The title of the sermon this evening is qualifications of a bishop.
Qualifications of a bishop.
Now, a bishop in the Bible is also a pastor.
It's also an elder.
These three words are synonymous with each other.
And we see in verse 1, it says what?
If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
Now, don't let that word bishop distract you.
We're just saying a pastor, what we see today.
I could be called a bishop today.
I'm the guy up here in charge.
I'm the pastor.
And we need to understand the qualifications of a bishop and why they're so important.
And you say, well, I'm never going to be a pastor.
That doesn't matter.
This is important for every single person.
And we're going to learn even the qualifications of a bishop.
They're not any different standards than every person should have.
The qualifications of a bishop are just saying, hey, this guy's succeeding in the Christian life.
There's nothing special about the qualifications of a bishop and the fact that, oh, only unique people are supposed to be like this.
Only people desiring to be a pastor are supposed to be like this.
It's good qualities and good attributes for any man.
It should be the attributes that every man is striving towards.
And we see the difference between the bishop and the non-bishop should not be the fact that they don't meet the qualifications as much as the fact that they have the desire.
The desire is very important.
Look at verse number 1.
This is a true saying.
If a man desires the office of a bishop, he desires the good work.
Notice that word man there.
It doesn't say woman.
It doesn't say boy or girl.
It says man, doesn't it?
You know, unfortunately today, there's a lot of people that disregard this very first word.
I mean, right off the bat, man, they already disregard it.
Keep your finger here and go to 1 Timothy chapter 2.
It even says in the second verse, if a bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife.
Again, giving evidence to what?
The fact that it's a man that's in charge.
But look at verse Timothy chapter number 2 verse 11.
Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.
But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence, for Adam was first formed, then Eve, and Adam was not deceived.
But the woman being deceived was in the transgression.
Notwithstanding, she shall be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.
So what's the Bible teaching?
It's teaching that men are supposed to be the ones that are in charge.
Men are supposed to be the ones that are leading.
Men are supposed to be the ones that are getting up and teaching.
And Adam failed in teaching.
Adam was created and given the commandment by God not to touch the tree.
Guess what?
Then woman came along.
You know what he should have been doing?
Teaching his wife, instructing his wife, leading his wife, saying, hey wife, don't go over that tree.
Don't touch that tree.
He should have some rules for his wife.
He already failed because he's letting his wife lead him by the nose and taking him and giving him the food and saying, oh, this is good.
You want some, Adam?
Look, we need men to lead today.
We need men to decide, hey, I'm going to have rules.
I'm going to teach my wife.
The men are supposed to be the ones that are in charge.
And it's not a woman's fault.
It's the man's fault if she's leading.
It's the man that's the one that's supposed to be leading.
It's the man that's getting up and taking charge of the home.
And it says for the women, they need to learn in silence.
Wow.
That's pretty clear, isn't it?
I mean, it's not saying talk a little bit, teach a some.
It's saying complete silence.
Now, this does not mean that a woman cannot speak in church as far as, like, when you enter the building.
It's not saying they can't open their mouth.
It's not saying they can't praise unto the Lord.
It's saying, look, they're not supposed to be the ones getting up and teaching.
They're not supposed to be the ones doing any of the instruction from the pulpit.
They're learning.
And they're learning in silence.
They're not opening their mouth during the teaching time.
And they're not supposed to usurp the authority over the man.
Why? Because Adam was first formed.
God, everything God does is on purpose.
He didn't create Adam first on accident.
He did it with a purpose because Adam was supposed to be the one in charge.
Adam was supposed to be the one teaching his wife.
We see people today, they would call themselves a pastor even though they're not a man.
You have women today that will get up and say, I'm the pastor of the church.
Or, I'm the co-pastor of the church.
Even the biggest church in America, here in Houston, Texas, it's actually here.
Joel Osteen's church, Lakewood Church.
Guess what? Victoria Osteen, his wife, is the co-pastor of Lakewood Church.
Not Baptist Church, sorry.
I looked up some information about her and her life, okay?
So I'll read for you. It says her mother taught Sunday school.
Shock.
Shock that she already saw her mother in a leadership position and now she's going to be the pastor of her church.
