Introduction: A Healthy Church and the Qualifications for Elders
Friends, God’s chosen people and friends, peace to you this Lord’s Day morning. I hope you know why I call you brothers and sisters, God’s elect. It’s because we are currently studying a book called the Book of Titus. The beginning of Titus says it is a book for God’s elect.
Let us pray: Last night, we came before you with reverent hearts, thanking you for choosing us in Christ before the foundation of the world. We come with grateful hearts to worship you and to listen to your word. We ask you to speak once again this morning, to unfold the revelation you gave through Paul 2,000 years ago, so that your church, your children, may know your will for the church. Hear our prayer, in the name of your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, Amen.
The Book of Titus is about a healthy church. This is our attempt to synchronize our Sunday pulpit ministry with our Friday life group studies this quarter. In the fall, our church life groups are studying what it means to be a member of a healthy church, which aligns very closely with the Book of Titus, allowing us to study them together. My hope is that through this study, our church can become a healthier church, and that every brother and sister can become a healthy member, or part, of the body of Christ. A healthy church is built on healthy members. But healthy members alone are not enough; we also need healthy elders. A healthy church has healthy elders. What we are going to consider today are the requirements for an elder in a healthy church. What are the requirements for an elder in a healthy church? Our sermon topic today is just that: the healthy elder, the elder of a healthy church, and what the requirements are.
We come to Titus chapter 1. We are still at the very beginning. Today, we will consider verses 5 through 9. For the entire quarter, until Christmas, we will be studying the Book of Titus. In this short passage, it tells us what an elder of a healthy church looks like. It tells us two things: first, what an elder is, as Paul instructs Titus to appoint elders. Second, he tells Titus the qualifications for these elders. These qualifications can be divided into three groups. So, our plan for today is to share with you what an elder is, and then these three sets of qualifications for elders. That is our plan.
Point One: God Establishes Elders to Shepherd the Church
First, we must understand what an elder is. Our first point is that God establishes elders to shepherd the church. So, what exactly is an elder? Let’s look at the text. I will read the passage from Titus chapter 1, verses 5 to 9, for everyone:
“This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you—if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of deb1auchery or insubordination. For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a d2runkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.”
May the Lord bless His word. We need to reflect on the fact that God has established elders to manage and lead the church. Let’s quickly review the background of Crete. The text says, “I left you in Crete.” “I” is Paul, a servant of God, an apostle. “You” is Titus. Who is Titus? Titus is an apostolic assistant, a co-worker with the apostle. When did Paul leave Titus in Crete? Crete is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. This happened after Acts chapter 28. More events took place after the book of Acts. Because at the end of Acts 28, Paul was not yet dead. After his imprisonment in Rome, he was released and continued his missionary work. One of the places he went was Crete. He likely brought Titus with him to Crete, preaching the gospel in various cities. People came to faith, and some new churches were established. Then Paul left Crete, but he left Titus behind. So after Paul departed, he wrote this letter to Titus in Crete.
Paul says in verse 5, “I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order.” He continues, “…and appoint elders in every town as I directed you.” So, there were churches in Crete, and these churches had no elders because they were new. They were likely planted through Paul’s preaching. These churches had people of all ages—young and old, men and women. We know from Titus chapter 2 that there were people from all walks of life. The churches also had problems. There were people teaching things that were not biblical, teachings that did not conform to God’s will. Verse 14 speaks of those who “turn away from the truth.” There were also people causing divisions, stirring up trouble, and creating factions. That is why Paul wanted to appoint elders. Paul established elders for the health of the church.
Paul commanded Titus to do two things. First, he says in verse 5, “put what remained into order.” This means there were unfinished matters, including teaching the brothers and sisters how to live as Christians in various stages of life, how to deal with divisive people, and how to handle those spreading heresy. He says to “put these things in order.” The original language suggests straightening something out, like fixing crooked teeth—to bring order to the church. Then, at the end of verse 5, he says, “…and appoint elders in every town as I directed you.” This was for every church, in about 20 cities. Elders were to be plural. In the Bible, when speaking of church elders, it is always in the plural, not one, but many. So, according to Titus and other New Testament letters, like Acts, 1 Peter, and 1 & 2 Timothy, it is clear that God has established elders to lead the church.
