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Pastoral Qualifications


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Seth,

Please show me the Scripture that supports a Pastor wife being held to the standard of the Deacon's wife. The only qualifications listed are being under subjection. There are valid reasons for having qualifications of a Deacon's wife.

Jerry,
There are consequences, but again, show me how he is disqualified from the Pastorate. The Bible says that if a man looks at a woman to lust, he has committed adultery. What man at some point in his life (usually when he was a teenager) has not lusted after a girl. The reality is that there are very few men, if any, that have not lusted after a woman at some point. Therefore, no one is qualified to pastor.


Yes, I agree. Comparing ourselves to eternal righteousness we always come out as filthy rags saved by grace.

I went to the scriptures and I find no evidence the wife of a pastor must never have divorced.
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Chevy,

One that ruleth well his own house. This is not just the kids, it is the whole family.

Jerry,
Answer the question: "Have you ever lusted after a woman in your entire life?" If you have, please step down tomorrow from your pastorate as you are disqualified based on your qualifications.

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Had a question about Pastoral qualifications. If a Pastor of a Church is married to a woman who is divorced, is he qualified to pastor a Church?


Yes, and I know a few great pastors who are. Try telling their congregations that they aren't qualified.
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Yes, and I know a few great pastors who are. Try telling their congregations that they aren't qualified.

What the congregation thinks doesn't matter. It only matters what the Word says. There are many churches with women pastors and the congregations love them, believe they are great pastors and qualified to be pastors, but they base this not upon Scripture.
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What the congregation thinks doesn't matter. It only matters what the Word says. There are many churches with women pastors and the congregations love them, believe they are great pastors and qualified to be pastors, but they base this not upon Scripture.



John, The thing is, because someone has done wrong, and others happen to see good come out of it, it does not mean God accepted it.

Pastorj, You acting like a child with the questions you ask. Your questions means nothing, but the Bible is everything. That is, your questions in not the guide, the Bible is.

The Bible is clear, the man that is married to a divorce woman, that has a living husband, is living in adultery, and her husband in a partner in the sin of adultery.
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Pastorj, You acting like a child with the questions you ask. Your questions means nothing, but the Bible is everything. That is, your questions in not the guide, the Bible is.

The Bible is clear, the man that is married to a divorce woman, that has a living husband, is living in adultery, and her husband in a partner in the sin of adultery.



Jerry,

I generally disagree with PastorJ's comments on this thread but I think he is right on this one: " A Pastor who is married to a divorced woman committed adultery (1 time, not living daily in it)." Scripturally once a divorced person has remarried, though that act is wrong, it is not a case of living in continued adultery.

Some scriptural support.


"Jeremiah 3:1 They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man's, shall he return unto her again? shall not that land be greatly polluted?...."

And another that gives an indication in that direction: "John 4:17-18 The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband: For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly."

Jesus said this woman had had "five husbands" and was currently living with someone not her husband. Now I suppose that this last verse isn't an airtight "proof", it is faintly possible that this woman had been widowed five times, but that seems pretty unlikely particularly in light of the fact that she was living in immorality with someone she was not married to when Jesus met her. It seems much more likely she had been divorced from some or all of her "five husbands"that Christ mentions. The fact that he says " thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband" seems to show he recognized the first five as a state of marriage rather than a state of continued adultery. Since the act of marrying a divorced person is an act he equaled with adultery, it seems that marrying a divorced person must be a one time act of adultery rather than a continued state particularly in light of Jeremiah 3:1.
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Let's look at the qualifications
1Ti 3:1 This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
1. The first qualification is that you have to be a man. This eliminates women from the pastorate.
2. The second qualification is that you have to have a desire for the position. I believe this is a God given desire.

1Ti 3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
3. Blameless - the word means (Above Reproach). Some have said that the idea is that nothing can stick to you. It does not mean sinless.
4. Husband of one wife - Various opinions here, but I do not believe in divorce for any reason (Not going to argue this one) and therefore I believe if the man has been divorced he is disqualified
5. Vigilant - The word has the idea of watching circumspectly. This is an ability that not everyone has.
6. Sober - This is not dealing with alcohol, it is dealing with thinking clearly or someone with common sense.
7. Good Behavior - Just what it sounds like. The pastor must behave
8. Hospitable – Open hearted and generous
9. Apt to Teach – Ability to teach

1Ti 3:3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
10. Not given to wine – Not only no alcohol, but to not be around people who are.
11. Not a striker – Vengeance is the Lord’s
12. Not greedy – Money should not be an issue for a Pastor
13. Patient – To deal with things appropriately
14. Not a brawler – Peaceable, not a fighter
15. Not covetous – Not desirous of other peoples belongings

1Ti 3:4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
1Ti 3:5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)

16. Rules his house well – Children are in subjection (Bible times – Age 12)

1Ti 3:6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
17. Not a novice – New Christian or new to the ministry: The word novice means beginner.

1Ti 3:7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
18. Have a good report with unsaved

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Now that I have given the qualifications, let's move to the question at hand.

Notice, there are no qualifications listed directly regarding the wife of the pastor, other than the implied dealing with the house. These verses state that the Pastor must have his house in order. A wife who is not in submission disqualifies that man from the pastorate.

Jerry## has said that a man who marries a divorced woman is disqualifed because he is an adulterer. I will agree that the Scriptures are clear that the man has committed the sin of adultery. A 1 time sin. Does this disqualify him from the ministry either for a short time, or permanently? I will answer this in a moment. Scripture also states: Mat 5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

God is clear in this passage that if you have looked on a woman to lust after her, you have committed adultery in God's eyes. The ten commandments are clear that if we steal, we are a thief. So the question is, at what point does an individual become disqualified?