Right?
Her father was a deacon.
As a little girl, Victoria would serve alongside her father, greeting parishioners and helping with the offering.
She enjoyed learning about the inner workings of ministry, having no idea at the time that it was her life's calling.
Well, I guess she missed the Bible because her life calling was not to be the pastor of the church.
If a man desired the office of bishop, he desired the good work.
She should have been learning that verse is what she should have been doing.
But I bet her mom was probably skipping over that verse in Sunday school.
It says, as a wife and mother of two, Victoria is an inspiration and example to women everywhere who are balancing responsibilities both inside and outside the home.
Go to chapter five. First Timothy chapter five.
See, this is the problem.
We have all these women that want to be this example inside and outside the home.
Guess what?
They should only be an example inside the home, not outside the home.
She's not an example unto women.
She's a detriment to the gospel.
She's a detriment to God's word.
She's blaspheming God's word by trying to go outside the home.
Look at chapter five, verse number 14.
I will, therefore, that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully, for some are already turned aside after Satan.
He's saying, hey, this isn't a minor thing.
He's saying the wife should be in the home.
The wife should be guiding the house.
If you want to be a good example, women, guide your house.
Be in the home.
Be a keeper of the home.
Go view Isaiah chapter number three now.
She's not a good example to anybody.
She's a horrible example.
She says she is committed to empowering women, children, and families to connect and grow strong with a foundation of faith in Jesus Christ.
I wonder what she thinks about these verses.
It says, this commitment and passion has led her to begin the women's ministry at Lakewood Church, which equips women at every age and every stage in life, at home, in relationships, and in the workplace.
Well, guess what?
Women aren't supposed to be in the workplace, so I don't even know how you equip them with God's word.
If I'm going to equip a woman with God's word, it's going to be like, get out of the workplace.
Go back in the home.
Raise your children.
Be with the people that are most important, your children.
Going and being and serving with them.
Now look, some people don't have this opportunity.
They may be in a bad situation.
Maybe a girl is single and her husband leaves her, and now she's forced to either go in the workplace or starve to death, and women go in the workplace.
That's a shame.
It's not God's will.
It's not what God wants, okay?
I'm not going to say that this person's wrong in trying to provide for a family.
But you know who's wrong?
The husband.
The guy that abandoned them that's not providing for them.
But the woman, if he has a husband that's providing, you better be in the home.
You better be trying to obey God's word.
Look at Isaiah chapter number three, verse 11.
Woe unto the wicked.
It shall be ill with him, for the reward of his hands shall be given him.
As for my people, children are the oppressors, and women rule over them.
O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to error, and destroy the way of thy paths.
The Bible's rebuking the children of Israel by saying, look, you've got children ruling over you, and even women.
It's a shame when you have children and women and leadership.
And you know, if you look at the children of Israel, Isaiah is before the book Jeremiah.
Jeremiah is basically right before the Babylonian captivity.
And at the very end, they have a bunch of children rolling over them.
And it goes very poorly for them.
Jehoiachin and Jehoiachin.
We see these guys are just children.
And they don't know anything.
And they're wicked kings.
And they do wickedly in the sight of the Lord.
And they go taken into captivity because they won't hearken under the destruction of God's word.
And we see that as a shame when you have women ruling over you.
Like, oh, Hillary Clinton running for president.
What do you think about that?
It's a shame!
It's wicked.
I would never vote for somebody that was a woman, period.
Why?
Because it's a shame.
It's a reproach.
It's not godly.
Oh, does that mean you voted for Trump?
No.
No, I didn't vote for that adulterer, wicked person.
Go to 1 Corinthians chapter 14.
We see in Revelation chapter 2, it says,
It says,
When we see a woman preacher in the Bible, she's teaching false doctrine.
She's seducing people.
She's doing wickedly.
You know, maybe she thinks she's right.
Maybe she's really sincere.
But she's sincerely wrong.
And that's why women shouldn't be getting up and preaching in the pulpit.
Because they're led about with their emotions.
They're more sensitive.
They have a different, they're wired differently.
Men are supposed to lead.
Men are supposed to be the ones in charge.
And you know those differences?
They're better in the home.
