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Qualifications for Pastor and Deacon


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Salyan is exactly right.

What saith the scriptures? The individual who desires to walk with the Lord Jesus does not make important decisions based upon the philosophy of the world but on the scriptures.

"(For is a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) 1 Timothy 3:5

If a man cannot live with one wife and maintain the peace, happiness, and serenity, needed for a happy and fulfilled family life; then he most certainly cannot pastor a church. Whether or not the man was saved before he got the divorce is immaterial as far as God is concerned. Whether or not the wife is the problem is immaterial as far as God is concerned. If a man cannot rule his own house in a loving, caring, compassionate, manner to keep the family in one piece than he certainly cannot manage a church. A church is a family.

The pastor is the example of a Spirit filled, called of God, to pastor the church of God: the New Testament church is God's house and the under-Shepherd of the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, the pastor, the evangelist and the missionary, must meet the qualifications set forth in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 before he can be a pastor. The qualifications for the pastor, evangelist and the missionary, is extremely rigid. The pastor represents, and is the under-shepherd, for the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, the pastor must be, "like Christ," as much as possible. The pastor must learn how to behave in the church. "But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth." 1 Timothy 3:15

The Old Testament Law is our Example for Ministers.

Also, for those brethren who do not like to apply the Old Testament Law in the New Testament church, the following statement may not set well with them. Nevertheless, what saith the scriptures? In 1 Corinthians 9:7-14 Paul the apostle wrote concerning giving and that the minister of the church should follow the examples of the Old Testament Law:

Concerning giving and the pastor and missionary: "Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? for it is written in the law of Moses, thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care of oxen? Or saith he it altogether for our sakes, not doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth in hope; and that he thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope " 1 Corinthians 9:8 and 9 Paul quoted from Deuteronomy 25:4

And: "Do ye not know that they which minister about the holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel." 1 corinthians 9:13 and 14 Please see Exodus 30:16 and the book of Leviticus.

If a person really desires to learn how to pastor a church than that individual will learn how God pastored the people in the Old Testament through the men in the Temple. According to Paul the Apostle, the Law was written for our sakes: the New Testament saints. 

The men in the ministry who are divorced, for whatever reason, are in serious error; and they will be judged by the Lord Jesus at the Judgment Seat if they are saved. If they are not saved than God Himself, who made the qualifications for the pastor, will judge him.

Alan

 

  

 

Edited by Alan
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That's what I mean. If the guy couldn't figure out how to keep his own marriage intact, why should I expect him to give me good advice for mine? He might have something to say in the 'this didn't work' department, but he's hardly qualified to comment on what does work. 

I knew what you meant.

There may be a day when your opinion on this changes when experience does come.

Hardly the world's philosophy that I am referencing in this discussion on experience. I am referencing real world advice garnered by Scripture and experience.

The same reason why a The Bible clearly says "not a novice" for a Pastor. But IFBs keep convincing these little preacher boys that they are called and should go to this school or that. They go school, graduate, leave even IFB colleges doubting God's Word, find a church somewhere (only with a benefits package) and fail at record numbers in the last 30 years. They were never called, the calling of God is without repentance.

There was a class on soulwinning teaching at the Sword conference this year where at least 40 young pastors admitted they had never won a single soul to the Lord. I am glad they went to the training but really....never? We really have fallen off a cliff.

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Brethren,

The sins of the flesh are all forgiven under Calvary, we are not under the Law, and divorce is a terrible experience, no matter what the reason. Both my parents, and my wife's parents, were divorced. So, we know the hardship, sufferings, problems, some of the causes, and the consequences involved.

According to the Lord Jesus in Matthew 19:1-9 the Lord Jesus firmly explained that Moses gave us the Law of divorce due to the hardness of our hearts and that in the beginning, "What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." Matthew 19:6.  Afterwards, the Lord Jesus taught that if a man puts away his wife, except for the sin of fornication, they committed adultery if they remarried.

This passage is very difficult to teach in our age due to a huge amount of people (not everybody), getting divorces  for multiple reasons because it is socially acceptable and an (seemingly), easy way to get rid of spousal problems. And, when it the case of fornication the individual, as other brethren appropriately brought out, does not commit commit adultery if they remarry.

If the cause for the divorce was for fornication, the other individual does remarry, the faithful individual is free to be remarried, or to be reconciled, 1 Corinthians 7:10-17, the believer is not held in bondage.

In the above cases the individual (the man), is still not eligible for the office of a pastor. The effects of the sin causes his to be disqualified. In Matthew 19:9 and 1 Corinthians 7:14 and 15, the individual is forgiven but, in no way did the Lord Jesus nor Paul say that the individual is suitable for the office of the pastor.

When Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, and in total agreement with the Lord Jesus, wrote "For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall be take care of the church of God?" 1 Timothy 3:3, that is exactly what he meant. Forgiven: Yes. Able to remarry: Yes. Under the Law: No. Just because Paul, in numerous occasions, quoted the Old Testament Law as the standard for numerous doctrines, does not make us under the Law. The Law is perfect in all situations as a standard for HOLINESS AND RIGHTEOUSNESS in all situations.

 

 

Edited by Alan
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In 1 Corinthians 6, there is a set of verses saying who will not enter the kingdom of heaven. And right after that it says 'and such were some of you'. I don't think that previous divorce, before salvation, is condemning for a man after he gets saved, to keep him from the ministry. We were all lost in sin and the lusts of the flesh and unclean. Everyone of us.

And where is it said that a minister of God has to be able to counsel people in their marriage anyway?

The scriptures are Godly counsel.

Not the messenger.

