A holy God has called sinful men to minister the gospel of Christ through personal proclamation and holy conduct. A pastor is first and foremost an "ambassador for Christ" (2 Cor. 5:20). He stands in Christ's stead and continues Christ's work in this world. In representing another, it is vital that the faithful pastor accurately reflect his Lord's person and message. The qualifications for pastoral ministry outlined in 1 Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:6-9, and 1 Peter 5:1-4 secure that those who claim to minister for Christ faithfully represent Him. These qualifications are the biblical standard by which a pastor must be judged.

The Call to Ministry

God personally calls men into pastoral ministry. God's call is both internal and external, subjective and objective. 1 Timothy 3:1-7 stresses both aspects of God's call:

"If any man aspires [internal, subjective] to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires [internal, subjective] to do. An overseer, then, must be above reproach [external, objective]…" (1 Timothy 3:1-2, NASB)

The dual nature of God's call protects the overzealous pastoral candidate from self-delusion in regard to his own subjective desires. It also protects the hesitant pastoral candidate from the pressure of well-meaning, overzealous Christians.

The dual nature of God's call guarantees that the responsibility for discerning God's call never rests upon any one person alone. Both the candidate and the ordaining church must be in agreement. Through the rigorous self-examination of the pastoral candidate in regard to their own desires ("If any man aspires to the office of overseer") and the careful examination of the church in regard to the candidate's abilities and character ("An overseer must be above reproach") God's call is discerned. Both must be in agreement in order for the call of God to be clearly recognized. Ordination by the church is the culmination of God's call in that the candidate is able to personally experience the church's affirmation of his own desires and gifts.

The High Standard of the Office-Bearer

Above all else the pastor must be "above reproach" (1 Tim. 3:1; Tit. 1:6, 7). This witnesses to the pastor's overall character. The consistent testimony of his life is to be one of moral integrity. The pastor's blameless conduct then becomes a credible model for imitation in that his life displays the transforming reality of Christ's saving work (see 1 Cor. 11:1). This evidences that the message he proclaims is one of truth and power.

All the moral characteristics found listed in 1 Timothy 3:2-3 and Titus 1:7-8 are summarized in this one quality -- blamelessness. A blameless lifestyle will be one that is characterized by temperance, gentleness, peaceableness, prudence, and contentment (1 Tim. 3:2-3). It will also manifest itself in a self-controlled, godly, and considerate care for others (Tit. 1:7-8). No one should ever be able to accuse the pastor of selfishly seeking his own financial gain (Tit. 1:7; 1 Pet. 5:2). Even those outside the church should be able to recognize the pastor's commitment to the Christian faith (1 Tim 3:7).

These moral qualities should be seen over the course of the pastor's life. They are not merely one-time acts, but indicative of a godly lifestyle. For this reason, the pastor should not be a new convert, but one whose maturity has been recognized over time (1 Tim. 3:6). Likewise, his teaching must be tested and found to be in line with Christian orthodoxy (1 Tim. 3:6, 10).

The Importance of Sexual Purity

The pastor is also called to a high standard in regard to sexual purity. He is to be "the husband of one wife," or more literally, "a one-woman man" (1 Tim. 3:2; Tit. 1:6). Sexual sin is one of the most pervasive and powerfully enticing temptations in this world. Purity in this area reveals the power of the gospel to transform one's appetites and desires -- to really cut to the heart of a man.

I don't believe that this passage demands that a pastor be married in order to be qualified to minister. I also don't believe the central focus of this passage is on prohibiting polygamy (although that surely is forbidden) or prohibiting widowers or divorcees from the office of pastor. Rather, this requirement strikes at the root of a man's heart by calling him to sexual purity -- whether single, married, divorced, or widowed. The focus is on one's life and character, not on any one-time act or circumstance. If this qualification solely focused on marital status (whether single, widowed, or divorced) there would be no qualification listed that stressed the need for sexual purity in the heart. One can be married and still have a heart full of wicked lust toward other women. I believe that focusing on marital status and not on heart purity removes the essential thrust of Paul's qualification. Besides, if Paul had desired to forbid widowers or divorcees from holding pastoral office, it would have been easy for him to plainly indicate this -- he knew the Greek words that would clearly communicate these thoughts!

In the Graeco-Roman culture of Paul's day, sexual immorality was rampant. This is why he constantly called on believers to live lives of sexual purity. How much more then should we expect him to require spiritual leaders to be "above reproach" in this area?

The Pastor's Family Life

The pastor's family life reveals much concerning his ability to lovingly lead others. The smallest institution/organism is the nuclear family. The nuclear family is the building block of society and an important element in the life of the church. The pastor should be familiar with God's commands for a godly family. His household should be one that evidences his abilities to exercise spiritual leadership for the benefit of others (1 Tim. 3:4-5; Tit. 1:6).

Just as a father exercises authority over his family, the spiritual father (1 Cor. 4:15; 1 Thess. 2:11) exercises authority over God's household of faith (Gal. 6:10; 1 Tim. 3:15). If the pastoral candidate is unable to effectively shepherd his own small flock, how can he be expected to nurture and lead a larger flock? The challenges only multiply as the flock grows in number and diversity.

In a nuclear family, a father is not to provoke his children to anger (Eph. 6:4). He is also to make sure he doesn't exasperate his children in such a way that they lose heart (Col. 3:21). He is to lead firmly but lovingly, with gentleness and grace. Likewise, in the household of God, the pastor's leadership is to be firm but loving. He is not to wear his people out or frustrate them with his demands, but wisely and graciously lead them in the ways of God. He is a shepherd who leads, not a taskmaster who dominates. He is not to "lord it over those allotted to his charge," but to gently lead them through word and example (1 Peter 5:3).

The Gift of Teaching

Last, but not least, the pastor must be gifted to teach (1 Tim. 3:2). The pastor is a "steward of the mysteries of Christ" (1 Cor. 4:1). A great treasure has been entrusted to him (2 Tim. 1:1). As a faithful steward he is to both guard and dispense this treasure. He is to guard it against error, perversion, and neglect, and dispense it through public teaching, mentoring, and discipleship. In this way, he will obey Paul's command to "hold fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, that he may be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict" (Tit. 1:9).

The faithful pastor must balance personal study time with public ministry. He must personally be involved in his people's lives like a mother and father (1 Thess. 2:7-12). At the same time, he must diligently fulfill his obligations to grow in purity of doctrine through faithful study of God's Word (1 Tim. 4:6, 11-16; 2 Tim 2:15). The great subject matter of God's word can be overwhelming. It can leave the pastor feeling insufficient and incompetent for his duties. However, he is called to obey what he knows and to be involved in the lives of his people.

Balancing these two areas will demand careful and disciplined scheduling of his time. Many times, he will have to sacrifice time that could be used in the study of God's Word in order to minister to urgent needs in his congregation. At other times, he will need to discern whether the good of the many outweighs the needs of the few. This never-ending balancing act is more a matter of art than science. The pastor will need to continually depend on God's Spirit for wisdom and discernment.

Conclusion

The qualifications for pastoral ministry are applicable throughout the pastor's entire ministry. Since a pastor preaches the gospel both through word and life, it is necessary that he maintain a godly example as well as doctrinal purity (1 Tim. 4:12, 16). The salvation of those allotted to his charge depends on this!

"Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things; for as you do this you will save both yourself and those who hear you." (1 Timothy 4:16)

© Richard J. Vincent, February 15, 2000