Qualified to Plant Part 3: Vices and Virtues

 In our last entry, we discussed the vital importance of home management for someone who aspires to be a pastor.  Clearly, the pastor must be a faithful man with faithful children.  In today’s portion of the Titus text, we’ll examine some of the personal attributes of a pastor, but first we must see why Paul believes the home management of a pastor is so important.

For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach (Titus 1:7a).

“Above reproach” came in loud and clear in part one of this series and the home management aspect of being above reproach certainly makes sense, but here Paul tells us why it is so important.  The man who pastors becomes the steward or manager of God’s people and resources.  If a man is unable to manage his own family and resources, it is a good indication that he will not be a wise steward with God’s. 

What follows is a list of vices to be avoided and virtues to be possessed.  We must remember that this all falls under the heading of being above reproach.  It is good to desire to be a pastor.  Those who have that desire must be marked as above reproach.  That means that they are faithful to their wives and they have faithful children.  It also means that they avoid the following:

He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain (Titus 1:7b).

This list, while not exhaustive, sets out some clear excluding characteristics.  The list isn’t shocking to anyone who has read the Scripture.  Pride, greed, drunkenness, and (unrighteous) anger are condemned elsewhere.  Clearly anyone whose life could be characterized by any of these vices would be disqualified.  But I think Paul is giving us more than a list of “do’s and don’ts”.

As a pastor, when I look at this list, I am not looking at it as something to hand a search committee or a rubric for evaluating potential employees, but as a list of sins that are tempting for someone who is in a steward’s position over God’s resources.  Anyone who has ever preached a sermon, even an awful sermon, knows how quickly the approval of men can foster pride and arrogance.  Where pride is allowed to thrive, the other vices follow quickly.  Proud people are entitled people.  Entitled people get angry when they don’t get what they want.  When anger is unchecked, it can easily lead to violence.  Entitled people are also given to the self-indulgence that leads to drunkenness and greed.  When we begin to boast (externally or internally) in anything other than the cross, we’re dealing in idolatry. May it never be!

Thankfully, Paul doesn’t just tell us what is wrong, but what is right.  We’re not legalistically going through a list and patting ourselves on the back if we pass the test.  We are striving to be the kind of man that as accurately as possible reflects the glory of the Father to the world around us and leads and guides the Father’s people in spreading His fame to the ends of the earth.  What does that man look like?

…but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined (Titus 1:8).

Pride gives way to hospitality.  Greed yields for the good of others.  Drunkenness and violence are swallowed up by disciplined, self-controlled holiness.  We’re not this way by nature, but we are no longer left to our natural devices.  By the grace of God, the man of God gently and kindly loves the people of God sacrificially.  He strives for their good and relies upon the grace of God to humbly remain above reproach.  It’s a tall order, but we have a great God!

Soli Deo Gloria

Qualified to Plant Part 2: A Faithful Man with Faithful Children

In discussing the qualifications of a pastor, the text we’ll discuss today has often raised quite a few questions.  While the overarching message is clear enough, the details (and who they may disqualify) can dominate discussion on these two passages.   Let’s take a look at the passage in question:

if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. Titus 1:6

Let’s begin with the “husband of one wife”.  At the very least, this rules out polygamists.  Polygamy was practiced at the time of this letter.  Evangelicals are somewhat divided on whether or not this text rules out one who has been divorced.  If it does, it is the only description that deals with a past offense.  Further, there are other ways that Paul could have clearly ruled out those who have been divorced, yet he chose this language.  Each church must search the Word and pray for guidance as they work through this issue.

I do not wish to evade the issue presented above.  I have my personal feelings, but I think our time is better spent examining what it means, biblically to be a husband.  Ephesians 5 shows us that husbands are to love their wives as Christ loved the Church.  We are exhibit patient, compassionate, leading, and sacrificial love to our wives.  We are to point our wives to the Father and disciple them into greater knowledge and affection for God.  We are to put their spiritual well being ahead of our personal comfort or safety.  These are no small tasks and the calling to be an elder is no small calling.

The other hotly debated topic is whether or not the children of elders have to be saved.  In 1^st Timothy 3, the term for “believing” is not used.  There the elder is to have children who are submissive and well managed.  It should be noted that the word translated “believing” can just as easily be translated faithful which would seem to support the overall idea in 1^st Timothy 3.  Even in Titus, Paul further explains “believing” as those who are not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination.  Lastly, the term used here for children in the Greek is reserved for those children who are still living in the home of the Father.  At least, a qualified elder must have children who are faithful and subordinate.  And why? For if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church? (1^st Timothy 3:5).

So the picture of a biblically qualified elder is that of a faithful husband with faithful children.  In our culture faithful usually means monogamous.  In our text today, it means so much more than that.  Fidelity is more than sexual commitment (though it is not less).  A faithful man loves his wife sacrificially and takes her spiritual and emotional well being seriously.  He is an intentional father who intends to raise his children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.  These tasks are fundamental for the man of God.  May we all endeavor to be faithful.

Soli Deo Gloria

Qualified to Plant Part 1: Above Reproach

In previous posts, we’ve discussed the popularity of church planting.  Major denominations and networks in the evangelical world are turning their attention to planting in an effort to spread the Gospel.  I think that’s great.  The heightened awareness of planting has resulted in a higher number of men wondering whether or not planting is for them.  At the same time, there are many organizations that would like to put support (financially and otherwise) behind men who are called and equipped for the work of church planting. 