So, what is an elder? For many brothers and sisters, the term “elder” is unfamiliar because we have only been using this title for a little over a year. An elder is also called an “overseer.” Verse 7 says, “For an overseer, as God’s steward…” An elder is an overseer. Another name for an elder, besides overseer, is pastor. An elder is, in fact, a pastor, and a pastor is an elder. I will discuss this more with you in the future. The term “elder” speaks to his spiritual life, his spiritual maturity. He is a spiritually mature person. The terms “overseer” and “pastor” speak to his office or function. “Overseer” refers to his management of the church, while “pastor” refers to his shepherding of the church.
Who appoints elders? Here, it was Paul who appointed them. But since he couldn’t go, he sent his representative, Titus, to do it. But who was Paul? Paul was an apostle. Are there apostles today? No, there are no more apostles. So who appoints elders now? Back then, Paul instructed Titus, and after Titus appointed those elders on the island of Crete, it was up to those elders themselves to raise up other elders. This has been passed down from generation to generation for 2,000 years to us today. God establishes elders to shepherd the church. So today, I will use different terms, but they all refer to the same person: elder, pastor, and sometimes overseer. They are all the same.
Point Two: God’s Three Sets of Requirements for Elders
What are the qualifications for an elder? Since God establishes pastors to shepherd the church, what are the qualifications for a pastor? God tells us very clearly in Titus. There are three sets of qualifications, from verse 6 through verse 9. Three sets. The first set concerns his family, the second concerns his character or life, and the third concerns his teaching. So today, we will study God’s requirements for a pastor. I am intentionally alternating between “pastor” and “elder” to help you adjust your traditional concepts, so we can adjust together.
Set 1: A Godly Family
We will first look at the first set of responsibilities, which is his family. An elder must have a godly family. This is the first point. Verse 6: an elder must have a godly family. “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.”
The requirements for an elder here are very high, very strict. It says he must be “above reproach.” What does that mean? This word appears three times in Paul’s pastoral epistles (1 & 2 Timothy and Titus). Twice it refers to elders and once to deacons (1 Timothy 3:10). In Paul’s time, in Greek, the word referred to a person who lived an upright life, someone against whom others could find no reason to bring an accusation in a court of law. It means he lives with integrity. In Paul’s day, this word also indicated that a person was well-respected. So an elder must be someone “above reproach” with a good reputation both inside and outside the church. Does this mean he is sinless? If so, there would be no elders in any church in the world, because no one is without sin, except the Lord Jesus. So if “above reproach” meant a person who never sins, then only the Lord Jesus could be a pastor. It’s not saying he is a man who is completely sinless, but an elder must be a spiritually mature person. In a local church, he should be among the most spiritually mature of all people. He is above reproach.
Next, it speaks about the pastor’s family requirements: a godly family. It mentions two things: his marriage and his children. Let’s first look at his marriage. It says, “the husband of one wife,” meaning his marriage must be holy. He must have a holy marriage. Normally, an elder is a married man, because marriage is an institution established by God in Genesis 2. In general, it is God’s will for a man to marry a woman. Of course, there are exceptions, because Paul, the writer of this letter, was single. This doesn’t mean a single man cannot be an elder or a pastor. If a man, like Paul, has been specially called by God to devote himself entirely to the ministry of preaching, and marriage might hinder his service, God can make a special calling. But under normal circumstances, a pastor is a married man. One pastor shared that he doesn’t know how he could serve in the church without his wife, a supportive wife, because ministry is very difficult. I can identify with that. A pastor must have a holy marriage. That is, he is “the husband of one wife,” meaning he is faithful to one woman. His heart and mind cannot be given to another woman. He loves his wife; he is the kind of man God desires in Ephesians 5, a man who loves his wife sacrificially. An elder is one who sacrificially loves his wife. Therefore, a pastor’s marriage should be an example for all the saints. I feel the pressure of this myself as I say it. I believe the brothers and sisters will look at my marriage, at Sarah and me, and we must be cautious, because this is God’s requirement for a pastor. A pastor’s marriage should be a model for the marriages of all the brothers and sisters.
