Qualified Men, Not Just Men (1 Timothy 3)

By Ron Thomas     In 1 Timothy 3, Paul told Timothy to be mindful of the Holy Spirit’s criteria for men serving the church in the capacity of an elder or deacon. There are many churches that have men in these respective positions, but the key is not to have men in these positions, but qualified men.     To begin, a man who serves as an elder must have a desire to do the work, and he must maintain that desire. He will serve the congregation well if he has a clear understanding of what the Holy Spirit requires of an elder, and he can only gain that by a devoted study of God’s word (let him not learn what he knows from the preacher). If he is not well versed in the Scriptures, then he can be manipulated by others who are. Let me explain.     It is frequently the case that preachers of the Gospel are biblically better informed than all other members of the congregation. If a Gospel preacher is not properly anchored in the Lord’s way with the Lord’s motivation being his own ... and if members of the congregation are not well-versed in the Scriptures because of their own studied devotion with the Lord, then a manipulating preacher will serve his own purposes and not those of the Lord. Disastrous for the Lord’s church anywhere!      A preacher of the Gospel must train men in such a way that puts them in the best position to learn the Lord’s way. He can do this when the church meets, and he expounds on the Scripture with a heavy dose of “thus saith the Lord.” He might be able to do other things, but at the very least he must do this thing. After that, it is incumbent of each individual man to take it upon himself to learn from the Lord.     Men who serve as elders, like a preacher, potentially live a life on call 24/7. These men are servants and leaders in the congregation. They are expected to put the Lord first and lead their respective families in the straight and narrow way. Additionally, the men who serve as elders need to train men to follow them in their work; if they do not then a generation that comes behind them will not know the Lord). They do this best by being students of the Lord’s will and being an example to all. Younger men will notice and look up to them.     What about men who serve as deacons? They, too, must have a desire for the work, similar to that which is required of men who serve as elders. “The Scripture does not say that, Ron.” Let me reply by asking you, do you want men serving as deacons who have no desire for the Lord’s work?     These men who are asked to serve the Lord’s body must be men who are workers in the Lord’s kingdom – they cannot be deacons in name only. Imagine the Lord asking those who operate this way on Judgment Day, “Why were you a deacon in name only?” “Lord, I never received direction from the elders.” Perhaps the Lord might reply: “Did you have no initiative?”     The Lord put forth a skeletal framework for the church. When that framework has muscle and wisdom properly applied to it, the brethren are strengthened with much edification and evangelism results. Who would not want to be a part of that?

- Ron Thomas preaches for the Church of Christ at Rio Grande in Bidwell, OH. He may be contacted at etsop95@gmail.com. Visit the congregation’s website at: https://www.churchofchristatriogrande.com **

Five Very Meaningful Words --- When They Are Meant

By Jim Faughn

    Somewhere decisions are being made and actions are being taken that may make headlines around the world. The course of human history might even be affected.
    Somewhere a person or a group of people will be taking steps to introduce “the next big thing” to the public. Millions of dollars may depend on whether or not the next step is taken.
    Somewhere a loved one is wondering how to advise a parent, sibling, child, or friend about a proposed treatment and/or surgery. Life and death may truly be in the balance.
    And somewhere a small group of men is involved in something that is more important than all of these things combined. What they do or do not do; what they say or do not say; what they decide or do not decide all have eternal significance.
    Souls may be saved or lost. The church may grow stronger in a particular location or it may be on its way out of existence.
    These men are elders of a local congregation of God’s people. Each of them realizes his own weaknesses and fallibility. Collectively, they will readily acknowledge their need for wisdom and strength.
    That’s why there are five words that are so meaningful to them --- when they are meant. I heard them not long ago. They were said by a person who knows a little about what those of us who serve as elders of this congregation deal with. (In case you don’t know this, nobody, not even the wife of an elder, can ever fully know all that occupies the mind and time of an elder.)
    I knew the person who said those words well enough to know that they were from the heart. They were not just said in passing or because it seemed to be the appropriate thing to say at the time.
    Every elder I know would love to hear those words. They would be encouraged to know that somebody cares enough to say --- and mean --- those five words.
    So what are those five words that are so meaningful? What would every elder want to hear? What could make such a difference in an elder, an eldership, a congregation, and the entire brotherhood?
    We pray for you all.

- Jim Faughn, a retired preacher, serves as an elder for the Central Church of Christ in Paducah KY.  He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.centralchurchofchrist.org

Two Facets of An Elder’s Work

By Jim Bill McInteer

“The elders are the undershepherds to watch over and feed the flock. In accepting the work the elders bring themselves under the most solemn and sacred obligations possible to men to guard and maintain the honor of God, to keep his teaching and his service pure from all innovations of men.

As shepherds and teachers of the flock, they assume the most sacred and solemn obligations to the flock to feed the flock with the pure milk of the word of God, that by this they may grow; to guard against all teachings and practices that rest on human authority as vitiating the service of God and defiling the spiritual nature of the taught, and cutting them off from the blessings of God, which come to men only through the appointments of God unmixed with human inventions and traditions. A sadder perversion of a sacred trust is never seen than when elders and teachers forget the sanctity of their obligations both to God and his church, and, as his trusted servants and chosen teachers, encourage the introduction into his service of practices not authorized of God, so destroying his authority as lawgiver, and, as a consequence, hurtful and poisonous to the spiritual nature of men.” (David Lipscomb, Commentary on 1 Timothy, p. 309, and cited by William Woodson)

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Across this land I pray with my brethren in public assembly. One petition I notice repetitiously—and it’s not “choose our changes,” “guide, guard, and direct us,” “if we have been found faithful, save us without the loss of one,” “help us to partake of this loaf/cup in a manner well-pleasing in thy sight,” “give him a ready recollection,” nor is it “bless all those for whom it is our duty to pray.” It is this: “Lord, bless our elders and help them make wise decisions!”

What does that say to you? Are the elders a formulating board? Is their duty almost exclusively as an assembled body?

Somehow it leaves me cold… “Help them make decisions.” “Let them say yes to the right letter.” “Let them decide best about the size of the directory.” Is that their job? I want an elder, not a board. I want a godly, praying, thoughtful, sensitive man. I want one to come to me when I’m weak, sick, strong, successful, bewildered. I want a leader in the church who will share his strength with me.

“Help them make the right decisions.” Really? I want a brother who helps make me right in the holy sight of God. That’s my prayer!

- Jim Bill McInteer; via The Encourager, the weekly bulletin for the Calvert City church of Christ, Calvert City, KY. Lance Cordle preaches for the congregation. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.calvertchurchofchrist.com