What is a Pastor to Be? Part 1

Every January we pause our study to take some time and return to some foundational issues. We call this annual series, Foundations. This year, the next section in 1 Timothy lines up with what I want to cover in the Foundations series and so we will kill two birds with one stone as it were. We will continue our study in 1 Timothy as it covers some important foundational aspects of the church. This next section in 1 Timothy covers the leadership of a church. We believe that God has ordained two specific offices in the church: pastor and deacon. But who is to fill these offices? Does God give us a list of what we ought to expect from those who are in these offices. The answer is “yes.” Over the next several weeks we will look at what God tells us about this in 1 Timothy. 

When we think of leadership in a church, we immediately think of the office of pastor. But what is a pastor to be? Who should be a pastor? What expectations should we have of the pastor? There are a lot of views about this in the church today. Some churches believe that the pastor must have extensive advanced education. They will not consider a man for the pastorate without advanced degrees. Other churches believe that formal training is a waste of time. All the man needs is a love for people and he is good. He don’t need no edumication. 

Are there some things we ought to expect regarding his marriage status? Some churches believe a man should be married, the Roman Catholic church requires that its priests be unmarried. Are there some things we should expect regarding ability, personality, beliefs, and so on? Can just anyone be a pastor? Or should we be picky? And how do we know if someone should be a pastor?

Too many churches have not thought deeply about these questions. As a result, many pulpits in this country are filled by unqualified men who have no business being in the ministry. Too many churches are just happy that someone would be willing to be the pastor. This is a sad thing and has done immense damage to those churches and the lives of their members. Over the next two weeks, we will seek to answer the question, “What is a pastor to be?” As your pastor, what standard are you to hold me to? If tomorrow I get run over by a rogue Amish buggy and God calls me home, what are you to look for in the next guy? As we look to expand our staff, what are we looking for? What is a pastor to be?