Overseer Training: What Qualifies You to Be a Church Leader?

The PursueGOD Training Podcast

Welcome back to week two of our Overseer Training series!

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From the Job Description: An overseer must qualify according to 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:6-9 and PG’s profile of a healthy leader.

He must affirm Alpine's doctrinal statement, the Alpine Way, and Alpine’s Statement on Sexuality and Gender. - reference back to the unity we mentioned last week. It’s imperative your elders/overseers can affirm your philosophy of ministry.

• 1 Timothy 3:1-5 This is a trustworthy saying: “If someone aspires to be a church leader,[a] he desires an honorable position.” 2 So a church leader must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife.[b] He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must be able to teach. 3 He must not be a heavy drinker[c] or be violent. He must be gentle, not quarrelsome, and not love money. 4 He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him. 5 For if a man cannot manage his own household, 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. 7 He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap.
• Overseer, elder, bishop, pastor - words used interchangeably in NT- to oversee, to care for - caring for the flock is at the heart of the calling of an overseer
• Several translations say, “He desires a good work.” Many people desire honorable positions, but how many desire to work for the Lord?
• What is the use of a lazy minister? He is no good either to the world, to the Church, or to himself. He is a dishonor to the noblest profession that can be bestowed upon the sons of men.” (Spurgeon)
• Ashamed of the low expectations I placed on Overseer Team in Logan for the first four years I was campus pastor. Men often rise to the level of expectation. I saw that first hand in the years I coached and I’ve seen it in ministry.
• Above reproach
• Literally means “nothing to take hold upon” - It is a metaphor of a boxer who so skillfully defends himself, it is impossible to hit him.
• It can’t mean perfection or there would be no overseers. Is there a pattern of sin in your life someone can point a finger at? Not just sins of commission, but sins of omission as well. This is why we look to see if someone is obedient to helping others pursue God before we invite them to serve in this capacity. Are they honoring God with their finances?
• Faithful to his wife
• Original Greek - must be the husband of one wife, Some translations say must have married only once
• Most commentaries agree it means monogamy, faithful to his wife
• I’ve always taken a very conservative view on this requirement, but I am softening that stance, or at least think I am. It seems all of the other requirements describe the condition of the man after he has begun a relationship with Jesus. Would Paul have been described as gentle before his conversion, while he was rounding up Christians to be imprisoned or looking upon their stoning with approval? If that element of the list isn’t looked at as “Has always been gentle” why would we look at this element as “has always been the husband of one wife”.
• Faithful to his wife would include being faithful with your eyes
• Self Control, live wisely, have a good reputation
• Story about deacon who bragged he was a real S.O.B. Monday through Friday
• Self control on social media, self control when we engage in hard conversations
• Live wisely means there may be areas in my life that aren’t necessarily sinful, but is it wise?
• Enjoy having guests in his home, hospitality
• Traveling Christians in that culture who didn’t want to stay at public inns because of the depravity - may look different today
• Able to teach
• The seventh item is "able to teach". This implies not only a readiness to teach, but also having the spiritual power to do so, after the overseer has prayerfully reflected on God's Word and its practical application.
• Teaching environments: small groups, mentoring, Sunday morning, Alpine U classes or similar
• Not a heavy drinker or violent, gentle, not quarrelsome, and not love money
• In our culture, quarrelsome would also apply to the way the handle social media
• Most literal translation is not contentious - an overseer should not be someone that people are walking on eggshells around.
• Do they put love of things over love of God and love of people?
• Manage his own family well
• How does this look when kids are out of the home?
• If kids are rebelling, is it because of the father’s parenting or in spite of the father’s parenting?
• Honest feedback from the candidate’s wife can be very helpful in this case.
• Not a recent convert and good reputation with outsiders
• Recent is a relative and subjective term. Has the potential overseer been through trials since they’ve become a believer that have revealed the genuineness of their faith?
• Have they served alongside others? How do those who have served with them feel about their qualifications?
• Profile of a Healthy Leader:
• Spiritual: Be humbly submitted to Jesus as Savior and Lord. Honor God with excellence in your work, depending on God for the results. Colossians 3:23-24
• Emotional: Celebrate your strengths and take ownership of your weaknesses. Stay teachable and positive in the face of trials. 2 Timothy 2:24-25
• Relational: Care about people, not just tasks. Do conflict well, speaking truth in love according to the standard of Jesus. Matthew 18:15-17
• Financial: Don’t love money. Be generous to God through regular, sacrificial giving to your local church. 2 Corinthians 8:7

Missional: Buy into the disciple-making mission of the church. Model it personally in your life and encourage others to participate. Matthew 28:19-20