faithfulness matters.

7. Faithful at Home

Just like elders.

Private life reveals public readiness.

Why Deacons Matter

-Without deacons: Elders become overwhelmed.

-And when elders are stretched thin:

Teaching suffers

Prayer suffers

Shepherding suffers

-We see this principle in Acts 6.

-When service needs grew, spiritually qualified servants were appointed so that:

-The Word and prayer could remain central.

Deacons:

Stabilize the church

Support the mission

Protect unity

Enable elders to shepherd well

-They are shock absorbers for ministry pressure.

-Now lets get to the question, of who can be a deacon men and women?

- In this passage we just unpacked , Paul first gives qualifications for deacons, and then in verse 11 says, “Wives, likewise, should be worthy of respect, not slanderers, self-controlled, faithful in everything.”

-The key issue is the word translated wives, which can also be translated women. Notably, Paul does not say their wives — he simply says women likewise.

-That word likewise is important because Paul used it earlier in verse 8 to introduce deacons, suggesting he is now introducing another group serving in an official capacity.

-The structure appears to move from overseers, to deacons, to women likewise, which strongly suggests women serving in a recognized diaconal role rather than merely describing the spouses of male deacons.

-This understanding is reinforced in Romans 16:1, where Paul commends Phoebe and calls her a diakonos — the same word used for deacon — of the church at Cenchreae.

-He does not describe her as assisting a deacon, but as one herself. Taken together, this indicates that the role of deacon in Scripture is open to qualified men and women who serve the church through ministry and care.

-Unlike the overseer or elder role, which is tied to teaching and governing authority, the role of deacon is centered on service, and in Scripture, service is defined not by gender but by calling, character, and faithfulness.

CLOSING:

-The question is not: “Do we have leaders?”

-The question is: Do we have leaders who meet God’s standard?

-And beyond that: Are we becoming people shaped by these same virtues?

-Because these aren’t just leadership traits.

They are Christian maturity traits.

The church is healthiest when: Elders lead with holiness and Deacons serve with faithfulnes

-Together: They display Christ — The true Shepherd and The true Servant.

Heart Check Time……

-There is a danger when we read passages like this.

-We can begin to think: “If I live this way… maybe I’ll become a leader.”

But that’s not the point. Paul is not giving us a leadership ladder. He’s giving us a maturity mirror.

-These qualifications are not things we start pursuing once we wants a title. They are things every believer should already be pursuing because they belong to Christ.

We Don’t Live This Way to Become Elders

We live this way because we belong to Jesus.

We pursue:

Faithfulness

Self-control

Integrity

Gentleness

Soundness in doctrine

-Not because we want authority… …but because we’ve been transformed.

-The goal is not:

“Live like this so you can lead.”

The goal is:

“Live like this because you follow Christ.”

Leadership Is Recognition — Not Achievement

-In Scripture, leadership is never something you manufacture. It’s something the church recognizes.

-No one in the New Testament campaigns for eldership. No one builds a resume for it.

Instead: A man is already living in such a way that the church simply says:

“He’s already shepherding… he just doesn’t have the title yet.”

-Eldership is not a reward for effort. It is the acknowledgment of visible maturity.

The Reality Is…

A man doesn’t become gentle when he becomes an elder.

A man doesn’t become self-controlled when he becomes an elder.

A man doesn’t suddenly love truth when he becomes an elder.

-He either already is… or he should not be.

=Because the role does not form the man. The man qualifies for the role because Christ has already been forming him.

Close with reading 1 Timothy 3:14-16.