Well thought of by outsiders?

In Paul's list of the character of an elder in 1 Timothy there is a little line that I think we often miss, or minimise to make it manageable.  Any prospective elder "must be well thought of by outsiders...".  Traditionally we've always taken this to mean that there aren't people who he has swindled in a business deal, or colleagues or neighbours he has mistreated.  In other words everyone should think well of him not just in the church but outside of it too.  He is a one life man - he doesn't divide life into sacred and secular, acting one way with his church family and another with the world.

There is something in that, but having recently read some interesting stuff on this in Tahiti Anyabwile's 'Finding Faithful elders and deacons' I've realised we have minimised what ought to be a much bigger calling.  It is not just that there must be no one with anything against him, unless they are slandering him for doing good.  But that he must be actively involved in seeking the good of the community.  In other words its not just that people don't have a negative opinion about him but that they actually hold a positive opinion of him.  The elder if he is to lead the congregation in reaching the world for Jesus must be involved in that world.  He cannot be a member of the Christian rabbit warren.  Someone who goes from christian meeting to home to christian meeting and all the world sees of him is the white of his tail.

It is a challenge isn't it.  For those who are existing leaders is this character trait still true of me?  For those aspiring to eldership - are you concerned for your neighbourhood and community, are you involved in making it a better place, in contending for those who cannot contend for themselves, in serving for the good of the neighbourhood, working towards human flourishing even as we hold out the gospel of life?

If the churches leaders excuse themselves from serving in the community it will be little surprise when our church congregation does.  Where the shepherd goes the sheep follow.

The tyranny of being ministry busy

'Better to be busy than bored.'  I've lost track of how often I've said that.  And there's a sense in which that's right, we should never be idly twiddling our thumbs in ministry.  There is always more to pray through (often squeezed out), the long term strategy to think through (sometimes squeezed out), people to visit, reading to catch up on, advanced study (what's that you say?) to do and so on.  Busyness in ministry is a good thing.  Provided that we know the difference between our load and our limit.  Our load is what is long term sustainably health for us and our families, our limit is the pace we can work at for a finite period of time in a crisis.  Don't confuse the two.

But busyness in general in ministry is not what I'm thinking about.  I'm thinking about the busyness that says ministry busyness is the only sort of busyness there really matters.  That frowns, shakes its head and sighs at the notion of someone in secular work being busy.  It's easy for those of us in full time ministry to forget that our lay leaders work as hard as we do if not harder and then voluntarily give their time to be elders, deacons, Sunday school teachers, and youth leaders on top.  I addition to that they have all the same family pressures we have.  But they also have the added complexity that they serve God in a secular workplace with all the extra pressure and scrutiny that involves.  Those of us in ministry would do well to remember this and to allow that to drive us to grateful prayer for those who serve in that capacity.

We also need to take practical steps to ensure they can serve well.  We may have had hours and hours to pray through the upcoming agenda or to think through the new ministry we're launching but they haven't had the same head space we are afforded, though many endeavour to give it.  How practically can we help?  Detailed explanations of the whys and wherefores is important and helpful.  Provided in time to give them the space to think about it over an extended period is even more so.  Schedule meetings to fit around them rather than around you, if that means flexing on your time off, do it, that is a great privilege of working in ministry.  Cancel meetings that are unnecessary and remember to thank them and let them know you appreciate being surrounded by a band of committed brothers and sisters.

But above all we need to remember 'Ministry Busy' isn't the only busy in fact in our churches it may not even be the most busy or harried or pressured.

A Few Good Men

Was looking at 1 Timothy yesterday and the discussion turned to the first verse of ch3, "Here is a trustworthy saying: whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task." Now it struck me that is the verse that gives the Bible balance to this issue of leadership.

I think I and others have been too quick to teach eldership and the pastorate in a negative way without adding this important balance. So often I have heard others talk about the challenge of becoming an elder, the responsibilities, that it is not to be entered upon lightly, that those who teach will be judged more severely quoting James. Even people saying only do it if there is nothing else God will allow you to do. And I want to say it is a responsibility but I TIM 3:1 makes clear that it is a great thing.

That becoming an elder is something to be aspired to, to want to do not to be avoided, that teaching God's people is a privilege not a chore. I need to live my life in the light of that realisation.

I can't help thinking that is why we as churches in Britain struggle to find male leaders, we struggle to find elders - because it is not something to be aspired to, it is instead treated as something which you do if you have to. It is the same reason we struggle with men filling the empty pulpits in England - it is a privilege to be called to preach the Bible to God's people.

We need to deconstruct this idea of a mythical call too. For me the call consisted of having a gift others identified and a ministry they suggested and then recognising a need and agreement with the elders that God had and would enable me to take on that task.

Do you see a need? Do you have a gift that can meet that need? Then our default setting should be that God has called me to meet that need. Do you see how that flips our thinking?

It is a privilege to be called to serve God in his church as a pastor or an elder, it is something we should aspire to.

Character before competence?

Which do you look for most in a leader? Character or competence? I know we'd ideally like both, but which most important? Which can you train and develop and which rarely changes?

I've been looking again at Mark Dever's book 'The Deliberate Church', as I've been musing over the results of the survey I mentioned yesterday. Its a great book on the church and has some good chapters on leaders, specifically elders. He gives a helpful list of what a Biblical elder is not:

• simply an older male.
• simply a successful businessman.
• simply an involved community member.
• simply a "good ol' boy."
• female (1 Tim 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9 assume male leadership).
• a politician.

This is then followed by what an elder is, I've picked out the following highlights. An elder is:

• a man of exemplary, Christlike character.
• a man who loves Christ and displays that love in his service of others.
• a man who holds firmly to the truths of the Bible and will stand for them.
• a man with a good reputation in the community.
• able to lead God's people by teaching them God's Word profitably.
• committed to private prayer and Bible study
• living a holy life whilst engaged with society.

A good leader is known by his character and character is vital because the elder models godliness for others. Just as Israels spiritual health rarely rose above the level of its leader so it is with the church and its leaders.