A pastor’s qualifications:

[convicted1]

Not according to the Bible.
Jesus said........
“Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery:
and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from [her] husband committeth adultery.” (Luke 16:18)

But aldultery ain't blaspheming the Spirit...

 

[stilllearning]

What if a g@y man was saved, and in that time prior had been "married"? Then he marries a woman, raises his kids in accordance to 1 Timothy 3 & Titus 1. Would this exclude him from the ministry, seeing God has forgiven him of ALL of his sins?

Every Christian, regardless of their past can MINISTER, in a million different ways.
But, according to the Bible, God doesn’t want you to be a PASTOR, or a DEACON, if you do not fit His qualifications!

 

[Revmitchell]

I think I agree with DHK on this one. Even when a person is forgiven of their sins, it does not mean they are free of the consequences of their sins.

The consequences of our sins is we die and go to hell.

 

[gigabyte71]

PART II

Interrupting the qualifications

Is Paul telling Timothy divorced men cannot be a pastor?
Is Paul telling Timothy single men cannot be a pastor?
Is Paul telling Timothy that men with rebellious adult children cannot be a pastor?
Not a novice- when is he no longer a novice?

What about Apt or Able to Teach? I have seen a number of 'Pastors' who are not apt or able to teach.

 

[sag38]

Gig, that is a matter of opinion concerning the ability to teach. Some folks think his preaching and teaching is the bomb while another set think he stinks. Preachers have it rough when it comes to standards. The Biblical standards are hard enough but the ever changing and multiple standards coming from the pew are impossible to meet. I even had some that didn't like it because, god forbid, I was seen cutting the church yard. Their ideal preacher was too stately for such work. Others judged me because I didn't wear a coat and tie while preaching. I have even been considered not worthy because I moved around on the stage while preaching rather than standing "dignified" behind the pulpit.

 

[gigabyte71]

Gig, that is a matter of opinion concerning the ability to teach. Some folks think his preaching and teaching is the bomb while another set think he stinks. Preachers have it rough when it comes to standards. The Biblical standards are hard enough but the ever changing and multiple standards coming from the pew are impossible to meet. I even had some that didn't like it because, god forbid, I was seen cutting the church yard. Their ideal preacher was too stately for such work. Others judged me because I didn't wear a coat and tie while preaching. I have even been considered not worthy because I moved around on the stage while preaching rather than standing "dignified" behind the pulpit.

But teaching is a 'measurable' skill. It isn't so much about the depth of the content, but rather the ability to convey it to the student. Of course this skill develops over time, so a newer, not younger, pastor is likely not going to have fully developed that skill.

All those other items are opinions of people, though I hate to see a pastor out mowing the lawn at the church. I would much rather have my pastor spending time in prayer and study than mowing the lawn. But, I also know that churches are most often full of complainers, not doers.

 

[sag38]

Good grief.

 

[Revmitchell]

Wow! I thought mowing the lawn was one of the Biblical qualifications of being a pastor. As is cleaning the toilets, making the bulletins, painting the nursery and a whole plethora of other things. Hmmm.....

 

[webdog]

--blameless
--sober
--vigilant
--apt to teach
--no wine
--not a striker
--leading his house well

What if a man and his wife can't have kids? That excludes me right there.

You would be correct.

 

[webdog]

It is possible but not advisable. If I were on a pulpit committee I would not recommend it. It is difficult for a single man to counsel women.

"must be the husband of one wife" is not a suggestion.

 

[OldRegular]

PART II

Interrupting the qualifications

Is Paul telling Timothy divorced men cannot be a pastor?

1. If a man is divorced for Scriptural reasons {adultery of wife} and then remarries that should not prevent him from being a pastor, assuming he is called.
2. If a man is divorced prior to his Salvation and then remarries that should not prevent him from being a pastor, assuming he is called.

Is Paul telling Timothy single men cannot be a pastor?

That is a good question. I am not sure Paul is forbidding single men from being pastors, assuming they think they are called. However, I personally would prefer that a pastor be married for at least two reasons:

1. He is less subject to a certain temptation that many married pastors face.

2. He is more likely to understand the problems encountered in any marriage.

Is Paul telling Timothy that men with rebellious adult children cannot be a pastor?

Not unless the are still living under his roof.

Not a novice- when is he no longer a novice?

 

[OldRegular]

People are fully justified or they aren't...

You are correct O' convicted1. The sins committed before one is saved do not , or should not, disqualify them from any service to God, even being a preacher, an elder, a deacon, a pastor, whatever.

It was God who told us:

Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

Micah 7:19 He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.

It is God who justifies His elect:

Romans 3:30 Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.

Romans 8:28-33
28. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
29. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
30. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
31. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
32. He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.

 

[Don]

I would really like an answer to my question. Is 1 Tim 5, where it talks about caring for the widows and specifies she must be the wife of one husband, saying the same as what y'all are applying to the bishop being the husband of one wife?

 

[JonC]

However, I personally would prefer that a pastor be married for at least two reasons:

1. He is less subject to a certain temptation that many married pastors face.

2. He is more likely to understand the problems encountered in any marriage.

I feel the same. But, Paul does seem to suggest that he sees a benefit in not marrying.

 

[annsni]

Not according to the Bible.
Jesus said........
“Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery:
and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from [her] husband committeth adultery.” (Luke 16:18)

Actually, did Jesus contradict Himself?

Matthew 5:32 "But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery."

Matthew 19:9 "And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery."

 

[OldRegular]

Actually, did Jesus contradict Himself?

Matthew 5:32 "But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery."

Matthew 19:9 "And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery."

NO! God does not make mistakes!

 

[annsni]

NO! God does not make mistakes!

Exactly. So we see that there are some instances where divorce is allowed.

 

[Jerome]

It was allowed due to their hard hearts!

vv. 7-8
They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.

 

[convicted1]

The thing is the bible doesn't apply to the lost. It applies to the sheep, the elect, the body of Christ, the church, the bride of the Lamb, &c.


"and the natural man doth not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for to him they are foolishness, and he is not able to know [them], because spiritually they are discerned;"(1 Cor. 2:14 YLT)


"There is, then, now no condemnation to those in Christ Jesus, who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit; for the law of the Spirit of the life in Christ Jesus did set me free from the law of the sin and of the death; for what the law was not able to do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God, His own Son having sent in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, did condemn the sin in the flesh, that the righteousness of the law may be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For those who are according to the flesh, the things of the flesh do mind; and those according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit; for the mind of the flesh [is] death, and the mind of the Spirit -- life and peace; because the mind of the flesh [is] enmity to God, for to the law of God it doth not subject itself, for neither is it able; and those who are in the flesh are not able to please God."(Romans 8:1-8 YLT)


We are no longer under the condemnation of our sins, seeing that Christ is our Sinbearer. It is only because He lives that we can live also.

But the bible doesn't apply to the lost....

 

[Don]

No one said it did.