The overseer must be “. . . able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict . . .” (Titus 1:9). The pastoral elder is charged…
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The overseer must be “. . . able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict . . .” (Titus 1:9) The under-shepherd is to guard…
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“An overseer, then, must be … able to teach…” (1 Timothy 3:2). This qualification goes hand in hand with the qualification of being faithful to the Word (Titus 1:9). The…
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“Shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight . . . voluntarily, according to the will of God; . . . with eagerness . . .” (1 Peter 5:2).…
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“Shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion . . .” (1 Peter 5:2). While Paul says that he was “obligated” to preach the gospel (Rom.…
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“It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do.” (1 Timothy 3:1) Scripture places a premium…
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“Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His…
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An elder must not “exercise dominion over” or "domineer" the flock (1 Peter 5:3), in the sense of subduing the congregation to his will. He is not the pinnacle of…
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"An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach . . ." (1 Tim. 3:2). Related to self-discipline, an elder…
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The apostle Paul saw self-discipline as a key factor in dealing with the matter of meats offered to idols, as well as his own effectiveness in ministry. Although a different…
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"An overseer must be . . . free from the love of money.” (1 Tim 3:3, 1 Peter 5:2; Titus 1:7). This character trait appears in all three elder-qualification lists.…
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"Shepherd the flock of God . . . being examples to the flock” (1 Peter 5:3). "Like people, like priests," Hosea said (Hos 4:9 NASB). The self-evident connection between the…
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“The overseer must be . . . not quick tempered” (Titus 1:7). A quick-tempered man is one who is predisposed to anger and easily provoked. His first and natural inclination…
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"An overseer must be . . . loving what is good" (Titus 2:8). A man’s heart is revealed by what he loves. Whatever a man loves becomes his passion, the…
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"An overseer must be . . . temperate” (1 Tim. 3:2). An elder should not be given to unwise, self-serving or self-consuming extremes. The word in 1 Timothy 3:2 is…
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“An overseer must be . . . upright” (Titus 1:8 NIV, also translated as “just” or “righteous”). The underlying adjective (dikaios), used very commonly in the (Greek) OT and in…
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"An overseer must be . . . gentle . . ." (1 Tim. 3:3 NASB). Gentleness. Paul employs a Greek word that cannot really be translated consistently with any one…
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"For the overseer must be above reproach as God’s steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain . . ." (Titus 1:7).…
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An overseer must be . . . “hospitable” (1 Tim. 3:2, Titus 1:8). Elders are to model what is commanded of all Christians: a sacrificial life that includes hospitality (Rom.…
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The overseer is to be "not violent" (1 Tim. 3:3, also Titus 1:7). Paul used a number of different terms to depict the character of an elder in his relationship…
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"An elder must be . . . not quarrelsome" (1 Tim. 3:3d). Can you imagine an elders’ meeting turning into a fistfight? Paul did, which is why earlier in the…
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"An overseer, then, must be . . . not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil” (1 Tim.…
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"An overseer, then, must be above reproach . . ." (1 Tim 3:2, 7, Titus 3:6, 7). If you could summarize the qualifications for elders in two words, you would…
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"And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil" (1 Tim 3:7). This…
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“[The overseer must be . . .] hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled . . ." (Titus 1:8). The qualifying requirement to be devout demands that elders…
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"An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach . . ." (1 Tim. 3:2). The elder (along with all…
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“He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.”…
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"He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity . . ."(1 Tim 3:4). ". . . if any man is…
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"He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity" (1 Tim. 3:4). An elder’s ability to shepherd his own family well…
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"An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach" (1 Tim. 3:2). "... if any man is above reproach, the…
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