Tag: Biblical Leadership

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The Character Qualifications for Leadership

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This is Part 10 of the Biblical Leadership Series. Click here to go to Part 1.

Up to this point, we have looked at five of our six categories of biblical qualifications for leadership. That includes the spiritual, calling, capability, family, and emotional qualifications. In this post, we will look at the final category which is the “character qualifications” of the leader. These are the qualities which pertain, particularly, to the outward reputation of the leader.

Character Qualification 1: Above reproach (1 Timothy 3:2, Titus 1:6, 7)

The first character qualification is that the leader must be “above reproach.” This means that their character and integrity are such that no criticism will come about to discredit them. This does not mean that people will not try to discredit a leader. That happens all the time. It happened to Jesus! What it means, however, is that the leader will be found blameless before such criticisms, and his character will remain in tact. There will be no credible blame of fault placed on him or her, which would require public reprimand or censure.

This qualification is especially necessary in our modern “cancel culture.” People who hate Christianity are looking for every opportunity to discredit people’s integrity, in order to remove their ability to have a public voice. While biblical Christianity will always be a target of this “cancel culture” and the “woke” generation, our personal character should be able to stand up to any accusation or attack which comes at us.

Character Qualification 2: Self-controlled (1 Timothy 3:2, Titus 1:8)

While the ESV (my Bible of choice) says “self-controlled,” a more apt definition of the Greek word here, “sophron,” would be “prudent.” It means that we are thoughtful about our actions, and live a moderate life.

One Bible Lexicon1 says this is being,

“careful or wise in handling practical matters; exercising good judgment or common sense.”

It goes on to say it is,

“avoidance of extremes and careful consideration for responsible action”

To be self-controlled simply means that you are thoughtful about all of your outward, public actions, remembering that everything you do is a reflection of Christ to the watching world.

Two secular thinkers who used this same Greek word in their writings were Aristotle and Aeschin. Aristotle said,

“the prudent [sophron] person is intentional on the what, the how, and the when of doing what should be done.”2

I think that “intentional” is a great definition of being self-controlled.

Aeschin wrote that this kind of person is

“moderate [sophron] in lifestyle so as not to be tempted by bribes.3

If we are not intentional in every area of our lives, then we will find it easy to stumble in our character and witness before others.

Character Qualification 3: Respectable (1 Timothy 3:2)

If you are going to be a leader in the body of Christ, as well as a public face for the church in the world, you must be respectable before men. Another translation would be “honorable.”

According to our lexicon4, this means,

“having characteristics or qualities that evoke admiration or delight, an expression of high regard”

While it is true that we should not be working for men or trying to gain their approval, the reality is that too often we want to throw off any need for human approval. The way we dress. The music we listen to. The places we frequent. The language we use. While these things (and many more) might not be sinful in and of themselves, they will lower us in the eyes of people. The leader should be respectable. That means we live in such a way that our lifestyle wins people’s approval.

And remember, this is not a call to simply “put on a show” in front of people. You cannot be a hypocrite who lives one way in front of people, and another way in private. To be a biblically qualified leader your life must actually be respectable; not just a pretense when people are looking.

Character Qualification 4: Dignified (1 Timothy 3:8)

Going hand in hand with being respectable is the call to be dignified. This is a different Greek word which carries the same connotation. The leader must live in such a way that they are worthy of respect. It means “noble” or “honorable.”

If we are representatives of the Kingdom of God – not as servants, but as sons/daughters of the King – then “noble” ought to describe how we live. We should carry ourselves as royalty.

(For an extended look at this idea, I recommend the book “The Supernatural Ways of Royalty” by Kris Vallotton.)

Character Qualification 5: Not a drunk (1 Timothy 3:3, 8, Titus 1:7)

Paul writes the same idea to Timothy and Titus, by saying “not a drunkard.” Then he repeats the idea, again, to Timothy by saying “not addicted to much wine.”

Without getting into a full discourse on whether or not a Christian can drink alcohol, I will suffice it to say this: if you are going to lead the church of God, getting drunk (or putting yourself in a situation where you might be tempted to get drunk) is out of the question. If you have a glass of wine at dinner or an occasional drink at social functions, that is between you and the Lord. However, if you occasionally drink too much, your public witness will be destroyed and you are disqualified from leadership. I have seen too many “great” pastors destroy their ministries over a love for alcohol. Complete abstinence is better than compromising yourself with temptations to have “just one more.”

