“This is a trustworthy saying: ‘If someone aspires to be a church leader, he desires an honorable position.’ So a church leader must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife. 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. He must not be a heavy drinker or be violent. He must be gentle, not quarrelsome, and not love money. He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him. For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church?”
Leading the church is hard work, but it is also a position of great honor. Spiritually speaking, when God appoints leaders to the church, he is entrusting the care of his people into their hands. It’s no surprise that there are some pretty important qualifications. You’ve got to have integrity inside and out, be faithful to your spouse, live wisely, be a skilled teacher, and enjoy having guests. Most of us are probably checking out already. But wait, there’s more! No heavy drinking, no violence, no major family drama, and no desire for big money. That certainly doesn’t sound like most people, and it’s not even what most leaders are like in our society.
Why is church leadership so important? Why are leaders required to go beyond the norm? Turn on the news and you’ll get your answer: people get hurt when leaders mess up. And when those leaders are in the church, people walk away from God. Since relationship with his people is what God wants most, he is beyond angry when spiritual leaders get in the way.
Here’s your freedom for today: God wants to protect you. Leaders may have failed you, and perhaps you’ve walked away from church as a result. As we can see from these verses, God is angry too. He set up standards to protect you, and there are serious consequences for those who take on leadership positions without meeting the qualifications. On the other hand, those who do lead well will be greatly honored and rewarded. If you are an aspiring leader, take a look at this description and identify the areas in which you need to grow to become ready. Pray and ask how God might use you to build up his church.