You know, when it comes to my children and they don't feel well,
you know, I'm not very compassionate when it comes to, you know, my children.
I'm like, get up.
You know, quit crying.
Feel better.
But my wife, she's much more compassionate.
She's much more sensitive.
She has more empathy.
That's great for my children.
But you know what, it's really bad when she's the pastor
and she's empathizing with people that need to be cast out of the church.
When she has to make a hard decision.
When she has to toe the line.
Look, that's why there's a man in charge.
So they can get it right.
That doesn't mean that the differences are bad.
That doesn't mean the way a woman's wired is wrong.
It means when it's in its proper role, when it's in its proper place, it's great.
And when it's out of sync, wow, it gets really bad really quickly.
Look at 1 Corinthians 14, verse 33.
For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.
Let your women keep silence in the churches, for it is not permitted unto them to speak,
but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law.
And if they will learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home,
for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.
What do you think about Victoria Olsteen?
It's a shame.
It's a shame for a woman to get up and speak in the church.
That's assuming that it is a church.
It's really just a fun center.
You know, it's not even a real church.
But if you get a woman up behind the pulpit preaching, teaching, it's a shame.
It's wrong.
And if a woman even has a question in the church, the Bible says they're supposed to ask their husband.
The husband is the one that's supposed to lead and guide the wives.
You know what this tells me?
That husband shouldn't be passive when it comes to the learning.
The husbands need to be learning the Bible themselves.
The husbands need to go home and reading their Bible so they can teach and instruct and lead and guide their wives.
So when their wives comes up and asks them a question, they're not like,
I don't know.
Well, whatever.
I don't care.
I don't know.
Look, that's not a godly attribute.
That's not a manly attribute.
A manly attribute is like, hey, this is what the Bible says.
Let me show you.
Let me teach you.
Let me tell you why I think these things.
So we need to get some smarts.
I'll read a little bit more back of Victoria's testimony.
She says, be prepared because God is ready to fulfill the dreams and desires he's placed within your heart.
He loves to restore opportunities that once seemed lost forever.
And sometimes he brings those opportunities back in ways which we haven't considered or we're looking for.
It may not always be the way we thought, but if you stay open, God will bless you beyond your wildest dreams.
Oh, man, she didn't know she was going to be a preacher.
She didn't know she was going to be a pastor.
She thought it was once lost, but now it's fulfilled her dreams.
God didn't fulfill those dreams.
God made it clear he doesn't want women to even speak in the church.
You know what?
She's a literal gold digger.
You know how Joel Osteen met his wife?
She was working as a sales associate in a jewelry store.
You really think that's a coincidence?
He meets the associate at the jewelry store and picks her up.
I wonder if she was looking for gold.
Yeah, she found it.
And Joel, right?
Lots of money.
This guy is filthy rich, right?
That's what she was looking for.
Not a godly husband.
Not a man to lead her.
He doesn't even lead her.
He lets her get up and preach.
What a weak man.
I can't even hardly call him a man.
He's a sissy.
He's effeminate.
He's weak.
If he's a real man, he wouldn't let his wife get up and preach.
He would teach her.
He would show, hey, Victoria, this is what the Bible says.
Go if you would to John chapter number 21.
So the first point is what?
Look, if we're going to have the qualifications of a bishop, it better be a man.
It better be a guy behind the pulpit is what the Bible's teaching.
What was the latter part of that verse?
He desireth a good work.
A bishop's role, a pastor's role, at the end of the day, it's work.
It's not something, oh, I just got this fancy cool title.
Oh, I get all this praise and accolade.
I just sit back and just enjoy.
It's super fun.
Actually, according to the Bible, it's work.
And they're signing up for work.
It's like getting a job.
It's saying, hey, I get the opportunity to work, to serve the Lord, to serve the flock,
to lead by example, to help guide people, to lay down my life for the flock, to go and
shepherd people.
Look, it's a hard work.
It's not something to be taken lightly.
And we need a man that desires to do that work, not desire, oh, I want that title.
Oh, I just want those accolades.
I just want people to know that I'm a pastor.
That's a bad desire.
The desire should be to work, to do hard work.
Look at John chapter 21 verse 15.
