The Church: Qualifications of Overseers

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Scriptural Text:  1 Timothy 3:1-7

1 Timothy 3:1

The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task.

(ESV)

The Apostle Paul is preparing Timothy for the position of pastor at the troubled church in Ephesus.  To avoid further damage from false legalistic teaching, it is crucial for Timothy to lead the church with impeccable character so as not to feed the belief by false teachers that the teaching of grace was heresy.  For the church to remain an unstoppable force for Christ in the community, it must have leadership with impeccable character.  This was true in the time of the Apostle Paul, and remains true for the church today and why those accepting the call to high positions of ministry must pay close attention to the teaching of 1 Timothy 3:1-7. 

Overseers are who would be elders, pastors, and bishops in today’s church (1 Timothy 3:1).  While all believers in Christ have a calling to be ambassadors for Christ and participate in spreading the Gospel through what they say and how they live, the calling of overseer is a high calling.  The special calling of the overseer has special qualifications that ensure only people having this special calling fill these positions.  This special calling requires the overseer have.

1)      A respected attitude (1 Timothy 3:2) – This includes behavior that is above reproach.  The many scandals involving those in high positions of ministry illustrate what can occur when one in ministry behaves inappropriately.  While there is grace to save someone in ministry that sins, the sin causes loss of respect for ministry and is difficult to overcome.  Not only must one in a high position of ministry be able to teach, but they must also have soberness of mind or thinking, exercise self-control, act respectably, be hospitable to others, even those opposing their ministry (Matthew 5:43-45). 

2)      Respectable behavior (1 Timothy 3:3) – Similar to one in ministry having a disrespectable attitude, disrespectful behavior also brings harm to the ministry.  The world and congregation will not tolerate their pastor acting like a drunkard, violently, argumentatively, or flaunting their wealth.  All these behaviors indicate the minister lacks self-control, providing an inroad for the enemy to use to take down the ministry. 

3)      Management of household (1 Timothy 3:4-5) – How one manages their household is a snapshot of how one may manage an organization.  One in a high position in ministry will also find themselves in situations where they must offer marriage counseling.  If the minister is unable to manage their marriage, how would one have the confidence to come to them for marriage counseling. 

4)      An established relationship with God and not someone new to the faith (1 Timothy 3:6) – One would not think of placing someone fresh out of college into a high position of leadership in an organization.  Similarly, one does not achieve a high position of ministry as an overseer in the church until they demonstrate a solid commitment to Jesus as their savior.  This waiting period allows any issues with attitude, behavior, or family to surface prior to one’s ordination to ministry. 

5)      A good reputation in the community (1 Timothy 3:7) – The objective of an overseer should be to have the same reputation as Samuel when he issued his farewell address (1 Samuel 12:1-5).  Once again, there is grace to forgive those in high ministry that sin, including grace to cover sins occurring prior to one receiving Christ and a high calling to ministry.  This good reputation is, therefore, a good reputation since entering ministry with no hidden sins that could surface later bringing shame to the church that tarnish the message of the Gospel delivered by the church.  From this good reputation, outreach with the Gospel into the community is more effective. 

Just as with secular organizations, the tone of the leadership of an organization determine the ethics with which the organization will function.  This is even more important in ministry as one has a calling and responsibility to lead by the precepts of the Bible.  Failure of leadership to follow the precepts of 1 Timothy 3:1-7 not only brings embarrassment to the church and minister but could result in someone viewing the church as full of hypocrites, causing some to lose an opportunity to accept Jesus as Savior.  Leaders in ministry are to shepherd the flock not become an obstacle to advancing the Gospel message.