Going back to the idea of being royalty, we should remember the words of King Solomon to his son:

“It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to take strong drink, lest they drink and forget what has been decreed and pervert the rights of all the afflicted.”

Proverbs 31:4-5

Addiction Can Go Beyond Alcohol

Secondly, however, is this idea of not being “addicted.” This can go way beyond alcohol. There are many pastors and leaders who struggle with addiction to many things, as a way of escaping the stress and anxiety of the ministry. I know pastors who are addicted to drugs — some to things like smoking marijuana, others to things like prescription meds such as pain killers and anti-psychotics. (Please note that I am not against medications given under a doctor’s supervision, but I am talking about those who have legitimate addictions and “self-medicate” without legitimate medical oversight.) Others are addicted to junk food (my major temptation to feel better), binge watching television, video games, and other forms of escapist entertainments.

I believe it is in reference to many of these things which Paul writes to the Corinthians,

“‘All things are lawful for me,’ but not all things are helpful. ‘All things are lawful for me,’ but I will not be dominated by anything.”

1 Corinthians 6:12 (emphasis mine)

If you are addicted and controlled by anything other than the Spirit of God, then you need to seek help and overcome before stepping into ministry leadership.

Character Qualification 6: Gentle/Not Violent (1 Timothy 3:3, Titus 1:7)

Although these are technically two qualifications for leaders, they go hand in hand with one another. The Greek word for “gentle” means that you are “kind, tolerant, or fair.” The Greek word for “not violent” simply means that you are not a bully.

In your interaction with people, you must have the reputation of being a kind person, who treats people with tenderness. You are tolerant of people, even if they are not easy to get along with, rather than pushing them around or bullying them into conformity or into agreeing with you.

Personally, this is an area I have to work very hard at. Not because I consider myself to be a bully, but because I have been told by many people that I am an intimidating figure and I have a naturally loud, booming voice. For some people, it makes me seem very unapproachable. Unapproachable is not an acceptable disposition for a leader!

If we are going to qualify to lead God’s people, we must have the same gentle spirit that Jesus had to all who came to him.

Character Qualification 7: Thought of Well by Outsiders (1 Timothy 3:7)

Again, it is easy for many leaders to think it doesn’t matter what other people think about us. However, not only are we called to be “respectable” and “dignified”, but Paul goes out of his way to let us know this does not just pertain to our reputation within the church. Our communities and those outside of the body of Christ should “think well of us,” if we are leaders in the ministry.

This is a difficult one for too many. Let me ask you: do you sincerely care about building relationships with non-believers, or do you simply want to hit them with truth bombs and run away?

Protesting Sin or Proselytizing Sinners?

Too often the church is accused of not truly caring about people. Many leaders only want to add notches to their belts, to make themselves look good to the body of Christ, rather than truly caring for the sinners. This has led to some ridiculous activities within the body of Christ. Just look at the various Christian groups who hold up signs of judgment at gay pride rallies, abortion clinics, and funerals of soldiers. They spew their hate-filled rage at people, thinking it is a holy work of the Lord, yet they have no love for sinners and no grace to offer the lost and hurting.

A most extreme example for me personally was when I was out one evening with a group of friends from Bible college, and we were met by a large “sin protest” in Fort Worth, Texas. We were confronted by these men and women, with their pamphlets condemning people to hell, and even after we informed them that we were Christians and studying to be ministers, they still wanted to tear us down and prove that God did not love us because we didn’t look or act like them.

Jesus was completely different!

Jesus was loved by non-believers. Tax collectors and sinners welcomed him into their homes for banquets. Massive crowds followed Him through the streets to hear Him teach and to be blessed by Him. In fact, it was His reputation with the non-religious that made the religious community suspicious of Him.

If we are going to reflect Jesus and be thought well of by outsiders, we must learn to prove our love for people first, before we prove to them how right we think we are.

Character Qualification 8: Not a Slanderer (1 Timothy 3:11)

To fulfill this qualification means that we not only love people when we are face to face with them, but we love people behind their backs. It means that as leaders we do not gossip about people. We don’t speak with malice toward those who disagree with us, and we certainly do not try to destroy the reputation of others before our congregations or our communities.

