A world-acclaimed religious leader has passed away and the men tasked with electing a successor will now take center stage and receive intense media scrutiny for the next few days. Many are speculating on the direction the new leader will take on various social issues. It is strange, though, that when they select his successor their decisions will not be based solely on the qualifications set out in the word of God.
Most denominational people are unaware that the Bible lists qualifications for church leaders because their leaders wear titles which are not even named in the Word, or which are the result of mistranslations of the text. Scholars in many cases refer to officers mentioned in the New Testament as ‘primitive’ positions which, in their opinion, were phased out as the church progressed. But what of the Scriptural requirements for leaders?
We’re all familiar with the lists given in Paul’s inspired letters to Timothy and Titus, yet there are other Scriptures that tell us more about the characteristics and roles of church leaders. Of course, they have to meet the qualifications recorded by Paul in his letters to Timothy and Titus, but add to those the following considerations.
From the beginning of the New Testament church, leaders of God’s people had to act with all the care, concern, and courage of shepherds. Jesus told Peter: “Tend My lambs;” “Shepherd My Sheep;” and “Tend My Sheep” (John 20:15-17). Paul reveals that among the gifts given the church were “pastors [shepherds mds] and teachers” who were charged with “equipping … the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-12). The same apostle called for and warned the Ephesian elders to “be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God” because, he warned, “after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock” (Acts 20:28-29).
The same men who are called shepherds are, we are told, “made overseers” (Acts 20:28). The qualifications given in 1 Timothy 3 are those of the “overseer,” but episkopos has been rendered “bishop” for so long that most are unaware of its original meaning. One work of an overseer is obviously that of ensuring that the proper work is being done in the proper manner. Translations of the verb form of “overseer” render it as: “see to it,” “looking carefully,” and “looking diligently,” and a quotation from the letter to the Hebrew Christians shows us that the work of overseeing needs to be carried out to make sure everyone grows spiritually and is safeguarded from strife developing within the congregation: “See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled” (Hebrews 12:15).
Finally, another term used for New Testament church leadership is “elder” which is generally given preference by the church today. Early in the life of the church the book of Acts tells us that the apostles ordained elders in every congregation (Acts 14:23). The root meaning of “elder” is self-explanatory, referring to an older person, but since you cannot appoint a man to be “old” this is reference to men of experience and wisdom. Comparing the lists of qualifications supports this concept because one of the requirements is that the prospective elder not be a “novice” or, in other words, not a new Christian. Other qualifications in the list also imply experience and wisdom.
So, in looking for men to lead the church, and a plurality is always the New Testament pattern, we should not only look at the two lists of qualifications but also look for those who will take on the roles of shepherd, overseer, and elder with all of the ramifications of those roles which we have seen above. We, the elders at the Bell Shoals congregation are trying to fill our roles and solicit your prayers that we may always use maturity and wisdom, lead with servant attitudes, care for the members as shepherds care for their flocks, and see to it that everyone is encouraged to grow spiritually.