This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
To desire the office of bishop is to desire oversight of the church as an elder charged with caring for and guiding it, and that desire is directed toward a good and weighty work. Desire for the place, even with ability to pray or skill in speaking, does not itself qualify a man or prove him called to it. One who would fill it must be blameless in life, faithful in marriage, watchful, sober, well-behaved, hospitable, able to teach, free from drink, violence, greed, quarreling and covetousness, patient, impartial and unselfish, of good report even outside the faith, and experienced in Scripture and in meekly instructing opposers. His fitness is first proved in a well-governed, well-ordered home, where he rules his household well, keeps his children in subjection, trains them in right habits, and shows tenderness and faithfulness to wife and children, for neglect at home unfits him for the church. No one is to be hurried into the eldership, but only set apart after testing and proving in smaller duties, with examination of Christian experience, knowledge of Scripture, sound judgment, and clear evidence of the Spirit's working.
Office and Good Work
The office of bishop is oversight of the church, the responsible position of elder charged with caring for and guiding it. It is a good work, and those appointed as overseers must be fit for God to use, loving and fearing God, controlled by His Spirit, and entrusted only when character and conduct make them fit to guide. Frantic, uncontrolled conduct does not commend a man as an overseer and makes him unfit for a place of influence or for teaching the people until he is changed. Those in this office must have a good reputation, know the Scriptures, and show experience in faith and patience so they can meekly instruct those who oppose the truth, and they must meet the required qualifications and remain faithful to true principles despite opposition and trial.
To desire that office is to desire a good work, opening an important subject that needs careful study and daily practice. The work carries grave responsibilities for every office connected with the church and requires a process of education beginning with home training, with a well-disciplined, well-ordered home as the first proof of fitness to set the church in order. The minister is responsible to educate, train, and discipline his children in right habits and practices, governing his household well with children in subjection with gravity, showing tenderness and faithfulness toward wife and children, and presenting to world and church an example of a family where children are under control of father and mother and father and mother are under control of God. Neglect of home duty eclipses the light so it cannot shine in correct example in eating, in dressing, and in working in right lines, and reveals the same defective character in church duties, while failure to rule his own house unfits him to care for the church of God. A minister must not only preach the Word but give it power by practicing it, living faithfully in marriage and family life. Greater regard for these stated qualifications is to decide whom to license for ministry.
Desire for the office, even with ability to pray or skill in speaking, does not itself qualify a man or prove he is called to the work. He must have proper government over himself, a good influence, and a character without defect, or the church will be in continual trouble through its leader. Those entrusted with ministry must be called by God and shown to be fit through deep experience, testing, sound judgment, and ability to correct sin meekly and care for the flock, decided with the church and with clear evidence of the Holy Spirit. Therefore men must not be hurried into the eldership, and hands must not be laid too suddenly upon them.
The office of local elder gives no supremacy over the gospel ministry, with no prerogative to invite or silence a God-sent minister or to require him to work only by permission. Ministers labor under God's supervision as evangelists, pastors, and teachers and are to be respected and accepted in position as superiors, not subordinates, with the work everywhere done unitedly. Local elders are to be proved and tested, and some are not fitted to occupy the pulpit as ministers, and placing unfit men there brings inferiority to the work.
Qualifications for Church Leaders
The office carries a full list of character requirements to be studied and practiced daily: blameless, faithful to one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, hospitable, apt to teach, not given to wine, no striker, not greedy, but patient, not a brawler and not covetous, impartial and unselfish, with knowledge of Scripture and experience in faith and patience to meekly instruct opposers, and with a good reputation even among those outside the faith, meaning those not of the faith. Fitness for that trust is first proved in the home, where the leader must govern his household well, ruling well his own house with children in subjection with gravity, educating, training and disciplining them in right habits and practices, and showing tenderness and faithfulness to wife and children. The home is the beginning of the education for every office connected with the church, presenting to world and church an example of a family where children are under the control of father and mother and father and mother are under the control of God, with correct example in eating, in dressing, and in working in right lines. Neglect of home duty eclipses the light, reveals the same defective character that will be carried into ministry and into church duties, and unfits a man even to serve as local elder, while faithfulness in the home and in smaller duties prepares him to set the church in order and to take increased obligation. A minister must not only preach the Word but give it power by practicing it, living faithfully in marriage and family life.