The Greek word here for “slanderer” is “diabolos.” This is literally the word for “devil.” To be a devil means that you are making yourself an adversary and bringing public charge against people to bring them down. To use modern language, it means that you are not the target of “cancel culture.” You have become “cancel culture,” seeking to destroy those you disagree with or disapprove of.

To be a slander means that you are using your mouth in a way opposite of the gospel. To preach the gospel is to speak truth resulting in the good of others. To share gossip is to use rumors and accusation to cause harm to them.

(Although I will not discuss it here, there is a lot to say about pastors and leaders who want to argue theology for the sake of arguing. They will play “devil’s advocate,” intentionally speaking falsehoods to bring division or challenge those they don’t fully agree with. That, too, seems to fit the Greek definition of a slanderer.)

Character Qualification 9: Upright, holy, disciplined (Titus 1:8)

Again, this qualification could be divided into three, but I believe they go hand in hand, and are listed in this order in the book of Titus, so we will keep them together.

The word “upright” means “righteous, just, or fair.” To be “holy” means to be “devout” and “pleasing to God.” And “disciplined means “having one’s emotions, impulses, or desires under control.”

This is a holistic qualification for a person’s character and public reputation. If we are to lead people as representatives of the Lord, we must be outwardly seeking to live a righteous life before men. This comes from an inward devotion to holiness in how we reflect Jesus through our lives. The day-to-day outworking of these things is that we discipline ourselves, daily, to become more and more like Christ in the world.

Paul says this was a conscious process of making sure the life we live fits the Gospel we preach:

“But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.”

1 Corinthians 9:27

In Summary

To be a biblically qualified leader, we must be intentional in our character and the reputation we hold before the church and our community. There can be no hint of hypocrisy, in which we say one thing while doing another, and there can be no credible accusation standing against us which would destroy our own witness, or the reputation of the ministry or church we lead.

God cares about how the world views us and why. While it is expected that they will hate us, persecute us, and seek to bring us down, that is not our way. If we are to reflect those characteristics back on the world, we are not ministering for the Lord. Instead, our lives must be known for love, building others up, and bring out what is best in us and in others. That is what will qualify us to lead.

Let’s Connect

In the next post we will look at the idea of team ministry, and discuss why it was never God’s intention to have one person leading an entire ministry by themselves. You can make sure to never miss any future posts by subscribing to my newsletter below. I promise never to spam your inbox or share your info with others.

You can also join me on social media for more #ChristianLife and #Gospel Leadership insights throughout the week. I can be found on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Parler, and LinkedIn, and would love to see you there.

1 William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 987.

2 Ibid.

3 Ibid.

4 Ibid.

If you’re enjoying the content I produce, a little caffeine to keep me going would be appreciated!



© Anthony Scott Ingram 2020. All Rights Reserved.

Photo by Andrew Seaman on Unsplash

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

Please note that I do get a small kickback from Amazon for purchases made using the links on this site. 
Should you choose to purchase from them, I just want to say thank you for further supporting my work in ministry! 
You can also donate to my missionary work and ministry through Sozo Ministries, here.

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The Emotional Qualifications for Leadership

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This is Part 9 of the Biblical Leadership Series. Click here to go to Part 1.

So far in this dive into the biblical qualifications for leadership, we have already discussed, in depth, the spiritual, calling, capability, and family qualifications for Christian leadership. In this post, we will continue to look at the private life of the leader by looking at the emotional qualifications for Christian leadership.

Emotional Qualification 1: Lover of good (Titus 1:8)

At first glance, this qualification seems obvious. I mean, you cannot be a good leader but love it when bad things happen. It is usually in the stressful, negative moments of ministry that leaders have the most thoughts about throwing in the towel and doing something else. What kind of sane person would give their lives to ministry to enjoy the worst moments of life?

However, that isn’t exactly the meaning here. There is a nuance to what kind of “good” a person must be a lover of, and it has very little to do with the good of yourself. The Greek word used here specifically means loving the public good. In the Greco-Roman world, this trait would be “a characteristic of an especially respected and responsible citizen” of the empire.1

This means, that as a leader, in your emotional life, you do not spend your time thinking about your own welfare or problems. Rather, you spend your time delighting in purposes and making plans that will benefit the body of Christ and the community you are called to serve. Even in your most introspective self, you must be outwardly focused, and love it when good things come to those around you. You must not be guilty of the sin of jealousy or of comparison with others!

