How to Treat Church Leaders - 1 Timothy 5:17-25

©March 8, 2020 by Rev. Rick Goettsche SERIES: 1 Timothy

I thoroughly enjoy most parts of my job. I love getting to serve the people of our church and community, I love getting to teach others things God has taught me, and I absolutely love getting to see people grow in their faith. As difficult as it is, I also love that I can be there with people at the best and worst times of their lives. But there is one part of my job I hate—putting together the church budget. It’s not because I don’t think a budget is important (because it is) or because I’m not good with numbers (I am), it’s because part of that budget includes a discussion of my salary. I hate that part of my job. While I depend on a salary from the church in order to pay my bills and support my family, the reason I do this job is not because of the paycheck, it’s because I believe it is what God wants me to do. I think this is true of most pastors, and I suspect most pastors would rather not talk about their salary with their congregations.

Our text today talks about how we should care for church leaders. Understand, I am not preaching on this text today because I have an axe to grind with the way Dad or I are treated by the church. This is just where we are in 1 Timothy. And though I’d rather gloss over such a passage, Paul speaks boldly and clearly as to how we should treat those who lead the church. Paul believed it important enough to write to Timothy about, so we are going to examine what Paul says and draw some principles we can apply in our church and help others apply in their churches. I believe that as we do this, it will change not just how we treat our pastors, but one another as well.

Double Honor

Paul begins by stating his thesis for this passage,

17 Elders who do their work well should be respected and paid well, especially those who work hard at both preaching and teaching. 18 For the Scripture says, “You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain.” And in another place, “Those who work deserve their pay!” (1 Timothy 5:17-18, NLT)

Other translations of this same passage say that elders are worthy of double honor. The New Living Translation clarifies that by telling us that they should be respected and paid well. These two things together constitute a double honor. Paul speaks specifically about those who work hard at preaching and teaching. So, it seems that the elders Paul is describing here would primarily be our modern-day pastors.

He first turns to the topic of pay. Paul quotes two passages to support his argument. The first is from the book of Deuteronomy, where the law says not to muzzle an ox as it treads out grain. (No, I didn’t miss the fact that Paul compares pastors to oxen!) In ancient times grain was ground by spreading it out and having oxen walk around in circles pulling a millstone, thus threshing the grain and grinding it into flour. The principle behind this law was that these beasts of burden should be able to benefit from the work they were doing, so you shouldn’t muzzle them to keep them from eating the grain they were threshing and grinding. Paul’s principle seems to be that if God was concerned that oxen be cared for as they did their work, how much more true should that be of those who work for the Lord!

Paul’s second reference is a word-for-word quotation from the book of Luke. This is significant because Paul describes both the passage from Deuteronomy and the passage from Luke as scripture. So, Paul recognized both the Old Testament and the New Testament as having equal authority and weight. It also shows us that even at this early date, Paul was likely familiar with the book of Luke in some form.

Paul quotes the words of Jesus, “Those who work deserve their pay!” Paul again applies this to those whose work is ministry. In 1 Corinthians 9, Paul elaborates,

7 What soldier has to pay his own expenses? What farmer plants a vineyard and doesn’t have the right to eat some of its fruit? What shepherd cares for a flock of sheep and isn’t allowed to drink some of the milk? 8 Am I expressing merely a human opinion, or does the law say the same thing? 9 For the law of Moses says, “You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain.” Was God thinking only about oxen when he said this? 10 Wasn’t he actually speaking to us? Yes, it was written for us, so that the one who plows and the one who threshes the grain might both expect a share of the harvest.

11 Since we have planted spiritual seed among you, aren’t we entitled to a harvest of physical food and drink? (1 Corinthians 9:7-11, NLT)

Paul is addressing the notion prevalent even in his day that those whose work is ministry should not receive any income from that work. Paul was adamant throughout his writings that those who devote their lives to ministering to the church should be provided for by the church. Paul chose to support himself through other means, but he insisted that the church should financially support those who served them.

Why does Paul belabor this point? I think he has several reasons. First, if we provide adequately for our pastors, they can devote themselves fully to ministry, which benefits the church as a whole. If our pastors are constantly concerned about whether they will be able to live on the salary they receive, their attentions and energies will be divided. Second, when pastors look around and see others with similar levels of education and responsibilities but different levels of compensation, they may feel unappreciated, thinking their church doesn’t see their work as valuable. This is not a good thing for the pastor or the church. Pay communicates value and approval, and a person who feels valued does a much better job. Third, Paul is teaching us not to take each other for granted. He is teaching us to look out for the needs of others instead of only our own.

