Qualifications To Look For When Searching For A Pastor

What are the qualifications that a church should look for in a pastor and according to the Bible?

Paul’s Directive for Titus

When Titus was told to select elders, the Apostle Paul gave him (and us) some very sound guidelines that a church should look for in a pastor or elder. Paul wrote that he should be “above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination” (Titus 1:6) so this candidate must obviously be a man (“husband of one wife”) and children that are not insubordinate. If they can’t rule their own home, they surely can’t be a church leader. Again, Paul repeats that that he should be “above reproach” (Titus 1:7), showing that should live a life that is above reproach or to be found with any incriminating circumstances. That same man “must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it” (Titus 1:7-9). If a pastor has a bad reputation or is known to be quick-tempered, violent, greedy, inhospitable, arrogant and doesn’t have self-control, keep looking because if they have any of these qualities, they aren’t biblically qualified to be a pastor of any church.

Paul’s Directive for Timothy

Paul gave similar instructions to Timothy but Paul was much more comprehensive this time because he knew he was about to be martyred and so he wrote to Timothy that once again, the pastor or shepherd (or overseer) must be “above reproach” (1st Tim 3:2) so Paul says three times in two letters that a pastor or overseer must be above reproach. That seems to be the most important thing that Paul is stressing. What does it look like living a life above reproach? Paul would say that he must be “the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money” (1st Tim 3:2-3) again directing this search to be for a male candidate for no woman could be managing “his household” well and have only “one wife.” Paul adds similar qualities in the pastor as being above reproach, being self-controlled (again), sober-minded, “not a lover of money,” a drunkard, violent, or quarrelsome but gentle and respectable and given to “hospitality” (for the second time), and to be sure it’s a male, “the husband of one wife.” Again, referring to the male, Paul adds, “He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil” (1st Tim 3:6-7). This theme of being thought of well by outsiders or those who are in the world is also mentioned in Titus so Paul gives just about the same advice to Timothy as he did Paul and by extension, he gives us today for the church.

Warning Signs

Given to arguments

Violent

Greedy

Drunkenness

Quarrelsome

One woman man

A new convert

No self-control

Reproachful behavior

Have a bad reputation

Accused of insubordination

Accused of debauchery

Good Sings

Above reproach

Married to one wife (one woman man, or faithful to his wife)

His children are believers and submit

Hospitable

Lover of good and not evil

Not violent

Self-control

Sober-minded

Respectable

Gentle

An older Christian

Have good reputation

No accusations for insubordination or debauchery

Conclusion

If you are a church that is looking for a pastor, I know you are going to have to pray about this…a lot! Look closely at the seminary that the pastoral candidate received his education from. Was it a liberal seminary? Was it one that upholds the integrity of the gospel and the inerrancy of the Word of God like Moody Theological Seminary did when I attended there years ago? If you are involved in the pastoral search committee or pulpit committee, this is the most important decision for the life of this church that you will ever have to make. I pray these guidelines will help you in your search for a pastor that will preach expository, verse by verse from the Bible (for the most part), and will give you the whole counsel of God about the whole gospel of Jesus Christ (Mark 1:15) which includes repentance, confession of sin, and placing your trust in Christ (Rom 10:9-13) and then to teach that God’s desire is that we live in holiness, share the gospel with others, and glorify God in our lives.

Article by Jack Wellman

Jack Wellman is Pastor of the Mulvane Brethren Church in Mulvane Kansas. Jack is also the Senior Writer at What Christians Want To Know whose mission is to equip, encourage, and energize Christians and to address questions about the believer’s daily walk with God and the Bible. You can follow Jack on Google Plus or check out his book Teaching Children the Gospel available on Amazon.