Can divorce be a pastor or deacon?

[Evan57]

I would like to see your answers to this question and your points of view to discuss this issue before what I can make a right decision about this issue. Can you help me with this?
But please let not have an argument of this issue. Thanks.

Evan57 :ears: w/o hear

[Madeline]

Pastor and Divorce

[pneu-engine]

I would like to see your answers to this question and your points of view to discuss this issue before what I can make a right decision about this issue. Can you help me with this?
But please let not have an argument of this issue. Thanks.

Evan57 :ears: w/o hear

Here's a question:::::::::

How can a man who does not depend on God completely to keep his own marriage and household intact be trusted to make decisions for the house of God??????????

[Trish]

I don't believe so because then he would not be blameless, but on the other hand, if that all happened before salvation, he would not be blameless in God's sight. So the question remains, since the person will always be blameless in our eyes, is it irrelevant because in God's eyes he has a clean slate so to speak?

[Evan57]

What about a pastor's wife decides to leave him while a pastor was trying to reconcile her? He was trying his best as he can to have her back but she decides to leave him because she wants her own life and her own way and decide to divorce him. Can he still be a pastor? Is pastor fault? Is this blameless?

Evan57 :ears: w/o hear

[tired]

<< 1 Timothy 3 >>


1 This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
5

[pneu-engine]

What about a pastor's wife decides to leave him while a pastor was trying to reconcile her? He was trying his best as he can to have her back but she decides to leave him because she wants her own life and her own way and decide to divorce him. Can he still be a pastor? Is pastor fault? Is this blameless?

Evan57 :ears: w/o hear

We have to let be God be God and the LORD of our lives. In so doing we can trust Him completely to keep our homes fully intact.

This is why we are IFB. I.E. We teach and preach that our trusty KJV is our sole authority for faith and practice. In our KJV we read many verses having to do with trusting God completely, pouring out our souls to Him in prayer, and not leaning on our own understanding. We are taught thru and thru the Bible not to trust our heart for anything at all, because it will lead us astray.

Our families are the Work of God Himself, and because of it we need to rely on the LORD to help us. We already know full well that Satan wants to destroy us, our homes, our testimony, our church, our work for the LORD, etc.

Knowing this then, we can see clearly that it wasn't God's fault that the wife him. It was his own fault. :eek

[pneu-engine]

I think that is the whole thing. that if he cannot rule his own house how can he make good decisions for the congregation. I do think that if a man was divorced when he wasn't saved then isn't he a new creature in Christ. I don't know if I would hold that against him' date=' because to me he isn't the same unregenerated man he once was.[/quote']

Some things are irrevocable. A man who lost both legs in a car accident because he was DUI will never get his legs back after he is saved.

[5dumplings@home]

What about a pastor's wife decides to leave him while a pastor was trying to reconcile her? He was trying his best as he can to have her back but she decides to leave him because she wants her own life and her own way and decide to divorce him. Can he still be a pastor? Is pastor fault? Is this blameless?

Evan57 :ears: w/o hear

I don't believe so. Unfortunately, she disqualified him from the ministry. His family was not under control. How then does he remain blameless? (Even if not entirely his fault.)

I think he would still be qualified to be an advisor to young preachers, or a counselor, but not in the official role as pastor. The Lord can certainly take this change in the man's life and move him to something else as an act of mercy--not completely removing him from service.

[Trish]

In the case just posted, he has not ruled his own house well and has disqualified himself on that point. The wife has also helped him strike out 2 more times as he is now not the husband of a wife and is now not blameless. This is very sad. We see it happening more and more. Many churches are being destroyed because the Pastor cannot rule his own house. Very sad indeed. :sad

[pneu-engine]

I see it too. :sad

[Evan57]

Then read the website from an Independent baptist church: http://www.gospelcenterchurch.org/divorcedpastors.html

What do you think of this??

Evan57 :ears: w/o hear

[sarcrew]

IMHO - yes with a qualifier. Only if the divorce met the Biblical standard of being for infidelity and if since that time the man has met all other Biblical requirements. That said I would not recommend that the man pastor in the same community as said divorce is known.

Wayne

[Guest Guest]

IMHO - yes with a qualifier. Only if the divorce met the Biblical standard of being for infidelity and if since that time the man has met all other Biblical requirements.

BTW just a suggestion, Study out the "Biblical standard of divorce for infidelity". If you study the passage in Mathew I think you will find that the "divorce" for infidelity Jesus is talking about is a breaking of the pre-marriage betrothal not post marriage divorce. Other scripture makes that fairly clear in my opinion. If you want to start a thread in the biblical issues forum feel free. :frog

[Madeline]

The only biblical standard which is applicable to the question is the one found at 1st Timothy 3:2 and Titus 1:6 where it is said that an elder (lit., overseer or "bishop" = someone in the premier leadership circle of the local church) must be a "husband of one wife", a phrase which means, "one at a time". That is, these verses make polygamy a disqualifying circumstance for the office of elder. It is true that the question of a right to remarriage is a complicated and somewhat vexed one. Naturally, it would be terrific if we were all perfect in every respect. Practically speaking, the problems caused by sexual behavior and lust, marriage, divorce, remarriage, etc. are huge - and so it is no wonder that Paul can say with feeling "I would that all men were even as I myself (i.e., single)" (1Cor.7:7). Of course, because of the power of the sin nature and our weaknesses, marriage is for most of us a necessary condition (1 Cor.7:2). Since that is true, from a practical standpoint it seems to me that if someone is honoring the marriage vows (i.e., remaining faithful within their present marriage), then whether and when and if and under what circumstances they should or could or would or must or must not divorce or have divorced is best left between my brothers and sisters and the Lord.

Love,
Madeline