So how should churches set the salary of their pastors? There’s no magic formula, but I think there are some guidelines. First, churches should approach salaries differently than the business world does. The business world tries to get the best people for the least amount of money. The Church should be different. Our goal should be to care for our pastor the best we can. We should ask, what would best enable him to serve the church wholeheartedly? Does the salary we pay communicate that we value his work? Are there needs we can meet to lighten his load? The answer to these questions will vary in each situation, but when churches approach salaries this way, they make pastors feel valued rather than used.

Second, we should recognize that salary is not the only way we can (or should) compensate those who lead. Ministry is a draining job. There are odd hours, many crises, a great deal of criticism, and a constantly changing schedule. There are many ways churches can care for their pastors:

Make sure they have a regular day off where they can be free of church work

Ensure they have adequate time to take vacations, where they can recharge from the drains of ministry and reconnect with their family

Find simple ways to express appreciation and encouragement (as ministry is often very discouraging)

Ensure they have the tools they need to minister effectively.

All of these require us to anticipate the needs of our pastors, to put ourselves in their shoes and understand their unique challenges. Doing this with our pastors hopefully helps us to do the same to everyone else. This attitude of anticipating and attempting to meet each other’s needs can radically transform a church. In most other places in the world people are focused only on themselves. If the church learns to focus on the needs of others, we will stand out in the world and be a magnet to those desperately longing for someone to see them and care for them.

The second part of the double honor equation is respect. Respect isn’t about giving church leaders particular titles (like Reverend, Your Eminence, Pastor, etc.) Some people choose to do that as a way of showing respect, and that’s great, but what Paul is urging is much deeper than just a title. He says respect is about how we treat leaders.

19 Do not listen to an accusation against an elder unless it is confirmed by two or three witnesses. 20 Those who sin should be reprimanded in front of the whole church; this will serve as a strong warning to others. 21 I solemnly command you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus and the highest angels to obey these instructions without taking sides or showing favoritism to anyone. (1 Timothy 5:19-21, NLT)

Paul says we should not give credence to every accusation leveled against our leaders. This doesn’t mean we should overlook genuine offenses or try to sweep them under the rug either (as has happened in many churches through the years). Rather, we should give our leaders the benefit of the doubt, and only give credence to charges supported by evidence from more than one source. (This is a good principle for everyone!)

Church leaders are frequently attacked by people both inside and outside the church. Most pastors don’t talk about this, because they understand it is part of the job, but it is true. Years ago, I remember talking to a young man who was in seminary. I asked if he planned to become a pastor one day. His statement was simple, yet profound. He said no way, I don’t have a thick enough skin to be a pastor.

We can’t prevent people from saying hurtful things to or about those who lead our churches. But we can show them we trust them and respect their character. We shouldn’t believe every little thing we hear about our church leaders that may make them look bad. Instead, we should choose to give them the benefit of the doubt. At the very least, we should talk to them in person to see if there is more to the story than we’ve been told.

With that said, there are times when pastors fail. There are times when they abuse their position, when they abandon the faith, when they begin teaching falsely, or are unrepentant in sin. When there is a genuine issue, we should not show favoritism, and we should address the issues head on, regardless of who the person is.

Paul says when an elder sins they should be reprimanded in front of the church to serve as an example to others. He isn’t saying that every sin an elder commits should be paraded before the congregation. If that were the case, the majority of our worship services would be focused on the sins our leaders had committed the previous week! Rather, I think he is saying that sins that involve the church should be addressed publicly rather than swept under the rug. The goal is not to humiliate a leader, but to help keep him (and the church) on the right course. The general principle we follow is this: public sins should be addressed publicly and private sins should be addressed privately. When a leader’s sin is leading the church astray, the church must act swiftly and publicly to counteract it. Much of the time, however, their sins do not affect the church at large, and should be addressed only with those who are affected by them. As long as our leaders acknowledge and repent of their sin, there is often no need to deal with private sins publicly. I think this principle applies to everyone, leader or not.

Paul’s instruction is that we should show respect to those who lead our churches by helping them see we stand behind them and trust them. Our goal is to show our leaders we value and appreciate them. As in most jobs, a church leader who knows his church believes in him will serve tirelessly and enthusiastically.

Appointing Leaders

Immediately after saying we should extend double honor to those who lead, Paul gives Timothy a solemn, yet practical charge,

22 Never be in a hurry about appointing a church leader. Do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure. (1 Timothy 5:22, NLT)

Paul tells Timothy church leaders should not be appointed lightly. Given what Paul said about assuming the best in our leaders, this makes sense. We should be very careful who we choose to lead our churches. As we saw earlier in 1 Timothy, the qualifications for elders were not about skills, but about character. We should be careful to ensure our leaders are people of high character with a firm commitment to Christ.