Also, the phrase “the husband of one wife” indicates one more thing: a pastor must be a man. I know that saying this might displease some brothers and sisters, because you might say, “I know female pastors, I’ve seen female pastors online.” I’m sorry. I can only preach God’s truth, and I believe this verse tells us that elders can only be men. The office of elder, established by God to shepherd the church, must be held by a man. This is not to say that men are more valuable than women. God created both male and female in His image; men and women are of equal worth. This has nothing to do with a person’s value; it has to do with a person’s role. God established men to lead the church, just as He established men to lead the family. God says the husband is the head of the wife, the head of the home. This doesn’t mean the husband is more valuable than the wife; they are of equal value, but they have different roles. Just like God the Father and the Lord Jesus are of equal value, but the Lord Jesus submits to the Father because they have different roles. Not all churches agree with this view. Some say that sisters can also be elders. The common argument is that Paul’s emphasis here is not on gender, but on a holy marriage. One could argue in reverse that an elder must be “the wife of one husband,” because the point is a holy marriage. I find this interpretation inappropriate. Because in the Book of Titus, he specifically highlights the distinction between men and women. You will see this when you read chapter 2. Furthermore, in Greek, the pronouns for male and female are different. Paul says in 1 Timothy 2:12, “I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet.” And Paul explains why. His support for this, in 1 Timothy 2:13, is, “For Adam was formed first, then Eve.” This is God’s created order. It’s not that Eve was less valuable than Adam, but it reflects God’s order in creation. Those who argue this isn’t about gender difference say that Paul’s teaching against women teaching was due to the specific circumstances in Ephesus or Crete at the time, and that it is no longer applicable 2,000 years later. I also find this interpretation inappropriate, because Paul’s basis in 1 Timothy 2:13 is God’s creation. So, dear sisters, I don’t wish to offend you or belittle anyone. Sisters and brothers are of equal value. Brothers love sisters, and sisters submit to brothers. God established elders to lead the church, and elders are men. The church desperately needs the service of sisters. Sisters can serve in many ways in the church. For example, sisters can be deacons, assisting the elders in handling and leading the ministries of the church. If sisters do not serve, the church will not be healthy. If our sisters didn’t serve, our church might not have piano music during worship, because I’ve never seen a brother play the piano, except for Bi Zhong on the guitar. Sisters are incredibly important; we cannot do without them. But we must follow God’s revelation, His word, to carry out His will in the church. So, the first requirement for an elder is to have a godly family, which begins with a holy marriage.
The second point is raising children. He outlines three requirements concerning an elder’s children. First, verse 6 says, “his children are believers.” What does this mean? This word can have two translations. One is that the children believe in Jesus, they are believers. The other is that the children are “faithful” to their father. This is because the Greek word for “believe” (pistis) and “faithful” (pistos) are from the same root. So it could mean that the children must believe in Jesus, or they must be faithful to their father. Paul repeats a similar list of qualifications in 1 Timothy 3, almost identical, just addressed to Timothy in Ephesus. There, in 1 Timothy 3:4, it says he must “manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive.” This is God’s requirement for an elder. Therefore, an elder must take his responsibility as a father seriously. A father cannot believe on behalf of his children; a father cannot force his children to believe. We wish our children would believe from a young age, but we can’t force them, can we? We can’t. But a father must teach his children about the faith and lead them towards faith in the Lord. Ultimately, the father is responsible for his children. So, an elder is an example for all fathers. An elder should be a good dad. Paul commands fathers in Ephesians 6:4, “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” He says “fathers,” addressing the men. God gives the responsibility of raising children to men, and the elder is to be the model. I say this with fear and trembling, brothers and sisters, because I have a young teenager at home. Anyone with a teenager knows you can’t force them to do anything. If you tell him to go east, he immediately turns and goes west. If you tell him to eat, he won’t. If you don’t give him food, he says, “Dad, I’m hungry now.” So, to be an elder, a pastor, is truly only by the grace of God; it’s not something we can do on our own. He says your children must be believers, or perhaps submissive to their father. We also have to consider the child’s age when they come to faith. We can’t be too quick to say, “Look, your child hasn’t believed yet, so you’re disqualified,” because they may not have come to faith yet.