I believe this qualification will sum up the rest of the emotional qualifications. Unfortunately, this is a trait that is lacking in many leaders in the body of Christ. Too many are consumed with making things happen for their own benefit — overcoming their own problems, receiving their own blessings, and building up themselves — that they actually become jealous and spiteful toward others whose circumstances work out for the better.

A self-serving heart can not be a lover of the good of others, and therefore cannot qualify for biblical leadership.

Emotional Qualification 2: Sober-minded (1 Timothy 3:2, 11, 1 Peter 5:8)

This qualification is not specifically talking about being a drunkard. We will get to that in the next post, when we discuss the character qualifications. Instead, being “sober-minded” means that as a leader you are emotionally cable of being sensible. It implies that you are level-headed or well-balanced in your thinking.

Most people get emotionally overwhelmed and cannot think straight in extreme circumstances. That is normal. However, ministers of the Lord are called to serve others in the most difficult and heart-wrenching times of their lives and should have a level of extra stability in their emotional balance. We must be capable of keeping our sensibilities at all times.

We must be aware that if we are easily overwhelmed emotionally, then we will struggle to stay tuned-in to the Lord in order to hear Him clearly, or to lead others effectively.

In 1 Peter, he actually adds that we must be sober minded and watchful, because our “adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” If we are unable to keep our thinking clear, we will be an easy target for him!

No Drama Queens

Another type of person who falls into this category of not being “sober-minded” is the leader who loves drama. They love it when there is controversy and things are out of balance between people. This kind of person loves to “stir the pot” and keep the confusing situations going. That is not a characteristic of an emotionally balanced person.

Not only should we value our own emotional stability, but we must encourage it in others as well.

To fulfill this qualification as leaders, we must be able to think clearly in every situation, and to be able to submit our minds to the voice of the Lord, rather than getting knocked off track by overwhelming emotions.

Emotional Qualification 3: Not Arrogant (Titus 1:7)

Some people might list “not arrogant” among the character qualifications for leadership rather than emotional. However, as I was praying through them, I felt it is more fitting among the emotional qualities. That is because many people tie arrogance to the person’s public persona and appearance. Yet it is not only leaders who wear brand-name clothing, get expensive haircuts, and drive big black SUV’s with tinted windows who are capable of arrogance. (Nor do those things necessarily mean that those people are arrogant, either.) Instead, arrogance is first and foremost a condition of the heart. Yes, it has outward fruit, but it is an emotional trait first.

The biblical idea for not being arrogant means that the person should not be “self-important.” Just as the first qualification says they must be focused on the public good of others. This trait says that in our minds, we value others personally more than we value ourselves. Paul echos this sentiment in Philippians 2:3,

“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.”

When we truly view ourselves as less important than those we minister to, lowering ourselves in humility to serve, then our motives will never be self-willed. Instead, we will give our time and emotional energy to others, no matter their circumstances or character, because we truly value them more than we value ourselves.

Arrogance also carries the idea of primarily being concerned with your own interests. Again, this means that leaders who only look out for “number 1” (themselves), and resist things that do not glorify or validate themselves, are not qualified to lead God’s people.

Emotional Qualification 4: Not Double-Tongued (1 Timothy 3:8)

According to one lexicon, “in some languages the equivalent of [double tongued] is ‘to speak in two directions’ or ‘to cover one’s thoughts by means of one’s words.’”2 It means that when you open your mouth to speak, you are saying one thing while thinking or doing another. You are a hypocrite or “two-faced.”

The obvious outcome is that you are not a trustworthy person. If people doubt the sincerity of your words because your actions say otherwise (or because you say one thing to one person, but the opposite to another), then they will never be able to believe you as a person.

No One Follows Two-Faced Leaders

Sadly, in my own life, I have had a number of jobs where my manager was a “double-tongued” person. One boss in particular would give instructions to our team in how he wanted us to do our work. However, when his overseers were not happy with the work, my manager would blame us, telling his boss that he instructed us to do something else, but we failed to obey. Needless to say, his lack of integrity in this way made it difficult for people to work for him, and the rate at which people quit that job was high.

Within the church, where leaders are suppose to hold to the word of God with a clear conscience, it is difficult to teach people the truth, when our words and actions do not demonstrate them. We must have the emotional strength to speak honestly and tell the truth, even when it might cost us personally.

