Blog In Audio:
Greetings,
Today I will continue to address the topic of leadership responsibility in the church. I am writing concerning Paul’s letters to Timothy in regard to his responsibility as a leader. This letter to Timothy included Timothy’s role in responsibility as well as those leaders affiliated with Timothy in the work of ministry. These letters establish a principle, pattern, and value for us as leaders in the church today. Timothy was to set order for honor and submission in the church. He was to understand his responsibilities as an overseeing elder and require the same of others appointed to the same call of apt to teach, or administrative, leadership.
1 Timothy 3:1-2 This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach…
The term ‘bishop’ is a term for someone who has been given the responsibility of being an overseeing leader for the sake of the church. It is not a position of hierarchy. It is a position of serving the body of Christ and it is a great honor and a good work. An overseeing leader must understand that the role of leadership is one of responsibility and not a position of greater value. The role of an overseer is not one merely based upon charismatic gifting, administrative skill, qualification of education, or mere experience in ministry. It is one of character. A leader’s personal life is directly connected to their ability to lead. They must seek to be blameless. This doesn’t mean that they are perfect, but it does mean that they seek to do their best in all things. When faced with things that need to change in their own lives they willingly embrace the process of change. They know their righteousness is in Christ and they depend upon the power of Christ in them to empower them to not only grow in their ability of gifting but also their testimony of character. They are the husbands of one wife. This is not meant to be a law concerning marriage and divorce, nor do I believe that it is only inclusive to men in ministry, it is a present quality of character in leadership. Whether it is a man or a woman in a position of leadership; the principle, pattern, and value to be gained from these verses is one of covenant. It is not meant to be a legal requirement for leadership. We have all had failures in our past in some way; the question is where are we in the present? A leader must know that their ability to keep covenant in their own family relationships is directly connected to their ability to lead others in the church to know how to stay at the table of covenant. When faced with challenges in their personal lives they willingly seek the empowerment of God’s grace to give them a testimony of a growing, maturing, life-giving covenant. This takes both a man and a woman working together for the greater testimony of the two as one. This gives a leader the grace to empower others in the matters of relationship in life.
A leader is to be temperate – a term for being vigilant, circumspect, and self-controlled. A leader knows how to be heedful of their circumstances with a view towards the potential outcome of any situation in their lives. They are dependent upon Christ in them to give them the needed testimony for the sake of others. They must be sober-minded – to be modest, chaste, and discrete in their way of life. They must demonstrate good behavior to others. They must be hospitable, demonstrating that they willingly live for the wellbeing of others. An overseeing leader (bishop) must be able to teach. I don’t believe that this is merely teaching Scripture. Anyone should be able to teach Scripture in some way. A leader must be able to hear the direction of God for the church and set the direction that others can follow. They are like a dad or a mom in the family that is capable of teaching the children the way in which they must live. They know the family values of Christ and they lead others to embrace the attributes of the family of God, the desires of the family of God, the vision of the family of God, and the destiny of the family.
Food For Thought,
Ted J. Hanson
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