But as we read on, he continues, saying the children are believers and “not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination.” Two things here: no one can accuse your children of debauchery or insubordination. That is, no one can bring a formal charge against your child in court for these things. The word for “debauchery” is also used in Ephesians 5:18, which says, “do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery.” So, not being accused of debauchery isn’t about a child being mischievous once in a while; it means he is not a wild, rampant, or wicked child. It’s a very serious accusation. Is there anyone who can accuse them of debauchery, or of insubordination?
Paul makes a special point about “submission” in Titus because there were people in the church who were not submissive to God or His authority. For example, in chapter 1, verse 10, which we will look at in two weeks, the same word is used: “For there are many who are insubordinate.” See? Verse 10, “many who are insubordinate.” I see many of you can’t see it because it’s not on the screen and you didn’t bring a Bible. I encourage you, brothers and sisters, to bring your Bibles, because you need to see the context. When it’s just on the screen, you miss the surrounding verses. So if you look down at verse 10, it says, “For there are many who are insubordinate.” Then, back up in verse 6, he says an elder’s children cannot be insubordinate. If you cannot manage your own children, how can you manage the church? That is the concept. So, looking at the context is very important when reading the Bible. The word he uses for children here is tekna, which usually refers to those who are not yet adults. If you are 60, your child might be 40. This likely refers to younger children. When a child becomes an adult, leaves his parents and is united to his wife, becoming one flesh, you really don’t have control over him. So when he says the children are believers and not accused of debauchery, I believe he is specifically referring to children still living at home. So if a man has a debauched, insubordinate child who fights with other kids at school, disobeys the Sunday school teacher at church, steals from the supermarket, or even sexually assaults someone and is charged in court—no matter how pious his father appears in church, we must consider his fitness. He is likely not fit to be an elder, because Paul makes an argument in 1 Timothy 3:5. While listing the qualifications for elders, he says, “For if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church?” So Paul’s point is, if a man cannot manage his own family, his wife and children, how can he manage the church of God? This is his main point. The family is the training center for leaders in God’s house. For us men, if we are to lead in God’s house, our training ground is the home. The best way for other brothers and sisters to know our true spiritual condition is to ask our children. If you want to know my spiritual condition, ask my kids. If you want to know my spiritual condition, ask Sarah. Paul’s meaning is that the family is the training center for leaders in God’s house. Leadership ability for God’s house begins at home. Men, our wives and children are the first flock we are called to shepherd.
Pastor Stephen and I both have a principle, a rule for ministers called the “Billy Graham rule.” Do you know it? Does anyone know the Billy Graham rule? No one knows? Surprising. You all know who Billy Graham is, right? Because he often traveled to preach, he was an itinerant preacher, his wife was often not with him; she was at home with their many children. So, Billy Graham, knowing God’s requirements for His servants, had a principle. His principle was that he would never be alone with another woman in a private space—alone in a car, alone in a room. If it was just him and a woman who was not his wife, he would not be with her. He would refuse the invitation; he would not show up. He told everyone, “This is my principle.” This is also my principle and Pastor Stephen’s principle. Because we know the enemy is fierce and will use all kinds of methods to attack us. I also know my own weakness, and I must protect my wife even more. A pastor must let his wife know that he is absolutely faithful to her. This is a requirement. There cannot be another woman. This is also why we hold marriage retreats. Because a healthy church must have healthy marriages. You cannot have many unhealthy marriages and a healthy church. That’s impossible, right? You can’t be at church raising your hands, singing “Hallelujah,” and then at home, giving each other the silent treatment. A healthy church must have healthy marriages. And this health begins with the elders, with the pastors. So we thank God for this opportunity to learn how to love one another, how to love our wives sacrificially, how to respect our husbands, how to submit to our husbands.
