Accountable Leadership

The Bottom Line

If you boil down the priorities of a business, the reason for its existence, the measure of its success, and it’s primary driving factor is profit. Even if that business has at it’s root a desire and commitment to philanthropic work, it is still measured by whether or not it is profitable. This is a good measurement. A business that does not make money is by nature a detriment to everyone involved, from the lowest level employee to the high stakes investors. In the end, that profit is what matters most.

If you look at the church through the same lens, you have truly misunderstood what the church is and why it exists. If you boil down the priorities of the Church, the reason for its existence, the measure of its success, and it’s driving factor is the Gospel. This is the message of salvation that transforms lives and helps people reconcile, draw close to, and walk with God. If the church is not focused on and living for the Gospel this will have negative impact from the person sitting in the pew to the pastor who oversees the flock.

This is why leadership is held to a higher standard in the church than anywhere else. A business needs good leaders but in most cases the personal lives of those leaders are not an issue to a company unless it begins to impact profits. In the church, leaders personal lives are the key criteria to determining whether or not they can be trusted to lead God’s church. The Gospel is to be transformative and an Elder who is not living in a Christlike manner cannot lead the church by example. This is why Elders have a whole list of qualifications. In today’s passage we are going to talk about the crucial role Elders play in the church and how the church ought to relate to them. The church is a family and not a business. Like a family it has to manage resources and money but those resources and money are not our goal. Change lives are our goal. So we live as good stewards of God’s blessings as we pursue the ultimate goal of seeing lives transformed by the Gospel.

PRAY

READ

1 Timothy 5:17–25 ESV

17 Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. 18 For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer deserves his wages.” 19 Do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 20 As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear. 21 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, doing nothing from partiality. 22 Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, nor take part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure. 23 (No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.) 24 The sins of some people are conspicuous, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others appear later. 25 So also good works are conspicuous, and even those that are not cannot remain hidden.

We come again to the theme of honor within the household of God.

At the beginning of this section of Paul’s letter to Timothy he reminds Timothy how to honor Older Men and Women and Younger men and women.

He then discusses the importance of taking care of widows and as we discussed last week this includes all those who are truly unable to care for themselves.

Now he turns his attention to the Leaders of the church, the elders.

Elders Who Deserve Double-Honor

1 Timothy 5:17–18 ESV

17 Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. 18 For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer deserves his wages.”

They rule well

This made me think of the fruit of the Spirit:

Galatians 5:22–23 ESV

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

You see these qualities within their leadership.

Those that Teach

Acts 20:28–32 ESV

28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. 29 I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. 31 Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears. 32 And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.

Sustained and Rewarded

1 Timothy 5:18 ESV

18 For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer deserves his wages.”

It is important that the church take good care of it’s leaders.

How do they do that?

1 Thessalonians 5:12–13 ESV

12 We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.

Respect and Esteem

Hebrews 13:17 ESV

17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.

Obey and Submit

1 Corinthians 9:14 ESV

14 In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel.

Make sure they are Payed well.

Accusation and Discipline of an Elder

1 Timothy 5:19–21 ESV

19 Do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 20 As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear. 21 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, doing nothing from partiality.

Jesus Model of discipline:

Matthew 18:15–17 ESV

15 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

Leaders who do not respond are to be addressed before the Church.

The goal is a healthy church.

1 Timothy 5:20 ESV

20 As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear.

Leaders are always an example.

No Partiality

Selecting Elders

1 Timothy 5:22–25 ESV

22 Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, nor take part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure. 23 (No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.) 24 The sins of some people are conspicuous, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others appear later. 25 So also good works are conspicuous, and even those that are not cannot remain hidden.

Be Patient

How do you relate to the Elders of your church?

Do you:

Respect and Esteem them?

Obey and Submit to them?

Pay them well?

As you search your heart over these matters, know that this sermon is a hard one to preach because as an Elder it feels self serving but don’t forget:

James 3:1 ESV

1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.

Ask yourself today, Do I look at the leadership of God’s church the way I am supposed to? If not, how can I grow.