Let's get real - elders

It's not a new phenomenon. Man seems to be uncorrupted. Seems to have at least a modicum of integrity. Man gets elected or appointed to a position of leadership (in a church, in a country).  

You know what comes next. Man is discovered to have sins and scandal in his life, and perhaps is unapologetically still living in corrupt, wicked habits that hurt not only himself, but also harm others and his ability to lead.

And it's a difficult situation to handle, because there are people who want to say, what a man does in private has nothing to do with his performance as a leader!

Here's a word for us from Paul: there's not much that could be further from the truth.  Paul's letter to Titus was to encourage the younger man in his work. Titus had been tasked with correcting some of the problems in the newly-organized churches there. One of the first things Paul told him to focus on was to appoint godly leaders. 

Paul encouraged another young pastor in a different letter - his instructions to Timothy were along the same lines, and he actually gave guidance there on which men were qualified to be elders, too. (Just a thought, as we study, think about what could happen if the believers in America would apply Paul's words by removing unqualified men and recognizing godly men as church leaders!!)

Last week, we discussed how Jesus Christ is the head of the church, and runs His church through a plurality (not just a single person) of men who are spiritually mature. Paul called them elders. We should not elect them as part of a popularity contest, but recognize those who meet the qualifications that we will study in this part of Titus. Paul's two lists are written in I Timothy 3 and in Titus 1. Let's look at our passage for this study, Titus 1:6-9:

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.

Please take time in your study or quiet time this week to also look at the list in I Timothy 3. We will find that they are not identical. I wasn't able to find a definitive study of why they were different, but that is not as important as the fact that both lists focus on godly character - not on spiritual gifts, talents, or other abilities. 

I found it interesting that many of these qualities are noted elsewhere in our Bibles, and they do not all have to do with the discussion of what makes a godly leader! They are prescribed as traits every believer should strive for! Here's why: they describe a spiritually mature person. That is something that doesn't just "happen." It's not a process that happens quickly. Spiritual maturity takes time and effort, instead of being something that comes instantly from a dramatic experience. It requires desire, and it also requires discipline.

We should also remember that no one is going to meet these qualifications perfectly. These are lifetime goals! Nobody can say, "I've got it now. I'm spiritually mature. I have all these qualifications now." 

But if a church wants to recognize a man as an elder, he should not have any truly glaring violations. His overall character should be one of spiritual maturity.

So, we've established that it's a "tall order," and next time we pause here to study we will dig into the qualifications that Paul lays out.