The Ministry of Church Leadership
By Gary Vulgamore on May 19th, 2017
God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called. Here at Living Hope Church we believe in the importance of having leadership that is qualified by God and called to care for our church family. Gary Vulgamore, a leader here at LHC, has studied the Word concerning the standards set for elders and deacons. In this blog post you will find an informative display of the ministry of church leadership and the purpose of specific men and women being set apart to serve the greater congregation. Enjoy!
The leadership of the congregation is a gift that God sends so that we can have a plurality of Godly and thoughtful men and women who will provide the necessary oversight and direction for our church. According to the divinely inspired Word of God, those chosen to be elders shall be men or women who are in good standing of the church and will be given the responsibility to lead, teach and protect the church congregation. The Bible has a clear set of qualifications for a deacon and an elder and their position in the body of believers. The office of deacon was developed to deal with practical issues in the church. The word deacon comes from the Greek word “diakonein”; which means to “serve”.
The service of an elder must be both voluntary and a calling from God (1 Peter 5:1-2) “care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God.” The elder must desire the office (1 Timothy 3:1) and meet the specific qualifications in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 along with Titus 1:5-11 and be ordained in this church upon congregational approval. The elders shall prayerfully watch over and protect the Church as they exercise the authority that Christ has given them to preach, teach, and lead. See 1 Timothy 5:17 and 1 Timothy 3:2
Deacons are also a gift to the church and assume the role of a servant, whose primary responsibility is to safeguard the health and unity of the church. Apostle Paul says potential deacons should have high qualifications and be carefully chosen. Acts 6:3 states: Men or women should be well respected and full of the spirit and wisdom. The above qualifications are simple and straightforward. Biblical, the deacon and the bishop/elder/pastor should be male, the husband of one wife, of sterling character, and rules his home in a biblical way. They must be a born again believer and walks in submission to God’s word. The substantial difference between the two sets of qualifications is that the bishop/elder/pastor must be “able to teach”, whereas teaching is not mentioned as necessary for deacons.
Let’s look at a few remarks that the Bible speaks of in 1 Timothy 3:2, Titus 1:6-7. The word, “above reproach” or “blameless” is one of the distinctive marks of those who aspire to the Office of Elder or Deacon within the church. The dictionary defines reproach as; “shame or disgrace or that which brings rebuke or censure upon a person.” “Above reproach” meant the same thing in Jesus’ day as it does today.
So yes, Elders and Deacons who work for the church, as well as their interactions with others, are to be of such moral quality that they do not bring shame or in any way disgrace to the Body of Christ or the name of Jesus. This is true not only within the church but also applies to how their lives are lived in general society. Paul emphasized more than the actions of a leader, he looked at the character of the leaders. Character is defined as; “strength of moral fiber.” Persons of character are noted for their honesty, ethics, and charity. Descriptions such as “man of principle” and “women of integrity” are assertions of character. A person’s character is the sum of his or her disposition, thought, intentions, desires, and actions. It is good to remember that character is gauged by general tendencies, not on the basis of a few isolated actions. We must look at the whole life.
Several people in the Bible are described as having noble character; Ruth (Ruth 3:11), Hanani (Nehemiah 7:2), David (Psalm 78:72) and Job (Job 2:3). These individual’s lives were distinguished by persistent moral virtue. Character is influenced and developed by our choices. Character will help us weather the storms of life and keep us from sin (Proverbs 19:9A) Godly character is the result of the Holy Spirit’s work of sanctification. Character, in the believer, is a consistent manifestation of Jesus in his life.
That is why God’s Word has laid before us such challenging requirements for Christian leadership. The standards are rightly high, not only for the sake of the church’s vitality but also for the sake of the leader’s vitality. The church should recognize that nothing has changed through the ages. Men and women of all ages will set a good Christ like example for others to follow and their godly reputation will be evident to all.
1st Timothy 4:8
With blessing,
Gary Vulgamore