This brings us back to the point we made earlier: sisters and brothers are of equal value, but have different roles. This teaching, in the church or in theology, is called “Complementarianism.” Its counterpart is “Egalitarianism.” Complementarianism says that men and women are of equal value but have different roles, both in the home and in the church. Egalitarianism says that the roles of men and women are the same, with no distinction at home or in the church. Our church’s belief is complementarianism. Over the past year or so, our elders have sought the Lord together regarding the distinctives of our church’s faith. The reason for this is so that brothers and sisters who come to our church know what kind of church they are joining. Why go to a Baptist church? Or why come to our church? Why go to a Bread of Life church? What makes these churches different? We all preach the gospel, we all read the Bible. So we have compiled what we believe are biblical teachings. Individual churches may have different views, but we believe these are biblical. We’ve identified five distinctives of our faith. One of them is complementarianism. That is, we believe that according to biblical revelation, God created man and woman of equal value, but with different roles. We will use various means to share and teach this with our brothers and sisters. The article is already online, so you can read it there. But don’t look now! [laughs] I see people taking out their phones. No, no, no, read it at home. [laughs] When we come to relevant passages, like in chapter 2 when we discuss older men and older women, we will bring it up to help us reflect on God’s revelation. That was the first set of requirements for an elder. Who still wants to be an elder? After the first set of requirements, let’s look at the second. The first was having a godly family.
Set 2: A Godly Life
The second set is a godly life. This is from verse 7 to verse 8, just two verses. I’ll read them again. “For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined.”
Here, he introduces another term, “overseer.” The Greek word is episkopos. Some say an overseer is a rank above an elder, managing the elders of many churches. This is inaccurate; it’s wrong. Because “overseer” and “elder” are basically used interchangeably. There is no indication that these are two different groups of people. An overseer is an elder, and an elder is an overseer. This confusion doesn’t really affect us since we don’t use the title “bishop.” Some translations render it as “overseer,” which is a very good translation that reveals its meaning. What is an overseer? An overseer watches over, manages. The responsibility of an overseer is to manage God’s house. The term “overseer” speaks to his responsibility and authority to manage God’s house. This house is God’s; he is “God’s steward.” So he manages God’s house, not his own. The church does not belong to the pastor. Of course, this is my home, but the church belongs to God. God is the master; the pastor is the steward. The elders are stewards. What does it mean to be a steward? The most important quality of a steward is faithfulness. No matter how diligently you manage, if you are not faithful… if the master says, “Go get me a glass of water,” and he brings a mooncake, saying, “Master, I have a mooncake no one else wants, you eat it.” No. He is not faithful. The most important thing for a steward is to do what God says. The house is God’s. So when the Lord Jesus commanded Peter, “Feed my sheep,” strictly speaking, you are not my sheep; you are God’s sheep. I am just a steward.
He continues, “must be above reproach.” This is the second time it’s mentioned, which means it’s very important. He must be a man of good reputation both inside and outside the church. Next, in verses 7 and 8, we have a list of terms, which is common in Scripture. There are 11 character traits here: five “nots” and six “is-es.” Let’s quickly look at the five “nots.”
- Not arrogant: Not selfish, not someone who only seeks to satisfy his own rights while disregarding the rights of others.
- Not quick-tempered: Not easily angered. A man who is easily angered cannot lead God’s children through conflict in peace and harmony. And conflict is common in God’s house. You cannot have someone prone to anger leading God’s house; it would be chaotic.
- Not a drunkard: Not given to drunkenness. When I first served in China, they were very interested in inviting me to drink. I wouldn’t drink, and they were very curious about my stance because they enjoy drinking and also serve in the church. To avoid being a stumbling block, I didn’t drink. We can drink a little, but we cannot be drunkards, because wine leads to debauchery.
- Not violent: Of course, he cannot be a man who strikes people. You can’t be an elder if you hit people. This means not hitting with fists, and also not hitting with the tongue. We often strike with our tongues. No. This man cannot have violent tendencies. He is not someone who uses violence or verbal threats to solve problems, to force his way in meetings, or to intimidate others.
- Not greedy for gain: He cannot do things that displease God for the sake of money. He cannot preach for money; he cannot be greedy for money. Of course, a greedy person probably wouldn’t go into ministry, because there’s not much money in it. But we cannot be greedy for the church’s money, the congregation’s money, or money from outsiders.
