As an ordained Southern Baptist pastor I accept the Baptist Faith and Message as foundational doctrine derived from scripture and applicable to every believer. Also I believe an interpretation of 1 Timothy chapter 3 and Titus chapter 1 is a necessary part of any pastor’s doctrine and philosophy. Below you will find my understanding of Paul’s direction to the church concerning the qualifications of a pastor as determined through study of original languages and translations recognized as authoritative to the church. I have used scripture from the King James Bible as a translation of reference but these interpretations are applicable to all modern translations as well.

1.This [is] a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. The office of pastor is an office that should be desired by a candidate. If a man is called of God to the pastorate he will have a desire that is spiritual based not occupationally based. This desire will be provided by God and directed by the Holy Spirit. These qualifications are written in the present tense, the old man isn’t considered it is the man who is born again, the new man as Paul says.

2. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach; The word blameless is also stated as “above reproach” the present participle (be) indicates he is in a present state of being above reproach. Obviously it does not mean he has not committed sin. What it does mean is that his life has not been marred by some obvious sinful defect which has causes a permanent character flaw and prevents him from being a model for the congregation to follow. In second Timothy we read that an elder [pastor or other leader] should not have an accusation believed unless there is evidence that convicts him without a doubt. This eliminates the use of rumors against a church leader when accusations are made. Now we come to probably the most controversial qualification of a pastor. The husband of one wife, when we look at the culture of Ephesus and Corinth as it was during the time of our epistles it is easy to see why Paul would say this. Both were immoral and corrupt, Ephesus was still dealing with the worship of Diana and the use of temple prostitutes [both male and female]. Corinth had a reputation of adultery and sexual immorality. Every Greek manuscript I have reviewed has this written as [a one woman man] translation into the English language may differ but the originals are consistent. Paul is not referring to a man’s marital status, as the absence of the definite article in the original indicates. Rather the issue is his moral, sexual behavior. Many men married only once are not one-woman men. Many with one wife are unfaithful to that wife. While remaining married to one woman is commendable, it is no indication or guarantee of moral purity. Paul wanted the pastors to be men who had not been involved with temple prostitutes, men who did not commit adultery, men who had a good character who did not flirt with women and men who were faithful to their wife. Divorce and remarriage does come into this passage, however it is not written to disqualify every second marriage man. The teachings of Jesus and Paul tell us that adultery and the abandonment by an unbelieving spouse leave an innocent person available for remarriage. Nowhere in the teachings of Jesus or any apostle or prophet are there specific examples or teachings against a second marriage pastor or deacon. Now we address vigilant or temperate as some translations have it. A pastor must be one who thinks clearly. He must possess the inner strength to refrain from any excess that would dull his alertness. Sober addresses a man who is well-disciplined and knows how to correctly order his priorities. He is a person who is serious about spiritual things. Good behavior is a direct result of sober behavior. A well-disciplined mind leads to a well-disciplined life. Hospitable is a word that translates a compound word from the Greek which means “to love” and “strangers.” The word thus literally means “to love strangers.” It doesn’t refer to entertaining friends, but showing hospitality to strangers. Apt to teach is the only qualification that refers to giftedness and function. The pastor should be a teacher who works hard in his studies and proclamation for the spiritual growth and biblical enlightenment of the believers. His message should be biblical but his methods should be adequate for those in attendance, how does he know this, the pastor should be spirit led, spirit filled and prayerfully prepared.

3. Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; The pastor should avoid alcoholic beverage. I realize Paul told Timothy to take wine for his stomach; this was a direct relation to our modern medicine. Not an occasion for alcoholic beverage. I do not believe a drink will by itself send a person to hell. The testimony of it may very well be all that is needed to send someone else to hell. I could not have that possibility on my conscience. This is a man who does not have a reputation as a drinker; he doesn’t frequent bars or involve himself in the scenes associated with drinking. The pastor should not be an aggressive man; a leader must not be one who reacts to difficulty with physical violence. He must not settle disputes with blows. He must react to situations calmly, coolly, and gently. If necessary for his safety or the safety of his family he does have the same right as anyone else, the right to protect life and property. The pastorate is a calling from God and never should it be an occupation. The church does have a responsibility to provide for the pastor and his family. I do not believe the pastor should be the wealthiest man in the church nor do I believe he should be the poorest, his income and care should reflect the average of the congregation. If a man chooses financial gain over Gods service he should step away or be sent away. The pastor should practice gentle moderation in his work with people. He does not know everything a person is faced with in life thus it is important for Gods man to be gentle when dealing with others. A pastor should seek peace among all men making sure he does not create or engage in contentions that lead to pointless arguing or worse. God blesses people according His will all of us need to realize this and avoid the sin of covetousness, this is especially important of the pastor he is a leader by example, if he covets then others will follow.

4. One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; If a pastor cannot be an example to his own household how can he be an example before the church? That is the question that must be answered with this qualification. Too often this qualification is misunderstood to mean his family must lead a sinless life. They must be perfect. No one is capable of this especially when teenagers or older children are involved. The pastor must be teaching his family by word, example and practice, Gods prescribed behavior for a Christian. He should be able to resolve conflict, build unity, maintain love, and serve others; these are essentials to church life that are challenges also in the home. If he succeeds in his family, he is likely to succeed in God’s family.

5. (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) See above for applicable explanation.

6. Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. Many commentaries list this as a new convert and it can apply. An in-depth study of this qualification speaks to the spiritual maturity of an individual. I have been around many 40 year old men who were very immature and likewise I have been around fairly new converts who were very mature. Age does not necessarily mean maturity when it comes to Gods word.

7. Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. A pastor should have a good character within the community. I say character and not reputation because reputation can be based upon an individual’s like or dislike for another. However, a person’s character can only be questioned with evidence which proves him unworthy. A pastor with a weak or damaged character may be susceptible to temptation by the devil. It is important to know a pastor is strong enough to deal with any temptation that may enter into his life. Likewise can he withstand the battles that will come from the enemy (the devil) because they will come; it’s not a question of if but when.

If I may summarize by quoting John MacArthur “The most important qualities leaders can demonstrate are not intelligence, a forceful personality, glibness, diligence, vision, administrative skills, decisiveness, courage, humor, tact, or any other similar natural attribute. Those all play a part, but the most desirable quality for any leader is integrity.”