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WHAT THE WORD SAYS ABOUT...

Biblical Leadership

Although the Scriptures do not directly refer to the credentialing process, the New Testament apostles created criteria in order to facilitate church structure (i.e. elders, deacons, “five-fold ministry”). These qualifications address not only spiritual and character issues, but relational and educational issues as well. The following list is a summary of key Scripture passages that focus on church leadership.

1 TIMOTHY 3
  • Must be above reproach
  • Married to one spouse
  • Temperate
  • Self-controlled
  • Respectable
  • Hospitable
  • Able to teach
  • Not given to drunkenness
  • Not violent but gentle
  • Not quarrelsome
  • Not a lover of money
  • Must manage his own family well – his children obey him with proper respect
  • Not a recent convert
  • Has a good reputation with outsiders
TITUS 1
  • Must be blameless
  • Married to one spouse
  • Whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient
  • Not overbearing
  • Not quick tempered
  • Not given to drunkenness
  • Not violent
  • Does not pursue dishonest gain
  • Hospitable
  • One who loves what is good
  • Self-controlled
  • Upright, holy and disciplined
  • Holds to the trustworthy message as it has been taught so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine & refute those who oppose it
ACTS 6
  • Known to be full of the Holy Spirit
  • Full of wisdom
  • Highly respected and of a tested character