In the following series, we would like to put together the profile of a good church-planting candidate.  In our estimation a church planter MUST be a qualified pastor first and foremost.  Now, it is true that there may be qualified pastors who would not be great church planters, but a great church planter must be a qualified pastor.  This conviction directs us to the qualifications for edlers/overseers/pastors in Titus and 1 Timothy.

In both passages Paul describes an elder as above reproach.  In part one of this series, we’ll try to delve into the meaning of this phrase.  In 1 Timothy 3:2-3, Paul writes, “Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.”  In Titus, we read many of the same things while Paul is describing the elders he wishes to appoint in every town.  He writes, “—if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination.”

One thing that struck me is where my mind goes when I read “above reproach”.  Where does your mind go?  It’s likely that being above reproach may mean more than what popped into your head, but it’s unlikely that it means less.

Paul goes on to further explain what he means by “above reproach”, but I think there is value in evaluating our gut reaction to the phrase.  We’re all keenly aware of how we’re viewed.  A qualified church planter is a man who understands that he is a public representative of Christ is a lost and dying world.  As such, conducting oneself as “above reproach” is a necessity.  That may mean restraining certain freedoms for the benefit of a weaker brother. 

What else might it mean?  We’ll dig further into being “above reproach” in the following posts.

Soli Deo Gloria

He is risen indeed! Now what?

 The celebration of the resurrection of Christ has come and gone.  We mourn and celebrate the great injustice that left our King dead, but saved us, on Friday and Saturday.  We joyously celebrate our King’s return on Sunday.  But what are we to do on Monday and thereafter?

There are many texts in the Scripture that inform the “now what” of the resurrection, but one of my favorites has always been Romans 12:1-2.  Paul has just given an astounding account of redemptive history in the first 11 chapters culminating in this great ending in 11:36: For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever. Amen.  That is exactly how I felt after our resurrection day services yesterday.  I was awestruck by the grace of God and the overwhelming admiration of what Christ accomplished on the Cross.  Now, we need what follows.

Therefore, I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual act of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

In light of God’s faithfulness to us from creation to Abraham to David to Christ, here is what we are to do:

1. Submit our bodies as living sacrifices to God.

2. Don’t be conformed to the world, but be transformed by the renewing of our minds.

And the power for these two monumental tasks…the mercies of God.  God mercifully makes us alive in Christ so that we may love and serve him, expanding his kingdom as we preach the gospel to the lost.  When we sacrifice ourselves to God as an act of worship, His priorities become our priorities.  We no longer strive for the things we, in our flesh, want most, but we strive to bring Him glory.

As we regularly prioritize the things of God above our desires and pleasures, the Spirit not only gives us the power to change the priorities, but he renews our mind.  As we kill our desires and flesh, we embrace His desires.  His priorities become our priorities not out of obligation, but out of love and worship.

So what are we to do on post resurrection Monday?   We are to worship our Savior by giving ourselves to His mission.  We have been purchased, set apart, chosen, to live holy lives, which honor Christ and bring Him glory.

May the Spirit empower us to do just that.

Soli Deo Gloria

What is the Gospel?

This seems like a valid question.  When pastors are ordained, they are typically ordained into the "Gospel" ministry.  Church planters endeavor to spread the Gospel to those who haven't heard it.  Neighbors to Nations was formed for the very purpose of engaging in Gospel ministry.  Could this be one of those words that we use all the time, but can't articulate the meaning when asked?

Yep...that's the look I typically get when I ask someone to explain the Gospel.  As a minister, I can't help but feel that, at some level, we've been unclear and ineffective if our people cannot articulate the Gospel.  What's even worse is that many students who graduate from seminaries also have trouble succinctly explaining the Gospel. (resisting the urge to google "nervous preacher" images).

Why is it so difficult for us to articulate the Gospel?  Often, we equate the Gospel with our faith and we can't figure out how to spit out our faith in a sentence or two.  I think our mistake there is confusing the Gospel with the out-workings of the Gospel in our lives.  Another reason that we have trouble is that we know we don't know the Word as well as we should.  We are torn between explaining the Gospel in biblical language and butchering it or paraphrasing and leaving something out.  This is a big deal because in order to be evangelistic, we must be able to articulate the Gospel.

In an effort to prepare some of my students for a mission trip to Seattle last spring, I came across a helpful explanation at the 9marks site. In a 5 number list, they cover the Gospel:

1. The one and only God, who is holy, made us in his image to know him (Genesis 1:26-28).
2. But we sinned and cut ourselves off from him (Genesis 3; Romans 3:23).
3. In his great love, God sent his Son Jesus to come as king and rescue his people from their enemies--most significantly their own sin (Psalm 2; Luke 1:67-79)
4. Jesus established his kingdom by acting as both a mediating priest and a priestly sacrifice--he lived a perfect life and died on the cross, thus fulfilling the law himself and taking on himself the punishment for the sins of many (Mark 10:45; John 1:14; Hebrews 7:26; Romans 3:21-25, 5:12-21).
5. He now calls us to repent of our sins and trust in Christ alone for our forgiveness (Acts 17:30, John 1:12). If we repent of our sins and trust in Christ, we are born again into a new life, an eternal life with God (John 3:16).

Full Article

I hope you find this as helpful as I did.  Studying the scriptures associated with each point is a great starting point for a study of personal evangelism.  May we learn and espouse a clear and biblical Gospel.