Thursday, October 18

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2018

"Here is a trustworthy saying:  Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task.  Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.  He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full respect.  (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?). He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil.  He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil's trap." (1 Timothy 3:1-7)

These verses and others in Titus help us to understand the high calling for serving as an elder.  While we could focus on the specific characteristics, the broad message involves living in a honorable way before God and others and rejecting those commitments or distractions that would cause us to fall into sin.

Elders seek to protect the Church and promote the advance of God's Kingdom.  They serve on behalf of "God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth." (3:15)  This dual mandate of guarding the truth and God's family while pressing forward in outreach does not come without its challenges.  Striking proper balances for the Church have caused many disagreements among congregations.  Elders must set forth love as the first principle:  loving God, loving people, and making disciples.  Serving as an elder is less about title and more about just that:  serving.

While these qualifications for serving as an elder may seem high, I believe that we will all benefit from seeking to fulfill them.  We will miss out on great joy and fellowship if we settle for 80% commitment in our faith; we will not know the full blessing of God's intimate presence with us.  These qualifications and the motivations behind them will lead to a fruitful Christian life, marked by the fruit of the Spirit.  Don't we all want that?

Please pray for those serving in Church leadership.  Pray that our motivations would be godly and that our concern would begin with God and His family.  Pray that we would protect and promote the truth and seek to spread the sweet of aroma of Christ.

Lord God, thank You for sharing these qualifications of serving as an elder.  Help us to see how we may better fulfill these characteristics in our own lives.  Point out those distractions or alternative commitments that keep us from 100% connection with You.  Make us ready for the leadership opportunities You have set before us.  Bring forth the fruit of the Spirit so that we may spread the sweet aroma of Christ.  In His precious Name, amen.