Emotional Qualification 5: Not Quick-Tempered (Titus 1:7)

This qualification simply means that your emotional state cannot be “always ready for a fight.” If your default personality qualification is that you are inclined to anger and short-tempered, then you will lack the grace to deal with God’s people effectively. You must not get offended quickly, whether it is by direct personal attacks or by the outward actions of others.

In the Bible, we do see Jesus getting frustrated at times, and He is even overcome with righteous anger when He made a whip and chased the money changers from the temple (John 2:15). However, as the physical representation of God (Colossians 1:15, John 1:14), Jesus’ default emotional state was “merciful and gracious” and “slow to anger” (Exodus 34:6). Remember, His name is “Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).

If we are going to be the hands and feet of Jesus in the world today, representing as the leaders of His church and servants of His Kingdom, then how can our emotional state be any different? If He is “slow to anger,” we must also be if we are going to be qualified to lead others for Him.

Emotional Qualification 6: Not Quarrelsome (1 Timothy 3:3)

In the same way as not being quick-tempered in how we respond to others, we must also not be out looking for a fight. The Greek word, here, means that we must be peace-makers. We cannot be contentious in our relationships to people, and especially in the things of God.

There are way too many self-proclaimed teachers of the Word of God who are simply making bold declarations, looking for an argument. They don’t speak from a conviction of truth. Instead, they want to fight and play “devil’s advocate.” (I cannot think of any role that should be less desirable to the servant of God than advocating for the devil.)

Beware Those Who Quarrel to Prove Themselves

One danger that is found in those who do not fulfill this emotional qualification is that they are quarreling with others, hoping it will somehow prove their own value and worth.

I personally believe the “not quarrelsome” requirement is especially necessary when evaluating younger men for ministry service, for this reason. Until the young man realizes that he does not know it all, and learns to lay down the prideful pursuit of “proving himself,” then he shouldn’t be given leadership over others.

Again, in humility and in truth, we should allow God to prove us, rather than looking for a fight to demonstrate our credibility or superiority.

Emotional Qualification 7: Not Greedy (1 Timothy 3:3,8, Titus 1:7, 1 Peter 5:2)

The final emotional qualification for leaders is that they are “not greedy.” This is one of the only qualifications which makes all three of the apostles’ lists.

At face value, it seems easy to understand. To Timothy, Paul says you cannot be a “lover of money.” To Titus he says, as Peter also writes, you cannot be “shamefully greedy.” Both of these statements mean that you cannot be obsessed with the pursuit of wealth or excessively hoarding of your finances.

If Peter and Paul saying the same thing is not enough, we must also remember the words of Jesus Himself:

No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

Luke 16:13

Money-Hungry Leaders

As we have discussed before, seeking financial gain is the absolute worst reason to get into ministry! But to add the weight of Jesus’ words to this reality, I will say this: if you are in Christian ministry for personal financial gain, you are disqualified and you need to quit, immediately. If you are actively pursuing money from your service to the body of Christ, you are not serving the Lord! (This does not mean pastors should necessarily work for free, but money should not be the motivation.)

Again, greedy people are the ones who abuse God’s flock by manipulating them for money. They will promise blessings that God never promised, and they will prostitute any spiritual gift God may have given to them, for their own gain.

I don’t know how to say it any more clearly than Jesus did. “You cannot serve God and money.” If you are going to serve God, then you must become like Paul, who says,

“…I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”

Philippians 4:11-13

Money-Obsessed Leaders

In the same vein, there are many leaders who are not in ministry for financial gain, yet they are still emotionally obsessed with money — usually the lack of it — and it prevents them from fulfilling the call of God on their lives.

In the case of “not being greedy,” the Greek language implies that in no way should our minds be obsessed with money, at all. While worrying about the lack of money is not the same sin as hoarding cash, it is still sinful, nonetheless.

God has revealed Himself to be Jehovah-Jireh, or “YHWH, Your Provider.” If we, then, doubt His provision, and fail to do the work He has called us to because of lack, then we have sinned against Him. This is literally taking the name of the Lord in vain!

Confession: This is My Greatest Anxiety

To be transparent, this is the emotional qualification I need the most sanctification in. I used to have a small, framed quote in my office which said, “We have done so much, with so little, for so long, that we think we can do anything, with nothing, in no time flat.” I lived with a poverty mindset for a long time, always obsessing over what I lacked.