So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter,
Simon son of Jonas, loveth thou me more than these.
He saith unto them, Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee.
He saith unto them, Feed my lambs.
He saith to him again the second time, Simon son of Jonas, loveth thou me.
He saith unto them, Yea, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee.
He saith unto them, Feed my sheep.
He saith unto them the third time, Simon son of Jonas, loveth thou me.
Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, loveth thou me.
And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things.
Thou knowest that I love thee.
Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
We see we see Peter was actually referred to as a pastor as a bishop in the Bible and we see Christ is some look
You need to work. You need to go out and feed my sheep. Now. Look, I'm not up here doing a food kitchen
This isn't a soup kitchen
I'm not up here to give you steak and baked potato and hold, you know, a bib around your neck and feed you
No, I'm gonna preach you the Word of God. I need to teach you the Word of God. I'm gonna feed you spiritually
That's what the pastor is supposed to do
Right, and even I love this because what is a lamb?
It's a young baby sheep
Look
he's supposed to pastor is supposed to feed the babies and the children and the toddlers and the youth and the
Parents all of them feed my lambs and feed my sheep feed the whole flock
We don't need some youth pastor and Sunday school teacher and all these young people know the pastor should be feeding the whole flock
All the lambs and the sheep every single person all together in one place
Go to chapter 10 flip back a couple chapters
It says in 1st Timothy 5 let the elders that rule well be kind of worthy of double honor
Especially they who labor in the word and doctrine according to the Bible the pastor is supposed to labor
Look the job of a pastor is a job. It's work
So somebody that wants to be a pastor someone that is a pastor they should be obvious
This guy's working. This guy's doing labor. This guy is doing a lot of effort. Look at John chapter 10 verse 11
I am the Good Shepherd the Good Shepherd giveth his life for the sheep
but he that is an hireling and not the Shepherd whose own the sheep or not see it the wolf coming and
Leaveth the sheep and fleeth and the wolf catches them and scatter at the sheep
The hireling fleeth because he is a hireling and careth not for the sheep
So what's the opposite of the pastor the guy that's just doing it for money the guy that's just getting up
He likes the title. He likes all that job looks pretty cool
I want the money, but guess what? He doesn't really care about the people. He doesn't care to teach some doctrine
He doesn't care if a wolf comes in and sits around with all the sheep and if the wolf starts picking off sheep
Well, as long as getting a paycheck, he's good
And if the if this paychecks compromised he's gone because he's just a hireling
He doesn't really care about the sheep if that wolf's coming after him. He's gone. We see a true pastor
He cares for the sheep. He loves the sheep and when the wolf comes he's gonna take care of that wolf
He's gonna be the one to mark it and avoid it or kill it or whatever he needs to do
But get rid of this wolf
Go back to 1st Timothy chapter number three now
That's just the first line. We learned so much just from the first line. What is a pastor? Look, it's a work
It's a job for a man to do and he needs the want to do the work
Not to want to have a title not to want to have a paycheck
But to do the work of God to feed the sheep to protect the sheep
Look at verse number two a bishop then must be blameless the husband of one wife
vigilant sober of good behavior given to hospitality apt to teach
Now when we get the qualifications of a bishop, okay
Some of these are super easy to detect some of them are just blatantly obvious whether someone meets these qualifications
And others are quite subjective others, you know, you kind of have to get to know the person you have to see the person
And so the Bible is just giving us kind of you know
In some of these words just a sense of what type of person the bishop would be in other cases
It gives you really clear Commandments like hey the husband of one wife
It's really obvious to tell someone's a husband of one wife or not. Hey, do you have one wife? Are you married?
Have you been divorced?
I mean, it's really clear and someone that doesn't have a wife or has been divorced is not
Qualified to be a bishop. I don't care if he was in the past or what?
He's not qualified to be the pastor of the church. He needs to be the husband of one wife
Why it's super important. How can I get up and preach about marriage preach about how you supposed to love your wife?
I don't even know what that's like or even worse. What if I just divorced my wife?
