An elder must be blameless, faithful to his wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. Since an overseer manages God’s household, he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. Rather, he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled,upright, holy and disciplined. He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.
It is a high honor to lead in God’s church. Imagine what that actually means: to be the one chosen to guide His people, to listen to His voice, to work with His called pastors, and to speak words as close to God’s words as is humanly possible. It’s a high honor, to be chosen for that, yet it is also a great responsibility. This is why so few seek it.
to Titus, Paul writes a list, not complete but representative, of the responsibilities of being a leader, and “elder”, in His church. We read this list and gulp, and then shy away from leadership. Yet looking over the list, shouldn’t this be the list of qualities for which every church member strives? Is any of us free from the expectation that we will be blameless? Can any of us freely be overbearing, quick-tempered, drunk, violent, or seeking dishonest gain?
Though this list is a bit overwhelming, it should really reflect the qualities of every church member, or at least be the bar for which we all reach. How are you doing? Which part of this list scares you the most? That might be a good one to start working on.
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