1 Timothy 1:12-14

"I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus."

Paul's letters to Timothy and Titus are well known for what they have to say about qualifications for spiritual office. There are entire lists detailing the type of person who might serve as an elder or a deacon. But here Paul sums up his qualifications with one word—faithful. God judged Paul to be faithful. But the basis of that judgment cannot be Paul's unblemished life of exemplary Christian service. Before the grace of God overflowed in faith in Paul's life, Paul was a passionate and deadly opponent of the gospel.

Perhaps God simply knew the type of man He would make Paul into. Regardless, God wants all His children to faithfully walk with Him. And it is in His strength that we can do this.

My prayer: Father, I need your strength. I know that in my own strength, I would know only failure and disappointment. I have known it before, and too often, returning to myself, I learn again that I need You. My God, I plead with you to strengthen me for faithful service—for a faithful life.

1 Peter 5:4-5

“And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’”

Our bosses often have bosses over them. Likewise, pastor/elders who shepherd the flock have a chief Shepherd over them. A pastor who abuses the flock, using the flock for his own benefit or dealing with people with heavy-handed tactics, will not be rewarded when the chief Shepherd comes. A shepherd should be like his master, loving God’s people. For a pastor/elder to do this, he must shepherd with humility.

But elders are not the only ones in need of humility. We who are under the elders need to humbly subject ourselves to the elders. Too often elders try to force people and the people under him refuse to follow him. Both parties have it wrong. The Bible shows us that the elder needs to lead by caring example, and the people need to put themselves under the elder’s leadership. If we do this, God will give us the grace to get along. But if we proudly elevate ourselves above each other, not only will we be resisted by each other, but we will be resisted by God.

1 Peter 5:1-3

“So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.”

The elders in in a church are to be pastors/shepherds. They are to fulfill their responsibilities not because they are being forced to serve but because they want to. Can you imagine being pastored by someone who was being forced to minister to you? How horrible that would be.

For those who do exercise oversight willingly, they also need to do it with the right motive. Personal gain is not the right motive. Pastors who are out to exploit the flock are shameful. They are not really interested in caring for people and are not true shepherds. Their desire to take as much as possible without concern for the individual they are taking from often leads to unethical or at least heavy-handed tactics. Greedy pastors bring disgrace upon the church. Instead of being motivated by gain we should be eager. Eager for what? Eager to exercise oversight “as God would have.”

Someone who is eager to be the kind of shepherd that Christ wants will lead by example rather than threat or intimidation. It is inappropriate and biblical to compel your church to do what you think is right. Instead, you should follow God and show people how to live a blessed life.