1 Timothy 3:1 - 13; Hebrews 13:7 - 9, 17 - 18 ⁽¹⁾

ACCOUNTABILITY

• What have you read in your private time alone with God recently that has challenged you, encouraged you, or convicted you?

OPEN

• Let's each share our name and one leader you respect. ⁽²⁾

DIG

1. As we read this passage, look for how leaders are to live and how followers are to live.
2. We place a lot of emphasis on the idea of calling to ministry. This passage seems to say, "If you want to be a pastor, go for it!" Which idea is closer to right? ⁽³⁾
3. How many qualities must a overseer have? ⁽⁴⁾
4. What is the difference between an overseer, and elder, a deacon, and a pastor?
5. What does it mean "husband of one wife."? ⁽⁵⁾
6. Does divorce automatically disqualify someone from serving as pastor?
7. Under what conditions would a divorce disqualify someone from pastoring? ⁽⁶⁾
8. What about other staff roles, can they be divorced? ⁽⁷⁾
9. Which of the things in this list do you think are most uncommon, most rare?
10. How many qualifications are listed for a deacon?
11. Which 3 of these qualities are the most common? Which are the most rare?
12. The text says, "not indulging in much wine." Does this assume a little wine is OK? ⁽⁸⁾
13. What does it mean "tested"? What are some ways a church should go about doing this?
14. Look at this Hebrews passage. How many commands are given to the rest of us in regards to how we treat leaders?
15. Verse 9. What are some examples of teaching that you have seen people getting carried away with in this day?
16. What does it mean strengthened by grace? How do we go about getting our hearts strengthened by grace?
17. Verse 17. Have you ever in your life heard someone say, "I am going this out of obedience to my pastor"? ⁽⁹⁾
18. Are we to obey our pastors in the same way that an employee might obey his boss?
19. Why should we live so that their life should be a joy?
20. Ever know someone who did the opposite-who thought the Pastor's job was to make his or her life a joy?
21. How far do you take this? How obedient should we be? ⁽¹⁰⁾
22. Why do you think the idea of obeying your pastor is not taught more commonly? ⁽¹¹⁾
23. What are the benefits to us of obeying our pastor?
24. How would the church as a whole be benefited, and the kingdom of God be benefited by obedience to this command?
25. Verse 17 speaks of pastors giving and account. Does this mean that our pastor will be held responsible for the way we live?
26. Let's close with this question. What is most challenging to you about this concept?
27. How can we pray for one another this week?

1. Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task. [2] Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, [3] not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. [4] He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. [5] (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?) [6] He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. [7] He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil's trap.

[8] Deacons, likewise, are to be men worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. [9] They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. [10] They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons.

[11] In the same way, their wives are to be women worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything.

[12] A deacon must be the husband of but one wife and must manage his children and his household well. [13] Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus. 1 Tim. 3:1-13 [NIV]

[7] Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. [8] Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

[9] Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by ceremonial foods, which are of no value to those who eat them. Hebrews 13:7-9 [NIV]

[17] Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.

[18] Pray for us. We are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way. Hebrews 13:17-18 [NIV]

2. I am writing this a couple of days after Ronald Reagan died, a leader many of us respected.

3. I am going to go out on a limb here and say that the Bible seems to emphasize the qualification for ministry more than the subjective sense of calling. Many in this day seem to say that if a man feels called, then that is that. The Bible seems to indicate that anyone who wants to and is qualified can serve. There is an interesting contrast between the way most churches operate and an organization like Campus Crusade. In Crusade, everyone is encouraged to serve, full-time if possible. They try to recruit all the workers they can. We tend to take a more passive approach.

4. Of course, the number is not really the point. It is just a means of getting us to pay attention to each one.

5. Two points of view on this. I have always held this has more to do with polygamy than divorce. A divorced and remarried man is, in fact, the husband of one wife.

6. I know a man who said publically that he was divorcing his wife and had no biblical grounds for doing so. In this case, I think he disqualified himself and rightly resigned.

7. It seems to me that whatever we believe about Sr. Pastors ought to apply to staff and deacons alike. To hold one standard for deacons (or staff) and another for the Sr. Pastor seems the least tenable position.

8. This is not the only passage in the Bible that says something about wine.

9. This seems to me to be one of the most routinely ignored passage in all the Bible. It is not like it is hard to understand. Obedience to your pastor seems like a wholly unpracticed concept.

10. This could be taken to far, but we are a country mile from there. I have never known anyone in danger of taking this too far.

11. One thing is the pastors do the teaching and I think many of them are afraid that it comes off sounding like sheer ego on the pastor's part. Consequently, many back away from preaching this truth?