1 Timothy 3: Church Leaders Should Be Above Reproach.

1 Timothy 3 is a short chapter in the Bible, but it’s because Paul gets straight to the point. This chapter and James 3:1-12 references people who’d like to be leaders in the church.

Leadership roles in the church are difficult to balance with the rest of your life. The reasons are numerous but due to the spiritual aspect of Christianity, the problems are exponentially worse. On top of that you have to deal with a lot of hurting people, all with their own biases and opinions.

Leaders in the church have many different hats they have to wear, and many get exhausted fast.

This is why many Pastors and Church leaders feel like they’re on an island, and there’s nothing they can do about it. It’s one of the reasons many Church leaders leave their churches never to preach again.

Whatever your reason to become a leader in the church, I don’t want to scare or dissuade you. My goal with this writing is to inform you. I want you to know what you’re getting yourself into. Many people will tell you the great things that’ll happen.

But for every mountain top, you’ve got a valley to fight through.

Listen to the voice of God, and when you can’t hear, be silent and wait until you hear his voice. Elijah the prophet didn’t hear God in the storm. He heard God after the storm, and it was a still soft voice.

Now let’s dig into 1 Timothy 3 and see what we can learn from this chapter of the Bible.

1 Timothy 3: How A Leader Should Be Viewed In The Church

3 This is a trustworthy saying: “If someone aspires to be a church leader, he desires an honorable position.” ² 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.

 ³ He must not be a heavy drinker or be violent. He must be gentle, not quarrelsome, and not love money. ⁴ He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him. ⁵ For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church?

1 Timothy 3:1-5

1 Timothy 3 Some Basic Standards For Church Leaders

I think the first time I heard these standards was when my father wanted to become a deacon at the church I was growing up.

At the time I thought they were a bit much, however, the Bible does mention that leaders will be held accountable due to their increased influence and status. James 3:1 has a warning attached to people who want to become leaders in the church.

This is why Paul gave Timothy this list, it doesn’t end there either. Church leaders need to be above reproach because they tend to be the faces of the church. They’re the ones that people think of when they look at us.

For example, say you have a church leader or a pastor who is a heavy drinker. Many people out in the world would look badly upon the Church. In the New Testament, the main goal is to hold a higher standard than ever before.

Keep in mind I use the term “leader” loosely. It can mean Pastor or Deacon, but some churches have something called serve team leads (or an equivalent). Having the wrong person lead on one of those teams can have bad ramifications if the people are not ethically or morally stable.

This is why Paul gave Timothy the guidelines in 1 Timothy 3.

In addition to that, we need to remember the state the world was in at that time. We have the luxury of 2000 years of general order, biblical times were different from ours.

1 Timothy 3: How A Leader Is Viewed Outside The Church

⁶ A church leader must not be a new believer, because he might become proud, and the devil would cause him to fall. ⁷ Also, people outside the church must speak well of him so that he will not be disgraced and fall into the devil’s trap.

⁸ In the same way, deacons must be well respected and have integrity. They must not be heavy drinkers or dishonest with money. ⁹ They must be committed to the mystery of the faith now revealed and must live with a clear conscience. ¹⁰ Before they are appointed as deacons, let them be closely examined. If they pass the test, then let them serve as deacons.

1 Timothy 3:6-10

1 Timothy 3 Are They A Leader Outside The Church?

The reason Paul gives Timothy these extra rules to follow is pretty simple. Leaders need to live life inside and outside the church as the same person. Today we have a lot of people who come into church to worship God and become different people once they leave.

Today we can see many politicians displaying this attitude calling it a personal and a public life.

There is only one thing and it is your life, and if you are a different person behind closed doors you are a fraud and a liar. Answer this question, Would anybody be shocked by what I do behind closed doors? If the answer is no, good job, if you said yes, you have changes to make.

I’ve been guilty of the same thing, so try not to feel bad if you do. Just make a decision today that you’ll change.

I’m not condemning anybody, but Church leaders should fully dedicate themselves to God. They should be the ones who are mature in their faith, and ready to hear the voice/direction of God.

(Click here if you want to learn how to hear God’s voice)

Many people want to lead, but few can handle it, and fewer still have the heart. With these rules in place, you’re giving yourself a fighting chance at finding the right person.

After all, as a leader, they are the face of Christ, and we need to make sure the right leaders are in place so they can bring glory to him.

1 Timothy 3: Leaders And Their Spouses

¹¹ In the same way, their wives must be respected and must not slander others. They must exercise self-control and be faithful in everything they do.

¹² A deacon must be faithful to his wife, and he must manage his children and household well. ¹³ Those who do well as deacons will be rewarded with respect from others and will have increased confidence in their faith in Christ Jesus.

1 Timothy 3:11-13

1 Timothy 3 For The Leaders And Their Spouses

It should go without saying that a deacon’s wife shouldn’t be gossiping or slandering others, and the deacon themselves shouldn’t be unfaithful.

Marriage vows are contracts with one’s spouse, they’re one of the most important promises you can make here on earth.

While I believe that God can forgive you, and your sin can be washed away. It shows your character when you cheat on your wife or husband.

Integrity, Faithfulness, and Character are important things in life. And I believe they’re important to God as well. When making a selfish decision (such as cheating) you’re saying that your needs are more important than your spouse and family.

The lives affected can be countless, and the pain caused can be felt for generations.

Live a life of Integrity. Flee from the appearance of evil, and love your family. You won’t have to worry about these rules and obligations, because you’re already living them.

1 Timothy 3: The Truths of Our Faith

¹⁴ I am writing these things to you now, even though I hope to be with you soon, ¹⁵ so that if I am delayed, you will know how people must conduct themselves in the household of God. This is the church of the living God, which is the pillar and foundation of the truth.

¹⁶ Without question, this is the great mystery of our faith:

Christ was revealed in a human body
    and vindicated by the Spirit.^[h]
He was seen by angels
    and announced to the nations.
He was believed in throughout the world
    and taken to heaven in glory.

1 Timothy 3:14-16

1 Timothy 3: The Truth Of Faith:

I love how Paul ended 1 Timothy 3. He boils down the great mystery of our faith so easily.

Before he writes that, he reminds Timothy we are part of the Church of the Living God. And he states this as a pillar and foundation of truth.

The truth I see is that God loved us (all of us) so much that he sent his only Son Jesus to die. This was done so we could be reconnected to God. Jesus is the Son of God. Because he not only died, but he rose again to defeat death so we could be free.

To receive this freedom, ask him for it. Admit you’ve sinned and ask Him to forgive you. Jesus came to rescue us. We all feel that something is wrong with life, and things don’t match up properly.

We try and try to make things work, but we never will. Only Jesus can fix it, and only he can make us whole.

After all, he’s the one who created us, and if created us, he can fix us.

I hope you liked my latest post. Let me know what you think in the comments below.