This is why in many churches the process of a person becoming a pastor involves what is called an ordination examination. Some of you got to see this process firsthand when I was ordained. Church leaders from all around (including the church where the individual will serve) are invited to come and question the person regarding their beliefs, their personal habits, their beliefs about ministry, and anything else they may find relevant. The idea is to discern not only the person’s skillset or knowledge, but to see their heart. If you were here for my ordination, you know that I stood here for two hours as people asked all sorts of questions. This is how it should be. The responsibility of leadership should not be given to a person lightly.

Similarly, Paul’s charge to Timothy is to keep himself pure and to avoid falling into the sins of others. The principle is to tend to your heart, and it applies to us all.

Wine and Sin

Verse 23 seems to come out of nowhere,

23 Don’t drink only water. You ought to drink a little wine for the sake of your stomach because you are sick so often. (1 Timothy 5:23, NLT)

While this is a personal remark to Timothy and reflects Paul’s fatherly care for him, I don’t think it is out of place. Timothy may have been trying to keep himself pure by avoiding alcohol entirely. This was a noble choice on his part. But the water in those days was not nearly as clean and free of pathogens as it is for us today. Wine was often used as a substitute, or at least a supplement to serve as a kind of medicine. Paul was telling Timothy that he needed to take care of himself, even if it meant he needed to give up on trying to completely abstain from alcohol.

While we shouldn’t build a theology of alcohol from this single verse, it does teach us a couple things. First, alcohol consumption is not inherently sinful. Clearly, if Paul was telling Timothy to drink some wine, it was not a sin to do so. People who declare it sinful for anyone to ever consume any alcohol are proven wrong by this verse. Second, we must remember that alcohol in excess is always sinful. The opposite mistake we can make is to look at this verse and say it’s ok for anyone to consume as much alcohol as they like. That isn’t the case either. When Paul gave qualifications for elders, he stated that they must not love wine (some translations say be a drunkard). Alcohol can easily ensnare a person and lead to many problems. There is a lot of leeway between these two extremes (abstention and loving wine), so we must make room for conscience and personal conviction.

Paul closes out this section with another somewhat cryptic statement,

24 Remember, the sins of some people are obvious, leading them to certain judgment. But there are others whose sins will not be revealed until later. 25 In the same way, the good deeds of some people are obvious. And the good deeds done in secret will someday come to light. (1 Timothy 5:24-26, NLT)

I believe Paul is trying to give us a bit of comfort after the heavy commands he has given in the preceding verses. He is reminding us that despite our best efforts, we cannot know the heart of another human being. Sometimes people have sin in their lives that is blatantly obvious, other times it is not revealed until much later. Sometimes we see the good deeds of others, and other times they remain hidden for quite some time. Our responsibility as we select leaders is to try to make the best decisions we can. We must remember that even the best of men are only men at best. There is no such thing as a perfect human leader. Every single one will fail in some way or another. We should choose our leaders wisely, while also recognizing we don’t see everything.

But these closing verses should also serve as an encouragement to us for another reason. They remind us that no one gets away with sin. Eventually it will catch up to them. And similarly, God will not miss the good things we do. Sometimes it feels like those who do evil are getting ahead, but we should persist in righteousness, knowing that one day we will all answer for our deeds, both good and bad, before the Lord.

Conclusion

This is kind of a strange passage. It is a passage I find uncomfortable to preach on, but it is important for all of us to keep Paul’s principles in mind. So let me give you some practical suggestions.

Work to express appreciation to those who serve the Lord well. If you have benefited from the ministry of another, make sure to tell them and to show them respect. In so doing, you will help them keep going, and others may benefit from their ministry as well.

Work to lighten the load of one another. We always assume that the load we are carrying is heavier than everyone else’s. Instead of trying to compare how heavy our loads are, we would be better served to focus on trying to lighten the load the people around us carry. If we will do this, the church will be a place where we find grace and freedom to serve the Lord with gusto.

Stand behind your leaders as much as possible. The work of ministry is difficult, and people are attacking those who lead more than you realize (through criticism, gossip, diminishing the work they do, etc.) The devil wants nothing more than to discourage those who serve well. Stand with them and let them know you believe in them, lest they feel they are all alone.

Focus more on inward things than outward things. Just as we should be more concerned with the heart of our leaders than with their skillset or knowledge, we should similarly tend to our own hearts. The best thing we can do for ourselves and the Church is to develop hearts like Jesus. If we do that, a lot of other things fall into place naturally.

I am fortunate to serve in a church that genuinely cares for its pastors. Both Dad and I feel blessed to serve here. Thank you for the way you care for us. I hope you feel that we care for you genuinely as well. My hope is that churches everywhere will look for ways to care for their leaders the way Paul describes. This approach forces us to look at each other as people (rather than commodities), and to see each other’s needs and try to meet them. This approach not only makes for better pastors, but better churches! When we learn to see and meet the needs of others instead of only seeing how things affect us, the Church functions as God intended! When we learn to care for each other in this way, God is pleased, and the Kingdom grows. And that makes it worth the effort.