Spiritual Leadership in the Church

Titus 1:5-9

INTRODUCTION: The name elder, which refers to the spiritual maturity of the man, is translated from the Greek word presbuteros (which turned into the English “presbyter”). The Greek word episkopos, translated “bishop,” “overseer,” or “guardian,” is also used in reference to elders, describing their function as undershepherds of God’s flock.

Verses 5-9 of the first chapter of Titus have to do with the matter of leadership in the local church, and we must be careful that we do not under-estimate the importance of these verses. A spiritual leader in the Church of God must, therefore, be a man of maturity and dignity who is set apart to watch over the work of God and to do it in the Lord’s Name and for His Glory. Now notice the qualifications for spiritual leadership, in verses 6-9. What is God’s standard in this matter?

I. A SPIRITUAL LEADER SHOULD BE A MAN OF BLAMELESS REPUTATION.
In verse 6, and again in verse 7, we read that a leader must be “Blameless.” This is a high standard indeed, but what exactly is meant by the use of this word “blameless”? To be qualified for spiritual leadership a man must have a clean testimony in the church and before the world. He must be a man of “unimpeachable virtue.”

2. A SPIRITUAL LEADER SHOULD BE A MAN OF UNQUESTIONED MORAL INTEGRITY.
Verse 6 tells us that he must be “the husband of one wife.” He must be married only to one wife and not to two, as of course was often the case in Crete with the people to whom Paul was writing. No-one ought to be given any position in the church whose own marriage relationship is questionable or whose attitude towards the opposite sex is careless.

3. A SPIRITUAL LEADER SHOULD BRING UP HIS CHILDREN TO FEAR THE LORD.
Verse 6 goes on, “having faithful children, not accused of riot or unruly”—that is, not likely to be accused of loose living or law-breaking. If he has not been successful in securing the conversion of his children, of seeing them go on with the Lord, he must at any rate have sought their conversion and spiritual welfare by prayer and godly example.

4. A SPIRITUAL LEADER SHOULD BE A MAN OF OBVIOUS SPIRITUAL GRACE AND DISCIPLINE.
In verse 7 there are five negatives which demand our careful attention. (a) Not self-willed; (b) Not soon angry; (c) Not given to wine; (d) No striker; (e) Not given to filthy lucre.

5. A SPIRITUAL LEADER SHOULD BE A MAN WHO IS GENEROUS HEARTED GODLY AND WHO HAS THE RIGHT KIND OF FRIENDS.
“Birds of a feather flock together.” A man is known by his friends.

Conclusion:
The names “elders” and “bishops” are generally understood to refer to the same persons for the following reasons. In Acts 20:17, Paul called for the elders (presbuteroi) from Ephesus; in verse 28 he addressed them as guardians (episkopoi). In 1 Peter 5:1, 2, Peter similarly uses the terms interchangeably. The qualifications for bishops (episkopoi) in 1 Timothy 3 and those for elders (presbuteroi) in Titus 1 are substantially the same.

A pastor in the NT sense is one of the special-service gifts which the risen, ascended Christ bestowed to build up the saints for the work of ministering (Eph. 4:11, 12). In many respects the work of pastors and elders is similar; both are called to tend and feed the flock of God. But the two are never equated. Conceivably, a pastor may have or may not have a traveling ministry, while an elder is usually associated with one local assembly.

Back to Main Menu