Look at the qualifications again: He must be blameless and of a good report. If a man steals something he is at that point disqualified from the pastorate. But for how long. The answer is as long as that sin is a reproach in his life or as long as he does not have a good report. Yes there are consequences, but God forgives and no longer holds people accountable. Over time, the man will prove that he is no longer a thief and the reproach will go away and his good report will return. He is once again qualified to be a pastor. The same is true for the sin of adultery. A man who commits this sin as a young man could very well be qualified for the ministry when he is in his 40's.

If these two sins had permanent disqualification, then not too many men would ever be qualified to pastor as I doubt there are very many men on this earch that has never lusted after a woman and therefore committed adultery.


As stated, I would not vote for an individual who was married to a divorced woman, but if you are going to say they are disqualified, explain your position from Scripture.

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What the congregation thinks doesn't matter. It only matters what the Word says. There are many churches with women pastors and the congregations love them, believe they are great pastors and qualified to be pastors, but they base this not upon Scripture.


Yes it does matter what they think just like it matters what the unsaved think. This is what the whole "qualifications" passage is about. If a congregation is being edified and are being led to serve the Lord than who cares if the pastor is divorced. And with women's lib and the majority of divorces being initiated by women for the least little thing you better expect to see more divorced pastors in the pulpit.

As far as women pastors? It may get in such bad shape in America with the men it may come to this. Deborah led the children of Israel because no men could be found to do the job.
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John, The thing is, because someone has done wrong, and others happen to see good come out of it, it does not mean God accepted it.




You folks don't seem to grasp the issue. If a congregation has a pastor that is divorced and that congregation is being led to serve the Lord than it is up to that congregation to decide whether to keep him or not. It doesn't matter what we think. And I guarantee God is more pleased with that then with some Pharisical pastor (with only "one living wife") who leads the sheep no place but to the offering plate.
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Now that I have given the qualifications, let's move to the question at hand.

Notice, there are no qualifications listed directly regarding the wife of the pastor, other than the implied dealing with the house. These verses state that the Pastor must have his house in order. A wife who is not in submission disqualifies that man from the pastorate.

Jerry## has said that a man who marries a divorced woman is disqualifed because he is an adulterer. I will agree that the Scriptures are clear that the man has committed the sin of adultery. A 1 time sin. Does this disqualify him from the ministry either for a short time, or permanently? I will answer this in a moment. Scripture also states: Mat 5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

God is clear in this passage that if you have looked on a woman to lust after her, you have committed adultery in God's eyes. The ten commandments are clear that if we steal, we are a thief. So the question is, at what point does an individual become disqualified?

Look at the qualifications again: He must be blameless and of a good report. If a man steals something he is at that point disqualified from the pastorate. But for how long. The answer is as long as that sin is a reproach in his life or as long as he does not have a good report. Yes there are consequences, but God forgives and no longer holds people accountable. Over time, the man will prove that he is no longer a thief and the reproach will go away and his good report will return. He is once again qualified to be a pastor. The same is true for the sin of adultery. A man who commits this sin as a young man could very well be qualified for the ministry when he is in his 40's.

If these two sins had permanent disqualification, then not too many men would ever be qualified to pastor as I doubt there are very many men on this earch that has never lusted after a woman and therefore committed adultery.


As stated, I would not vote for an individual who was married to a divorced woman, but if you are going to say they are disqualified, explain your position from Scripture.


I think I know where we differ, I did very much appreciate your post breaking down the qualifications though...thanks.

I think we differ in the respect that you believe a Pastor marrying a divorced woman is only a one time sin of adultery. I would contest it is a continuous and willing sin of adultery. If you steal something when you are little it's a one time thing, if you slip and lust after another woman in your heart you've just committed adultery but it was a one time thing...probably repented and asked forgiveness. But, if you are CONTINUALLY in a relationship with a woman who is divorced, this is not a one time thing...this is continuous and to me the Pastor would NOT be blameless.

Can a man who has made a mistake and lusted after a woman which means he committed adultery in his heart still be a Pastor? I believe so, because it was a one time sin and as long as he repents (guess you really won't know since we can't read minds or hearts) but I think you get my point. But, I have a hard time believing that is the same as being married to a divorced woman...you are committing adultery every day basically (willingly and knowingly I might add).
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You folks don't seem to grasp the issue. If a congregation has a pastor that is divorced and that congregation is being led to serve the Lord than it is up to that congregation to decide whether to keep him or not. It doesn't matter what we think. And I guarantee God is more pleased with that then with some Pharisical pastor (with only "one living wife") who leads the sheep no place but to the offering plate.


It's not that they don't grasp the issue, same could be said of you I suppose but we are looking at it in two different ways. I would be reluctant to guarantee anything that God is thinking or more pleased with and would actually venture to guess God is displeased with both. But, I wouldn't guarantee it.

It's true, it doesn't matter what we think only what the Bible says. If many are in agreement that the Bible does state a Pastor should not be divorced then God has a specific reason for not allowing that and we should follow it. No matter if we think a divorced person would make a good Pastor or not...if God commands it, that settles it and we should know there is a good reason for it.
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Yes it does matter what they think just like it matters what the unsaved think. This is what the whole "qualifications" passage is about. If a congregation is being edified and are being led to serve the Lord than who cares if the pastor is divorced. And with women's lib and the majority of divorces being initiated by women for the least little thing you better expect to see more divorced pastors in the pulpit.

As far as women pastors? It may get in such bad shape in America with the men it may come to this. Deborah led the children of Israel because no men could be found to do the job.

Where in the pastoral qualifications does it say a man must have the approval of a congregation to be qualified to be a pastor?

Where in the pastoral qualifications does it insinuate that God ever accepts for any reason women pastors?

NOTE: Deborah was not a pastor and has no application whatsoever to who can or can't be a pastor according to the Word of God.
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