The Lord had to rebuke me for this attitude. While earthly appearances may show that my family are poor missionaries in East Africa, begging for money for every project or need. The truth is that we are servants in the Kingdom of God, and that we have access to the abundance of heaven to do anything He calls us to do.

This is a reality I have to remind myself of often, as the enemy is quick to prick my anxiety with a perception that there is not enough money for the ministry.

A Mindset of Trust

To fulfill the biblical qualification of “not greedy,” we must keep a balanced mind, focused on God as our provider in all circumstances. We cannot be seeking to get rich and hoard money. Neither can we be obsessed with our poverty, and desperate for where to get our needs met. We must trust Him alone, and handle our money as stewards of His gifts.

When He says save or invest, we do. When He says spend or give lavishly, we do. That is what it means to serve God instead of money. Any other mindset, constantly fixed on money, is disqualifying for leadership.

In Summary

To fulfill these emotional qualifications, we must have a balanced, stable state of mind. We should be able to think clearly, and make decisions based on truth and the leading of the Holy Spirit, rather than the outcome or consequences.

We don’t look out for ourselves, but focus on the public good. We don’t build ourselves up or try to prove ourselves to others by winning arguments. We don’t seek our own financial blessing over the needs of others. Instead, we keep a mindset of trust in the Lord to fight our battles and provide our needs. Most of all, we are emotionally prepared to follow His will and do what He says at all times. Anything less than that is not acceptable to serve as a leader in the body of Christ.

Let’s Connect

In the next post we will look at the final category of qualifications as we look at a person’s “character” requirements for biblical leadership, and deal with their public reputations. You can make sure you don’t miss any future posts by subscribing to my newsletter below. I promise never to spam your inbox or share your info with others.

You can also join me on social media for more #ChristianLife and #Gospel Leadership insights throughout the week. I can be found on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Parler, and LinkedIn, and would love to see you there.

1 William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 1055.

2 Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), 766.

If you’re enjoying the content I produce, a little caffeine to keep me going would be appreciated!



© Anthony Scott Ingram 2020. All Rights Reserved.

Photo by Andrew Seaman on Unsplash

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

Please note that I do get a small kickback from Amazon for purchases made using the links on this site. 
Should you choose to purchase from them, I just want to say thank you for further supporting my work in ministry! 
You can also donate to my missionary work and ministry through Sozo Ministries, here.

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The Spiritual Qualifications for Leadership

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This is Part 5 of the Biblical Leadership Series. Click here to go to Part 1.

So far in our series we have looked at many areas of leadership, from discerning a call, being a great follower, and what the leadership roles are for. Now, as we continue looking at the biblical qualifications for all ministry leaders, we will set our attention on the spiritual calling qualifications for leadership. If I were to divide this category in half, I would say we will look at the “spiritual” qualifications in this post and the “calling” qualifications in the next (though they tend to blend together).

This category of qualifications looks at the person’s spiritual life, ensuring they are mature believers with a heart for God’s people, rather than for their own benefit.

As we said in the previous post, these qualifications are generally taken from 1 Timothy 3:1-13, Titus 1:5-9, and 1 Peter 5:1-4. I will attempt to put them into a logical order, so we can see how they are developed in a person’s life.

Qualification 1: Not A Recent Convert (1 Timothy 3:6)

The foremost expectation of any leader in Christian ministry is that they are a mature believer in Christ. This should seem obvious, yet in practice, it is one of the most overlooked qualifications I see as I minister around the world. It seems that so many churches and existing leadership teams are so desperate for “laborers in the field” that they will quickly appoint anyone to the team based on non-essential qualities. They look at the person’s enthusiasm for the church to grow, or at their charismatic and likable personality, and quickly appoint them to help lead others. This is a mistake! The most essential thing is that a person has come to faith in Christ, and has been discipled into some level of maturity, before they are assigned a leadership role over others.

I was appointed too early.

I, myself, was appointed to ministry leadership too early, and there were many challenges that came because of it. This happened because the church leader assigned over me as a youth was also appointed to ministry while not being a mature believer, and therefore the cycle continued.

At age 16, I was saved at a church camp, but lacked ongoing discipleship in my life. A few months later I became a quick hypocrite as I began drinking a lot of alcohol with my non-believer friends, while keeping on a “holy mask” on in church each Sunday. It didn’t take long for my youth pastor to discover the truth. Yet, as he himself was not qualified in this regard either, we began to drink together on Saturday nights, before attending church together on Sunday mornings.