Hey, I'm gonna tell you how to love your wife and how to have a really good marriage and now it's gonna go really
Well, that's wicked. That's wrong
God is saying look the pastor needs to be a guy that can see all areas of life that has experienced everything
He kind of knows what's going on so he can preach from experience one thing you should never do
Never get marriage advice from someone that's not married
Never this is a horrible idea. I see this all the time, especially in churches where there's a lot of young single dudes
They think they know the Bible really well, so they're trying to instruct people about marriage. They've never been married
They don't have any clue and look I'm not gonna get plumbing advice from someone that's not a plumber
I'm not gonna get legal advice from someone that's not a lawyer
I'm not gonna get medical advice from someone that's not gone and studied anything with medicine. Okay, why because it's stupid
It's foolish and someone that's not married is not a good person to get marriage advice from or even worse someone that's divorced
Someone that's failed in marriage. Hey, can you can you teach me how to have a good marriage?
I know you failed miserably and I don't want to do anything like you did, but you please instruct me
Will you please tell me look they're gonna give you bad advice and this does not mean that we can't learn from our mistakes
This does not mean that someone can't grow
It's just meaning if you really want to get advice get advice from someone that's doing what you want to do
Successfully you say hey, this person has a great marriage this person's succeeding in marriage
Let's get marriage advice from them. Doesn't that just make sense? Isn't that just obvious?
I mean if a professional if someone wants to be a professional athlete
Wouldn't you want to ask the person that's exceeding the most in that, you know sport or whatever event? Hey, what are you doing?
Why are you so successful? Why is it going well with you and learn from the people that are doing things?
Successfully do not get advice from someone that's failed or has no experience. This is a bad idea in every area of life
Look at the second thing vigilant go to Acts chapter 19 if you would acts chapter number 19
What does it mean to be vigilant? It means this guy is looking for the wolves. He's he's aware of dangers
He's aware of heresy. He's awake. I mean, he's not behind. He's not asleep behind the pulpit. He's not asleep behind the will
He's not just going through the motions. It's not just a ritual. He's looking he's paying attention. He's noticing things
He's picking up on what's going on. He has a good feel of what's going on in his church
Why because it's got a flock and a flocks alive and lots of things are happening
He's got to be aware of what's going on. If he wants to be a good shepherd. He has to be vigilant
Look at verse number 26
Moreover
Ye see and hear that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia
This Paul persuaded and turned away much people saying that there be no gods which made I'm sorry. I think I
Looking at the wrong verse
Hmm
I'll skip that point. It doesn't matter it Paul when he's warning and in Acts chapter number 19
He's saying that that grievous will shall enter in among you not sparing the flock and the Bible says look
He's pure from the blood of all men because he ceased not to warn night and day
From all the all the bloodsuckers all these wolves coming in and trying to grievously
Hurt the flock and look you say well, I don't like it when you call out people
I don't like when you preach against other people like Joel. He seems so nice and he seems so, you know loving look
Paul didn't cease warning night and day with tears
He's saying look even of your own selves shall men arise and teach perverse things trying to draw away
Disciples after themselves. It's a very wicked thing go to Proverbs 23 now if you would
Proverbs chapter 23 the Bible says that the pastor is to be sober
Now when we think about the word sober
It's interesting because if you look it up in the dictionary or if you just look up in other things online
It means not affected by any substance. This would mean drugs. This would mean alcohol
It doesn't mean you're dabbling in it. It doesn't mean you're you have moderate use of it
It means you have no use of it
If you go to alcoholics Anonymous today, and someone says they're sober, you know what that means? They haven't touched alcohol
They don't have anything to do with it
And that's what the pastor is supposed to be like someone that hasn't even touched alcohol. Look at Proverbs 23
Verse number 29 who hath woe who has sorrow who hath contentions who hath babbling who hath wounds without cause who hath redness of
They that Terry long of the wine they that go to seek mixed wine
Look not thou upon the wine
When it is red when it giveth its color in the cup when it moveth itself
Oh, right at the last it biteth like a serpent and stingeth like an adder
Thine eyes shall behold strange woman and thine heart shall utter perverse things
Look alcohol is always negative in the Bible every single time and the Bible says drinking any alcohol. Guess what?
It's a sin. It's a wicked sin. I don't want anything to do with it. Why would you ever want to drink poison?