Those are the five “nots.” Now let’s look at the six “musts.”
- Hospitable: The original word is philoxenos. Philo means “love,” and xenos means “stranger.” Love of strangers. As elders, we must be willing to welcome others without expecting anything in return. Not because they can serve me or do something for me, but welcoming someone who cannot possibly repay you financially or in any other way. It is a heart of love for people.
- A lover of good: Someone who loves good things. He treats others with kindness and delights in what is good and honorable.
- Self-controlled: This same requirement is given to older men and women in chapter 2. It means he has self-control, he is temperate. Under pressure, he can resist his emotions and not explode. Ministry is often full of pressure. He must be self-controlled and steady, facing difficulties with wisdom.
- Upright: Some translations say “righteous” or “just.” It speaks of him being a fair and honest person, handling disputes in the church with impartiality. When brothers and sisters come before the elders, we must be just and help them according to God’s teaching.
- Holy: This is holy or godly. In chapter 1, verse 1, it says God’s word leads to godliness. If an elder is to teach others to be godly, he must first be godly himself, to be like Christ.
- Disciplined: This is like an athlete who disciplines his body. It’s hard work, but he practices self-control, not eating whatever he wants. He gets up at 6 AM every day to train for a marathon. He is not a lazy or slothful person. A pastor’s life must be disciplined to have the time and mental energy to prepare sermons. An elder must have discipline and self-control, not randomly spending five hours browsing the internet. Those five hours are wasted. He must be disciplined in his diet. Truly, if our health fails, we won’t have many years to serve the Lord.
The first set of requirements for an elder is a godly family. The second set is a godly life.
Set 3: A Godly Teaching
What is the third set of requirements? It is godly teaching. Verse 9: an elder must have godly teaching. “He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught.” To “hold firm” means to grasp tightly. To what? To the “trustworthy word as taught.” This refers to what these elders were previously taught—by the apostle Paul. In Paul’s era, around 65 AD, he preached in various churches and already had a set of theological beliefs, a body of truth, which later became the New Testament. An elder must hold firmly to this. This is difficult, because in today’s age, there is so much information from universities, television, books—all kinds of messages. It’s easy for an elder to see an article or a video and just bring it to the church to teach. What must we hold to? The truth handed down by the apostles. The word “trustworthy” can also be translated as “reliable,” because God, as mentioned earlier, does not lie. This is the core content and source of our teaching.
Next, he mentions two aspects of godly teaching: one positive and one negative. Let’s look at the positive first. He says, “so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine.” An elder must teach the truth. The New Chinese Version translates it as “to encourage others with sound teaching.” An elder must teach. That is why we place great importance on equipping elders—equipping them in the Bible, in theology, and in church history. Because an elder must teach. Perhaps not every elder is a full-time minister, but a primary work of an elder is teaching. I thank God for our church’s Elder Ling Qingyue. He began his studies at Dallas Theological Seminary in September. He is not a young man—and that’s a respectful statement, not a demeaning one. He was a university professor, but he has humbly dedicated his own time and energy because he knows this is God’s calling on his life. He is studying while he still can, so that his teaching can be more accurate and more in line with God’s will for the brothers and sisters. The first platform for an elder’s teaching is, of course, the pulpit. The Bible says some elders “labor in preaching and teaching” (1 Timothy 5:17). It says, “Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.” This means some elders focus on ruling well, while others specifically labor in preaching and teaching from the pulpit. However, all other elders should also be able to preach. We also have other platforms, like Sunday school, one-on-one counseling, mentoring small group leaders, and ministry leaders. That’s the positive side. An elder must hold firm to biblical truth, the truth passed down from the apostles, and teach and counsel the brothers and sisters with sound words.