Since I had my “holy mask” held tightly in place, it wasn’t long before I was considered one of the leaders in the youth group, and began getting asked to occasionally teach in Sunday school and other youth meetings. It wasn’t until I was 18 that God really began speaking to me about my hypocrisy and leading me toward Bible college that I truly repented and began to grow.

Once I moved to Bible college, I truly saw the level of immaturity in my own life and set out to grow in the Word and in the Christian life. However, as the small church I joined after the move was desperate for help, I was quickly appointed as the Youth Pastor for the church’s 8 or 9 teenagers. (This was November of 2003, from which I count my actual ministry service as having begun.) I pray that my time as a youth pastor was beneficial to those kids. However, the reality is that I was the one growing the most, and didn’t do well at pouring into them as I should have.

If God Calls You “Too Soon”

I have talked to many new believers who immediately feel called to ministry once they are saved. I make it a point to never doubt that calling or discourage them. However, I am also quick to point out that God lives outside of time, yet He works through our time. Just because God has called you, does not trump the process of growth. He is the one who said leaders cannot be new converts, so if He has called you “too soon,” then you must seek to grow in maturity, in order to be worthy of fulfilling that call. Remember, “many are called, but few are chosen” (Matthew 22:14).

Qualification 2: Not Puffed Up With Conceit (1 Timothy 3:6)

Paul continues writing to Timothy as to why a person cannot be a recent convert, by giving two additional reasons. The first is that it runs the risk of puffing them up with conceit. If someone is appointed to lead without the character of a leader, they will be prone to arrogance and pride.

Again, I have seen this over and over again in many, including my younger self, where the “role” of leadership has given an overconfidence in the “responsibility” of leadership, making the person unwilling to hear correction when necessary. After all, if God and the Church has appointed you to lead, then how can anyone tell you that you are wrong/misguided/immature/sinning? We all know what happens when pride sets in (Proverbs 16:18).

Instead, before an individual can be appointed to leadership, they should develop a maturity in Christ that understands, “this is not about me.”

The Downfall of Arrogant Ministers

The problem with people who live in pride and think ministry is about themselves is that whether things go good or things go bad, the response is always wrong.

When things go well in ministry it adds to their sense of pride and arrogance, making them even more unwilling to face correction. As they get more puffed up, they celebrate. “Look what I have done!” They view themselves as God’s gift to the church, rather than a lowly servant to all.

On the other hand, when things go wrong in ministry, it will wound their ego. In the best cases this will lead to burnout, causing them to step out of ministry and seek healing and restoration. In the worst cases, they become like a wounded animal, seeking to tear down others around them. They will not take responsibility for failure; they will find someone else to blame.

Qualification 3: Not Under the Devil’s Condemnation (1 Timothy 3:6)

The second problem Paul identifies with new converts in leadership roles is that they can easily fall into condemnation. When they get puffed up with pride, but then fail or fall into sin, the enemy is always there to catch them on the way down. He doesn’t just let you hit rock bottom, he wants to make you suffer while you’re there.

One of the biggest challenges of the gospel life is learning to live free of condemnation when you stumble and fall. The Bible is very clear:

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Romans 8:1

However, this truth must be applied not only to our hearts, but to our minds. When the devil comes near to whisper in your ear that you are a failure, you cannot be used by God, or even that God cannot love you, you must be able to overcome these lies with truth. New believers seldom have this ability. They must be discipled and grow in it.

I cannot tell you the number of times, throughout my early ministry years, when I would fall back into old habits, and the condemnation would be overwhelming. This was true whether I had committed “big” sins like running back to pornography or “small” sins like not reading my Bible and praying every day. I would hear the voice of the enemy telling me I was not worthy, and I would run and hide from God, just like Adam and Eve did in the beginning (Genesis 3:8).

Until a believer has learned to always run to God when they fail, and fall back on the grace He offers, they will continue to live with the condemnation of the devil over their lives. In order to be a leader in the church, they must first learn to live according to the grace of God, and not their own abilities. (I highly recommend you read Romans 8:1-11.)

Qualification 4: Not Accused of Insubordination (Titus 1:6)

As a person grows into maturity as a believer and finds there is a calling on their lives, the scripture seems to lay out a pattern for what a movement into ministry ought to look like. They are to be discipled and mentored, serving under someone else’s ministry first, before they are released on their own. I believe it is through this process, which Paul writes to Titus that the upcoming leader must be subordinate.

