John3Thirty

Qualifications of Elders: Part VI

Language is a powerful device. Something as simple as a combination of sounds emanating from the human mouth can inspire and elevate, or repulse and infuriate. Words in church meant to inspire are salvation, love, devotion, deliverance, but one little word can shut the ears of the average congregation, causing them to hope no more is said. This word is discipline. Among a people striving for pleasure and comfort discipline is practically an obscenity. This aversion has left scores of churches in tatters, given a black eye to the image of Christ and shipwrecked the faith of many as leaders fall into temptation and sin.

Discipline is important enough among leaders that the apostle includes various forms of it. He tells us that elders are to be temperate, self-controlled and of course disciplined. Church leaders need this because they must be able to manage themselves. As a Hunter’s Education instructor years ago one lesson included the difference between law and ethics. Legality is external. Lawmakers determine what is legal and illegal; it is not subject to choice. Ethics are internal. These are the rules we choose to follow in the absence of laws. There are some careers where ethics are imposed by an organization, but the members choose to submit to these to work in that field. Ethics are the limits you place on yourself voluntarily, law is involuntary.

The discipline demanded of elders is not a matter of law. This is where holiness and blamelessness come in. Church elders do not need to have right and wrong laid out for them in every situation because they become “a law unto themselves.” A man worthy of leading the church sets limits and bounds outside of which he will not operate. This often means placing more requirements on himself than on the average Christian. In this way, they lead a life worth emulating. The alternative is a leader that does what is needed in front of the church but when no one else is around he becomes a different man.

So how do we know if someone is disciplined? The sort of things that show an undisciplined life are hard to see. To discover them we have to watch the whole man, looking at the edges as well as the middle. By this I mean look at even the smallest details. For example, if the leader is one who seems to have everything in order spiritually, but his financial life is in turmoil then he is undisciplined. This lack of discipline will show up in his spiritual life sooner or later. This doesn’t mean that the man who has money problems is not qualified to lead? No, that is not listed here, but it does give us a reason to take a second look.

Speak to the wife and look at the kids. Often his own lack of discipline will show up in his children. Also, if anyone knows he lacks discipline it will be his wife. Why do so few churches interview the wife of potential elders? How often do we visit the homes of potential leaders? Church people have visited our home on various occasions and commented on how simply we lived. We don’t live a life of indulgence and self-gratification. This is one way we look for evidence of discipline. Besides these, a man who is undisciplined will eventually manifest of of the traits that are forbidden. Perhaps his lack of discipline will show itself in drunkenness or in quarrels and fighting. Perhaps it will show up in his opinion among those he does business with. There are always signs of a lack of discipline especially when it gets the point of being a problem—little in this world is hidden for long.

As leaders, how can we increase and encourage our own discipline. One way is accountability. Set rules for yourself and give another brother permission to ask direct questions about these limits. Submit to other leaders in your church. One of the greatest causes for moral failure among pastors is a lack of submission to accountability partners. Denominational officers can do little but follow up after a problem has manifest. When Ted Haggard got in trouble, the root of his problem became evident, but not where everyone was looking. It was announced that the oversight committee of the church was investigating the accusations. The members of this committee were said to be senior pastors from several large neighboring churches. How often did these persons sit down with Ted one-on-one? How many times a year did they see him? Did this church of thousands have no men capable of coming along side the pastor in an accountability relationship? Was this pastor unwilling to submit to such a relationship? This is more offensive than the sin Ted admitted to. If he had raised up men to work in conjunction with him he would have had someone asking him tough questions long before he wandered so far. God’s wisdom in ordaining a plural equal body of elders to lead his church is still evident today.

In looking for church leaders, an essential ingredient is discipline. If this is lacking the rest just won’t mean much.