Edited by Genevanpreacher
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Paul was a murderer of God's people and was used by Him to write half the NT but a pastor divorced 20 years before salvation can't be called. Satan has somehow changed the common usage of English in this one passage of Scripture in the mindset of Gods people greatly limiting the leadership that could have been in so many churches that are now only memories.

For the last 30 years I have seen many ordained with the only consideration of quals being the marriage since all others are subjective and hard to judge. I have never heard of any man DQed over any other qualification. I have known of many over the marriage thing. Satan is allot slicker than we give him credit for.

BTW: I know I was never called to pastor so I have no personal interest in this issue.

 

Edited by wretched
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In all of my forty years as an Independent Baptist, this is one issue that has always caused me great discomfort and sadness. In any discussion that revolves around the qualifications for pastor the issue of divorce always takes front seat. All the other qualifications must always take a back seat to the issue of divorce.

If our brethren who so forcefully contend that a divorced man is unsuitable for the pastorate would apply their reasoning to all the other qualifications, then no one could pastor because they could not qualify.

Let me clarify on just this one point: Most of those that contend that a man that has been divorced previous to his salvation is still not qualified. But they will not apply the same logic to the other qualifications found in 1Tim.3, such as;

  • Has he ever been not blameless;
  • What about bad behavior?
  • Has he ever in his unsaved life not been apt to teach?
  • While he was unsaved has he ever been given to wine, or a striker, or greedy?
  • Has he ever been a brawler or impatient or covetous?
  • Has he ever not had his children under subjection?

So then under the heading of qualifications, divorce remains the unpardonable sin among Baptist people. All of these other qualifications can be overlooked because the man was not saved, but not so of divorce; this is man's reasoning, not God's Grace. It makes no difference that God Almighty has pardoned the man from ALL sin and remembers it no more. Man, in his wisdom and reasoning cannot find it in his heart to understand that God's Grace is all encompassing.

Let me insert one example of how God's Grace and Mercy worked in the life of the Apostle Paul. Paul, as an unbeliever, actually killed believers, but look at what he has to say about his qualifications for the ministry:

 1Tim. 1:12  And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; 
 13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

 Rom. 8:33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. 
 34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. 

So then, I contend that it is Christ Jesus that enables and qualifies a man for the ministry regardless of his past and in direct contradiction to the reasoning of men. Grace = the unmerited favor of God.

Was Paul a "bishop" or "deacon"?

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Was Paul a "bishop" or "deacon"?

No, he wasn't, he was much more than that. But I used him as an illustration that those who have done much worse than divorce are never questioned. Paul killed Christians and still God counted him worthy to be put into the ministry. He did much more than pastor, he was an Apostle and started and confirmed churches.

The main point being that it is God who qualifies and equips men for the ministry, after all, it is His Grace that works these things out, not man's biased interpretation of what he "thinks" the Scripture means.

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If we were to screen potential pastors using 1 Timothy 3:8 as the guideline for that position, I highly doubt we'd find many, if at all any, who would pass the test.

 

However, God does not call the qualified, He qualifies the called.  He has made a way where there seemed to be no way.  Rather than look at the potential pastor through your own standards and opinions, try looking at him through the heart and mind of Christ.  Is he blameless in the world's eyes because of past sins committed before Salvation?  No.  But, if he's saved, he is forgiven.  As Jim pointed out, Saul/Paul was guilty of many heinous crimes against God and the Church.  He was the chief of sinners who admitted that there were times that he did evil even though he did not want to.  But, God used him mightily through it all.

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I don't know one way or the other.

I always thought "husband of one wife" meant you've only had one wife; ever. I know there is the exception of being "free" if your first wife passed away. But we had a pastor who didn't think that applied to preachers, took the husband of one wife" doctrine to extreme, and dropped a missionary's support because he remarried after his wife died. The passage is about "bishops" and "deacons": I don't think we have any "bishops" in IFB churches.
 

No, he wasn't, he was much more than that. But I used him as an illustration that those who have done much worse than divorce are never questioned. Paul killed Christians and still God counted him worthy to be put into the ministry. He did much more than pastor, he was an Apostle and started and confirmed churches.

The main point being that it is God who qualifies and equips men for the ministry, after all, it is His Grace that works these things out, not man's biased interpretation of what he "thinks" the Scripture means.

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I again bring up the issue of "one wife"/  "Divorced" has to be read into this passage to be there-it is not mentioned, even though the word 'divorce' is common in usage in scripture and I believe if it meant divorce, it would say divorce.  I have heard it said that multiple wives was a thing of the past at this point, yet in the middle east, as we well know, plural marriage is still practiced today in many countries, and I suspect it was more so then.

I again bring up with fact that when Jesus spoke to the woman at the well in Samaria, He said to her, in John 4:18, "For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly". In Jesus words, she didn't HAVE five husbands, she 'hast HAD" five husbands. Now, maybe all her husbands had died, who knows, but the way Jesus is speaking, it sounds more like an indictment than just a women of her being a widow five times over. The fact that she was living with a man who was not her husband would also seem to challenge the widow idea. No, this woman HAD five husbands, yet Jesus didn't see them as still being her husbands-they are clearly no longer her husbands.

So to say that a man who is divorced and remarried is now the husband of TWO wives is again, to read into the verse something that is not there. If it meant divorced, I believe it would say divorced.

I went briefly to a church that taught that a divorced man is permanently tainted, and that in that church, he could attend, but he could have no part in any ministry. It was literally, sit down, shut up, and pay your tithe.  This was before my divorce, but I still didn't stay there. The subject of divorce has gotten so crazily out of hand in many IFB circles it really hurts our cause. There are so many good things about the standard IFB ideal, yet so much misused and falling, I wonder at times how long I will continue to use to name.

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