A leader must also have proper government over himself, ruled by the love and fear of God and by the truth, controlled by God's Spirit, fit for God to use, with good influence and character without defect. Frantic, uncontrolled conduct does not commend a man as overseer and makes him unfit for a place of influence or to teach the people until he is changed, and failure in self-government and character leaves the church in continual trouble through its leader. For this reason no one is to be hurried into the eldership and hands are not to be laid on suddenly, and no one is to be placed in a position of trust who has not been tested, tried and proved. Proving begins in smaller Christian duties and smaller responsibilities, requiring deep experience, sound judgment, fear of God, humility, love of the truth, willingness to be counseled, ability to correct sin meekly and to care for the flock, and freedom from novice pride lest he fall into the condemnation of the devil. Choice therefore requires greater regard for the stated qualifications when deciding whom to license for ministry, with examination of Christian experience, knowledge of Scripture and understanding of present truth, and evidence of a real, living experience with God, decided with the church and with clear evidence of the Holy Spirit, since desire for the office, even with ability to pray or skill in speaking, does not itself qualify a man or prove he is called to the work.
Those chosen must understand the will of the Lord and be able to discern what needs to be done and prayerfully do it. One in charge, especially the business manager, occupies a very important place and must daily be managed by the Lord, possessing dignity and knowledge with a clear sense of how to use authority, Christ revealed in the life, ability to give religious instruction and exert spiritual influence, skill in dealing with minds while his own mind is controlled by the Spirit, wisdom in words of encouragement, ability to discern and correct mistakes, harmony with fellow workers, adaptability, ability to speak the different points of faith as occasion requires, and words and acts revealing justice, judgment, and the love of God. Deacons likewise must be grave, not double-tongued speaking fair to the face while criticizing behind, not given to much wine, not greedy, holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience, having faith that works by love and purifies the soul rather than selfishness and self-confidence, and must first be proved faithful in smaller duties with fear of God, humility, love of truth, and willingness to be counseled to qualify blameless for the office of deacon. Church leaders must meet the required qualifications and remain faithful to true principles despite opposition and trial.
To desire the office of bishop is to desire oversight of the church as an elder charged with caring for and guiding it, and that desire is directed toward a good and weighty work. Desire for the place, even with ability to pray or skill in speaking, does not itself qualify a man or prove him called to it. One who would fill it must be blameless in life, faithful in marriage, watchful, sober, well-behaved, hospitable, able to teach, free from drink, violence, greed, quarreling and covetousness, patient, impartial and unselfish, of good report even outside the faith, and experienced in Scripture and in meekly instructing opposers. His fitness is first proved in a well-governed, well-ordered home, where he rules his household well, keeps his children in subjection, trains them in right habits, and shows tenderness and faithfulness to wife and children, for neglect at home unfits him for the church. No one is to be hurried into the eldership, but only set apart after testing and proving in smaller duties, with examination of Christian experience, knowledge of Scripture, sound judgment, and clear evidence of the Spirit's working.
Office and Good Work
The office of bishop is oversight of the church, the responsible position of elder charged with caring for and guiding it. It is a good work, and those appointed as overseers must be fit for God to use, loving and fearing God, controlled by His Spirit, and entrusted only when character and conduct make them fit to guide. Frantic, uncontrolled conduct does not commend a man as an overseer and makes him unfit for a place of influence or for teaching the people until he is changed. Those in this office must have a good reputation, know the Scriptures, and show experience in faith and patience so they can meekly instruct those who oppose the truth, and they must meet the required qualifications and remain faithful to true principles despite opposition and trial.
To desire that office is to desire a good work, opening an important subject that needs careful study and daily practice. The work carries grave responsibilities for every office connected with the church and requires a process of education beginning with home training, with a well-disciplined, well-ordered home as the first proof of fitness to set the church in order. The minister is responsible to educate, train, and discipline his children in right habits and practices, governing his household well with children in subjection with gravity, showing tenderness and faithfulness toward wife and children, and presenting to world and church an example of a family where children are under control of father and mother and father and mother are under control of God. Neglect of home duty eclipses the light so it cannot shine in correct example in eating, in dressing, and in working in right lines, and reveals the same defective character in church duties, while failure to rule his own house unfits him to care for the church of God. A minister must not only preach the Word but give it power by practicing it, living faithfully in marriage and family life. Greater regard for these stated qualifications is to decide whom to license for ministry.