Ethel alcohol is a poison. Why would I say hey, it's okay to eat a little bit of poison
It's okay to have some I mean, it's not that big a deal
Why do you want to infect your body with toxins and poisons? Look what how much?
Oh, you know, it's okay to eat a little bit of feces
What what it's a toxin. It's poisonous. Why do I want to be putting poison in my body?
Well, it's okay if you drown it in coke no, it's still poison it's still not something I want to ingest
It's not healthy for you and don't listen to these liars
They'll say oh if you have a glass of wine with dinner, it's really healthy for your heart liar wicked
No, the grape juice that might give you some benefit, but you know what the alcohol does no benefit at all
There's short-term effects. There's long-term effects. God said don't even look at it
And he's making the distinction between the good wine and the bad one
What's the bad one when it move with itself a right when it gives the color in the cup? What is that?
Fermentation when wine is just sitting by itself when grape juice is just sitting by itself it deteriorates
You know, if you take McDonald's food home and you don't eat it it deteriorates. It becomes really bad
It was already bad to start with but guess what it gets worse and worse and worse
Do you really want to eat five-day old McDonald's food?
I mean that stuff would be horrible even good food. I don't want to let to deteriorate
But what does wine do it deteriorates it becomes a poison it becomes a toxin. Oh now it's good to drink
No, it was good to drink when it was fresh
Just like all of God's food is good to eat when it's fresh when it hasn't been tampered with
But when you let food rot and decay and become toxic and poison don't eat it. It's very clear
It smells bad. Look all of your senses are saying no, it smells bad. It burns when it goes down your throat
Look, it messes with your mind. It kills all of the organs in your body. Oh, I think it's okay to drink in moderation
What and people say well
You know, the Bible only says don't get drunk
Well, we already looked at a verse that clearly says don't even look at it, but let's take that logic for a second
Okay, what if I just sock somebody in the face? What if I just punch them right in the face and I said well
The Bible says you shouldn't kill that's all it says
Says don't kill anybody but it's okay to just punch people in the face. That's like it is we're saying drunk
Well, it's okay to drink a couple beers as long as you're not drunk. No, look, it's all wrong
Obviously getting drunk is worse than just having a little bit alcohol
But guess what if you keep having a little bit alcohol now you're drunk and you know what if you're gonna take the definition of sober
Not affected by alcohol at all. Guess what as soon as you have some you're drunk in some sense, right?
You're not sober anymore
And even if you look at a BAC chart from the government not a Baptist Church
Not from me not from a Christian Church just the world the BAC chart will say there is no
Safe driving with any alcohol they'll say even after just a thimbleful of alcohol. You will lose some of your judgment
Immediately will you lose that good judgment the judgment you said? Well, I only have one drink
As soon as you take that drink that judgments gone now you say that's okay to have two
I mean, it's okay to have a little bit more then you have a little bit more now your judgment just says well
Let's just keep going
Let's just keep having more and more and more and look when you're driving how many split-second decisions are you making?
I mean there's cars pulling in and out going this way
You have to make a turn now your GPS now your phone the music's on you got to turn the light. Whoa
That's a lot of split-second decisions and people die every single day
I don't want to have anything distracting me more than it already is and if you start drinking liquor you start drinking alcohol
Look it will mess you up. That's why the pastor he's not supposed to be anywhere near that
He's supposed to be sober. That means not affected by alcohol at all. Not touching it not looking at it
This isn't a guy dabbling with it. You see the most pastors a day. They'll get up and say oh, it's okay
I have a couple beers, you know at dinner. I have a couple beers
It's not a big deal if you can't handle it
Look buddy, you obviously can't handle the Word of God because it's saying you need to be sober
Wicked so many people just disqualify themselves on that
Go back to first Timothy chapter number two
Says not only they're supposed to be see sober. They're supposed to have good behavior
You know another thing with the word sober is it means being serious. Why don't you take your job seriously?
I mean, is it okay for me to go to my secular job drunk or start drinking alcohol?
All of the worldly people would look at me like I'm an idiot like I'm a fool
So why is it okay for a pastor to start drinking ever? Why don't you take your job serious? Why don't you be a man?