Next is the negative aspect. He says, “…and also to rebuke those who contradict it.” This corresponds to what comes next, because from verse 10 onward, he will talk about people in the church who spread teachings contrary to God’s word. An elder must be able to rebuke those who oppose the truth. Other translations say “to convict those who contradict” or “to show the error of those who oppose.” John Calvin, the Reformer, said that a pastor has two voices: one to gather the sheep, and another to drive away the wolves. “Rebuke,” “convict,” “point out the error”—these are strong words. Brothers and sisters, if a pastor is weak-willed, afraid of offending people from the pulpit, and dares not point out false teachings, that pastor is not fulfilling the responsibility God has given him. I can assure you, pastors do not enjoy or like pointing out errors. I wish every time I could just encourage, uplift, and say how wonderful you all are, praise you to the heavens. Everyone would be happy, and I would be happy. But I cannot. When I encounter Scripture that needs to correct us, when we see a gap between our lives and the Bible, I cannot fail to point it out. More importantly, when someone preaches things that are not in line with the truth, the preacher has a responsibility to point it out and to rebuke those who contradict it. I really dislike doing this; it’s one of my least favorite things to do. But I must do it. For the health of God’s house, sometimes hard words must be spoken, words that can help us. Bitter medicine can cure disease.
Conclusion: Raising Up Godly Leaders Through the Gospel
We who are elders must be tested, because 1 Timothy 3 says that deacons, like elders, must first be tested. All of you, brothers and sisters, must open your eyes and see which brothers in our church are suitable to be shepherds. God’s house needs elders to shepherd His church, but we cannot appoint elders casually just to fill a quota. God’s requirements for shepherds are very high. We must observe a man over the long term—his family, his life, his teaching—to see if they align with God’s will. We are now facing the search for our next English congregation pastor. It is very difficult to vet a minister we don’t know, because we cannot accept him simply because he has a diploma. We must evaluate him according to God’s word: his marriage, his children, his life, his teaching. May the Lord lead us to find a pastor who is biblical and aligns with God’s will to lead the English congregation. Our church has a practice, established before I came, which I think is very good: a one-year observation period for new ministers. What do we observe? His marriage, his children, his teaching, his character. After one year, the elder board will pray and decide if he is a minister according to God’s will. We had one last year, his name is Bradley Trull, our youth pastor. He arrived on October 1st of last year, and today is October 12th. So it has been over a year that our elders have observed him. I have spent a lot of time with him, observing his family, his marriage, his children, his life, and his teaching. Our elders have unanimously agreed that he is suitable to be the pastor for our church’s youth. We have another requirement in our church. Our next step is to form an ordination council. Myself, Pastor Stephen, and a few ministers from outside our church will examine Bradley—his personal life, his family, his character, and his doctrine. After the examination passes, we will officially ordain him as a Minister of the Gospel.
Today we have learned about the elders of a healthy church and their qualifications. In fact, these requirements are not just for elders, but for all men, for the most part, except for the teaching aspect. So, sisters, you are to help your husbands be healthy men, men after God’s own heart. Brothers, your goal in hearing this is to become a man after God’s own heart. When you read the qualifications for an elder, don’t think it’s some distant role that has nothing to do with you. The elder is simply the most spiritually mature brother in the church. This is the goal for all brothers. We hope to grow in life and maturity. If God has mercy on us and uses us to serve His house as stewards, we have received a great grace. We know these requirements are very strict. In fact, on our own, it is impossible. Mission: Impossible. Therefore, we can only rely on the gospel of Jesus Christ. That’s why when we began this series, we asked, what is the foundation of a healthy church? The gospel of Jesus Christ, the hope of eternal life. It is what Jesus Christ has accomplished. We don’t become good people by our own efforts. We stand on what Jesus Christ has done, with Christ living in us. By His grace, we are able to love our wives, teach our children, live godly lives, and love and teach God’s word. May the Lord bless our church to raise up more brothers to be healthy elders, to shepherd God’s house, so that our church may become healthier and healthier, and so that God may be glorified.
Let us pray together. I also invite the pianist to come forward. Please stand for a song of response.
Lord, we come before you. We have heard your word and seen your requirements for the leaders of your house. We come before you with reverent hearts. We confess that on our own, we cannot meet your requirements. We surrender to the gospel of Jesus Christ, to the authority of Jesus Christ. We ask for your grace upon us. Let us love one another, let us encourage one another. We ask you to raise up suitable brothers, whether from outside or from within our own church, to be faithful stewards of God, to manage your house well, so that you may receive the glory you deserve here. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.