The purpose of my instruction is that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith. – 1 Timothy 1:5 NLT
Continuing in the series of (our Saturday posts) our focus is on ‘Preacher’s Kid’s, Elder’s Kids and Deacon’s kids and the focus of scripture from Paul’s letter to Timothy.
Why is the integrity of leadership in the pulpit and authority behind the pulpit important?
Think about your preacher (minister, priest, rector, brother, pastor… whatever you and your church would like to call the man in the pulpit). Why would ANYONE in the church listen? Why would anyone from outside of your church family want to listen to this man, a mere mortal? (And I accept and include some pretty good preaching I have heard from godly women.)
WE, the people of Christ’s church, recognize the Authority of God and Christ Jesus inherent in the office of the Pastor of our church.
Our LORD stands behind the authority of the pulpit.
Yet IF NOT… IF a church leader of any office: Pastor, Elder, Deacon, even a mere member representing your church and claiming Christ; IF ANY Christian does not preach the gospel with the integrity of our life, Christ Jesus is maligned in our soiled image of claiming His Name in vain.
The world has retorted our faith with stories enough of the evil of priests and pastors and hateful ‘christians’ with a cause more self-righteous than our own lives.
We would ALL do well to think of ourselves as being in the spotlight of a ‘Preacher’s Kid’ and modify our witness (behavior) in front of others accordingly. Please allow me one personal example.
A number of years ago a young man in high school met two new students who turned out to be the son and daughter of the new Pastor of his church. These two ‘Preacher’s Kids’ were both well-dressed, well-behaved, more intelligent than most. It did not take long for everyone to learn that they were the new “PK’s.” This label always preceded everything they accomplished and anything they wanted to do.
Although he hardly spoke to the new boy and the new girl at school, the young man was more than pleased to participate with them on Youth Sunday along with his ‘church friends’ of the youth class at church. Unfortunately (as often happens in real families who do not live next door to the church), his family was a little late. After the service the new pastor, “Reverend ___,” asked by young man’s mom into a room to talk, closed the door, and talked to his mom at some length (no doubt a continuation of his angry exhortation about lateness in front of everyone as they all hurried into the ‘Youth Sunday’ service.)
After that, this Christian young man no longer wanted to go to church.
Pastors have to practice EVERYTHING they preach, don’t they? We expect this.
And as for the Preacher’s Kids: imagine how well they had witnessed such things before, knowing many of the incidents like these in their biological father’s life (by their dad, who happened to be the preacher). Imagine their embarrassment when later it was found out that Reverend ___, their dad, was having an affair with the church secretary!
Such stories are all-too-common for leaders of the church. The gossip ruins lives, in addition to the sins of the flesh of a mortal ‘preacher’ of the word. In a greater sense, we are all preacher’s kids. Jesus Christ made no such mistakes as are so often brought to light by the enemies of the Gospel. “See? Christians are no different,” they say.
That’s right. We are ALL sinners – even the preacher – and even the preacher’s kid’s, like you and me. Jesus Christ is our preacher, God is our Father and in that familial sense, we are ALL preacher’s kids saved by grace.
Never-the-less, scripture holds the leaders of Christ’s flock to a higher standard. You can see why.
Paul points his ‘Preachers Kid’ in the faith, Timothy, to these higher standards for choosing his own children who will help him with the leadership of the church. You can see why.
Once again (and without designation of ‘pastor, elder, deacon, preacher’s kid, elder’s kid, deacon’s kid, our kids, your kids, their kids…) let’s consider the higher standards of God for leaders of Christ’s flock:
1 Timothy 1:
8 Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, 9 understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, 10 the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, 11 in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.
Paul is not yet speaking of those called to lead the church, but of those who we hope to draw to Christ by our righteousness in the Law. Yet sadly, in these last days, we need to point to a scripture directed toward the world which has not been heeded even by those who train our preachers, fill our pulpits, appoint our church leaders and then are ‘shocked’ to discover scandals by those who do these things even before and while they claim Christ.
Paul goes on to point out what a sinner he was BEFORE he was saved and came to Christ Jesus in obedience to the Gospel.
1 Timothy 2
First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions…
8 I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling; 9 likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control…
11 Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet.
[This is NOT to say that a woman should not preach or teach – a topic we will not approach here.]
1 Timothy 3
English Standard Version (ESV)Qualifications
- must be above reproach,
- the husband of one wife,
- sober-minded,
- self-controlled,
- respectable,
- hospitable,
- able to teach,
- not a drunkard,
- not violent but gentle,
- not quarrelsome,
- not a lover of money. (Though) He must manage his own household well,
- with all dignity keeping his children submissive
- He must not be a recent convert (Young perhaps; but not new to Christ)
- dignified,
- not double-tongued,
- not addicted to much wine,
- not greedy for dishonest gain.
- 9 They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. (We will not elaborate here.)
- 10 And let them also be tested first…prove themselves blameless.
- 11 Their wives likewise must be dignified,
- not slanderers,
- sober-minded,
- faithful in all things.
- gain a good standing for themselves
- great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.
It’s a long list of higher standards to which we should hold the leaders of our church. I do not even qualify.
Do you? Do your church leaders? Does your pastor?
In deed and in witness we are like: Preacher’s Kids, Elder’s Kids, Deacon’s Kids.
It’s just like when our kids are somewhere else people look at them and say: “We know you are ‘Roger’s kid’ {or Lissette’s kid…or Roger and Lissette’s kid}. They may as well have said, “We know your parents. Why are you acting like THAT?”
So I ask us:
If we are children adopted into the Royal and Holy Household of GOD our Heavenly Father,
WHY are we calling CHRIST JESUS our LORD, while our worldly witness does NOT stand up to these HIGHER STANDARDS of a “Preacher’s Kid?”
Do we call a man to the pulpit or to church leadership without holding him, his wife and his family to the higher standards of the loving family of God?
Dear Preacher’s Kid, of the family of God and Christ Jesus:
Repent! and return to the loving Father, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who seeks and finds even the lost sheep within the church — the loving Father who runs to meet the prodigal son… (or prodigal daughter…) and would welcome you home.
He has trained you up in the way you should go.
Now come home, beloved child of God.
Pray also for me.
Roger
Why does the prodigal wife drown her meaninglessness in booze asking: ‘Is that all there is?’ rather than remembering the blood of Christ, whom she once called, “Lord?” Why does she betray her vow to her husband and to her ‘Lord?’
Against this contrast of sin and worldliness, Paul lays out examples of leadership and the character REQUIRED of leaders of the church under constant scrutiny by the congregation they lead; a pastor, elder, bishop or deacon watched closely by a world they would lead to Christ.