Necessity for Qualifications
To protect the church
To help improve the elders’ character
To help improve the elders’ skills
Spirit-Given Desire
Spirit given: “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God” (Acts 20:28).
Spirit-Given Desire
Personal desire: “The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task” (1 Tim. 3:1).
Spirit-Given Desire
Obedient: “Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly” (1 Peter 5:2).
Integrity
“Being examples to the flock” (1 Peter 5:3)
“Not greedy for gain” (Titus 1:7)
“Upright” (Titus 1:8)
“Above reproach” (1 Tim. 3:2, Titus 1:6)“Hold firm to trustworthy word as taught” (Titus 1:9)
“Holy” (Titus 1:8)
Integrity
So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart, and guided them with his skillful hands. (Ps 78:72)
“[Man of integrity]swears to his own hurt and does not change” (Ps 15:4)
Reputation
“Above reproach” (1 Tim. 3:2, Titus 1:6)
“Respectable” (1 Tim. 3:2)
“Well thought of by outsiders” (1 Tim. 3:7)
Family Life
“Husband of one wife” (1 Tim 3:2, Titus 1:6)
“Manage his own household well” (1 Tim 3:4)
“His children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination” (Titus 1:6)
Personal
“Sober-minded” (1 Tim 3:2)
“Lover of what is good”
“Not recent convert”
“Disciplined” (Titus 1:8)
“Not a drunkard” (1 Tim. 3:3)
“Self-Controlled” (Titus 1:8)
Relational
“Not quick tempered” (Titus 1:7)
“Not quarrelsome” (1 Tim. 3:3)
“Not arrogant” (Titus 1:7) NASB: “self-willed”
“Gentle” (1 Tim. 3:3)
Relational
“Not quick tempered” (Titus 1:7)
“Not quarrelsome” (1 Tim. 3:3)
“Not arrogant” (Titus 1:7) NASB: “self-willed”
“Gentle” (1 Tim. 3:3)
“Upright” (Titus 1:8)
“Hospitable” (1 Tim 3:2, Ti 1:8)
Teaching
“…be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it” (Titus 1:9)
“… able to teach” (1 Tim. 3:3)