As we consider appointing elders, we need to appoint them according to God’s standard, not ours. While we can’t set a standard that is impossible to reach, neither can we lower God’s standards. Our challenge is to understand God’s will in selecting the type of men who will lead His church.
We can see that “above reproach” is an organizing principle that helps us understand the lists in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1. Elders are called to be family leaders for a church, and they need to have shown this first in their own household. The family becomes the training ground and testing ground for the potential elder.
Ultimately, we’re looking for men we can follow and trust, and we’ll have to ask ourselves: are we willing to follow?
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