This was the Jewish pattern for leadership. A child who went through religious school and did well, would continue religious training, and eventually submit themselves to a Rabbi in order to learn from them how to serve the Lord. After some years, when the Rabbi believed they couldn’t impart any more, they would commission their students to become Rabbis as well.

Jesus followed a similar pattern when he called the 12 and spent three years discipling them, mentoring them, and giving them more responsibility as time went on before He finally launched them out into ministry on their own. The process is repeated with Paul’s raising of Timothy, Titus and others into ministry. Even Paul, who many see as set apart in a completely different way than the other apostles, went through this process!

Paul’s Path to Ministry

When Paul was saved and called into ministry (simultaneously), he first submitted himself to Ananias and the church in Damascus (Acts 9:17-19). They even let him preach among them (v. 20), though he wasn’t sent out to the nations yet. Paul expands on what happened next when he writes to the Galatians:

But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone; nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days. But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord’s brother. (In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie!) Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. And I was still unknown in person to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. They only were hearing it said, “He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” And they glorified God because of me.

Galatians 1:15-24 (emphasis mine)

Just a couple of notes on this. Paul clearly knew he was called to preach among the Gentiles from the day he was saved. First, however, he went into Arabia to spend time in the Word of God and hear from the Holy Spirit. He wasn’t looking for man’s validation, only God’s. I believe when he went into “Arabia” it was to Mount Sinai where God gave the Law to Moses, and where the prophet Elijah is also rumored to have hidden from Jezebel and heard the Lord speaking (1 Kings 19). From there, Paul returned to Damascus to be discipled, before visiting Jerusalem and then moving to Syria and Cilicia three years later.

Later, in Acts 13:1, we find Paul living in Antioch (which is in Syria), and serving the local church there. He had been discipled, trained, and given opportunities to preach for years. Then, after the Holy Spirit spoke to the church leadership, Paul was finally ordained to be sent out on his own to do the ministry God had previously shown him (Acts 13:2-4).

Serving Another’s Vision

One of the hardest aspects of growing into leadership is the call to be subordinate to another, before we can be trusted to lead on our own. This goes back to my previous discussion of “self-appointed leaders” and the problems posed when someone gets out of God’s alignment and process. However, I firmly believe that the call to serve under another person’s ministry is the greatest test of a leader’s trustworthiness, before God will allow them to have their own ministry. I mean, if a person cannot be humble enough to follow a leader who is doing their best to fulfill God’s vision and command, then how can they be trusted to follow God’s vision and command directly? If they cannot submit to correction and accountability from a mature man or woman of God, first, then how can they be trusted to submit directly to God’s correction and accountability when no one else is there?

Believe me, this is difficult. Though I knew the calling God had placed on my life for many years, I kept being “held back” by God’s Spirit. The first time I visited Uganda in 2007, I knew that I had an assignment here, yet God placed me back in Texas as a volunteer (unpaid) Associate Pastor for over 4 years. As the missionary bug was in me, I also began volunteering with another missions ministry, where, after leaving that church in Texas, I served at the discretion of the Board of Directors for another 3.5 years before God led me out to launch Sozo Ministries.

During those years, I had prophetic words, dreams, visions, and thousands of random thoughts about “my calling,” yet I was appointed to serve those other ministries in those seasons. Looking back, though I was eager to step out and “do my own thing,” I am so glad for the growth in both my maturity and my giftings which came through those years.

In Summary

In looking at someone’s “spiritual calling” into Christian leadership, the first qualification that matters is that they have been established into the faith and ministry life, before they are ordained to lead others. They must not simply be born again, but they must demonstrate growth in their understanding of the Gospel with their own lives. They must be able to overcome the devil’s voice in their own lives, and there must be a humility in them concerning their own calling. This will be proven and improved upon as they submit to those in authority over them, first, as they grow through the process into leadership of their own.

Let’s Connect

In the next post we will continue looking at the “spiritual/calling” qualifications which come into play as someone is finally being commissioned into ministry on their own. To stay connected and make sure you don’t miss any future posts, subscribe to my newsletter below. I promise never to spam your inbox or share your info with others.

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© Anthony Scott Ingram 2020. All Rights Reserved.

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Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

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