Desire for the office, even with ability to pray or skill in speaking, does not itself qualify a man or prove he is called to the work. He must have proper government over himself, a good influence, and a character without defect, or the church will be in continual trouble through its leader. Those entrusted with ministry must be called by God and shown to be fit through deep experience, testing, sound judgment, and ability to correct sin meekly and care for the flock, decided with the church and with clear evidence of the Holy Spirit. Therefore men must not be hurried into the eldership, and hands must not be laid too suddenly upon them.
The office of local elder gives no supremacy over the gospel ministry, with no prerogative to invite or silence a God-sent minister or to require him to work only by permission. Ministers labor under God's supervision as evangelists, pastors, and teachers and are to be respected and accepted in position as superiors, not subordinates, with the work everywhere done unitedly. Local elders are to be proved and tested, and some are not fitted to occupy the pulpit as ministers, and placing unfit men there brings inferiority to the work.
Qualifications for Church Leaders
The office carries a full list of character requirements to be studied and practiced daily: blameless, faithful to one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, hospitable, apt to teach, not given to wine, no striker, not greedy, but patient, not a brawler and not covetous, impartial and unselfish, with knowledge of Scripture and experience in faith and patience to meekly instruct opposers, and with a good reputation even among those outside the faith, meaning those not of the faith. Fitness for that trust is first proved in the home, where the leader must govern his household well, ruling well his own house with children in subjection with gravity, educating, training and disciplining them in right habits and practices, and showing tenderness and faithfulness to wife and children. The home is the beginning of the education for every office connected with the church, presenting to world and church an example of a family where children are under the control of father and mother and father and mother are under the control of God, with correct example in eating, in dressing, and in working in right lines. Neglect of home duty eclipses the light, reveals the same defective character that will be carried into ministry and into church duties, and unfits a man even to serve as local elder, while faithfulness in the home and in smaller duties prepares him to set the church in order and to take increased obligation. A minister must not only preach the Word but give it power by practicing it, living faithfully in marriage and family life.
A leader must also have proper government over himself, ruled by the love and fear of God and by the truth, controlled by God's Spirit, fit for God to use, with good influence and character without defect. Frantic, uncontrolled conduct does not commend a man as overseer and makes him unfit for a place of influence or to teach the people until he is changed, and failure in self-government and character leaves the church in continual trouble through its leader. For this reason no one is to be hurried into the eldership and hands are not to be laid on suddenly, and no one is to be placed in a position of trust who has not been tested, tried and proved. Proving begins in smaller Christian duties and smaller responsibilities, requiring deep experience, sound judgment, fear of God, humility, love of the truth, willingness to be counseled, ability to correct sin meekly and to care for the flock, and freedom from novice pride lest he fall into the condemnation of the devil. Choice therefore requires greater regard for the stated qualifications when deciding whom to license for ministry, with examination of Christian experience, knowledge of Scripture and understanding of present truth, and evidence of a real, living experience with God, decided with the church and with clear evidence of the Holy Spirit, since desire for the office, even with ability to pray or skill in speaking, does not itself qualify a man or prove he is called to the work.
Those chosen must understand the will of the Lord and be able to discern what needs to be done and prayerfully do it. One in charge, especially the business manager, occupies a very important place and must daily be managed by the Lord, possessing dignity and knowledge with a clear sense of how to use authority, Christ revealed in the life, ability to give religious instruction and exert spiritual influence, skill in dealing with minds while his own mind is controlled by the Spirit, wisdom in words of encouragement, ability to discern and correct mistakes, harmony with fellow workers, adaptability, ability to speak the different points of faith as occasion requires, and words and acts revealing justice, judgment, and the love of God. Deacons likewise must be grave, not double-tongued speaking fair to the face while criticizing behind, not given to much wine, not greedy, holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience, having faith that works by love and purifies the soul rather than selfishness and self-confidence, and must first be proved faithful in smaller duties with fear of God, humility, love of truth, and willingness to be counseled to qualify blameless for the office of deacon. Church leaders must meet the required qualifications and remain faithful to true principles despite opposition and trial.