Stop drinking
Says they're supposed to have good behavior
What does that mean like being polite being respectful being someone that you can look to and say man this guy's got it together
He's not just you know a jokester. He doesn't just say crude things to people often
He's not just taking everything like a joke. Look this guy has got it together
I like the way he handles himself the way he speaks to people the way he addresses them
He looks them in the eye. He has a firm handshake
Look, these are just subjective things, right?
But we have to take them seriously
If you have a guy that just doesn't have any good behavior, is this really the guy that should be the pastor?
Is this really the guy that should be leading other people?
Says he's supposed to be given to hospitality. That means that he wants to help people. He's generous
He's willing to bring people over help him out feed him a meal
He's not worried about you know, everything about himself. He's worried about other people
He's looking at others saying how can I help this person? How could I bless this person? What could I do? I love
Helping people. What does it mean to be given to it means he's addicted to it in a way, right? He likes it
He enjoys it. He enjoys helping people. He enjoys people coming over to his house
He enjoys being hospitable and friendly and nice. He doesn't look at as a burden. He doesn't look at like, oh man
We gotta get this guy come over, you know, this guy gonna stay with us. He looks forward to it. He likes it
He enjoys being around other people. Oh, these just seem like attributes for the pastor
No
They're attributes for every single man
Every single man should try to have these attributes every single man should be looking at these and saying hey
This is what I'm supposed to be like and then when you have a good example a good Christian you say hey
This guy is a good example and he meets the qualifications and he has a desire. Let's ordain this guy
let's let this guy be a pastor not out of compulsion not because he feels like he has to but because he
Desires it and he meets the qualifications
Go to 2nd Timothy chapter 2 go once book over to your right
Bible says apt to teach. What does that mean? What's the word apt mean?
I like to think of it like aptitude people take an aptitude test. What is that?
It's proving you have the ability to do the job
You're supposed to do a lot of very important jobs like maybe flying a plane or doing something with heavy machinery
They'll make you take an aptitude test to see can this guy even do the functions that are necessary to perform this job
Well and a pastor look you better have some things in line thinking this guy at least he can preach
Well, at least this guy can soul wind. Well, I mean, do you really want a guy to be the pastor?
He can't even get anybody saved. He stumbles through a sermon. He can't even put a sermon together
He can't even lead anything
Look a guy that's going to be a pastor has to be have some type of aptitude and it says to teach
Look, if I can't teach anybody anything
I should never be a pastor the person that can't teach anything to anybody
This guy is not called to be a pastor and not everybody has to be a pastor
Okay, but if you want to be a pastor
You need to work on your ability to teach people be able to explain things in a way that people
Understand like a second Timothy chapter 2 verse 1 thou therefore my son be strong in the grace that is in Christ
Jesus and the things that thou has heard of me among many witnesses the same commit thou to faithful men who shall be able to teach
Others also, so this guy this is a guy that he can explain things
Well to people, you know what even when it's not, you know his job. He's like, hey
Can I show you how to you know explain the gospel in this way a little bit better or can I show you how to you?
Know lead this song or can I show you how to do this? You know, whatever. Hey, I'll take you on the job
I'll show you how to do my job. He this guy's is a good at teaching other people
He's good at taking information discerning it and presenting it in a simple way for people to understand it as well
This is an attribute of a pastor
If you can't teach anybody then should he really be a pastor should this guy really be the one that's instructing others when he can't
teach anyone
Go back to actually just go to Psalms chapter number four
I'll read for you the next list in verse three. It says not given to wine
No striker not greedy a filthy lucre, but patient not a brawler not covetous
So now we get a bunch of knots we got a lot of good attributes now
Here's some things where you should not be like and it's saying first not given to wine. You say all is that redundant?
Actually, if you understand, you know the whole book. I don't believe wine here is alcoholic
I don't believe the wine here is referring to alcoholic. What is it referring to is referring to?
Luxury it's referring to wealth in the Bible
If you study it, look wine is not a common beverage wine is not just everybody gets this beverage
Why because it's expensive to make you have to take grapes
Which have to be in season and then you have to squeeze a whole bunch of grapes
Which look it takes a lot of grapes to make the juice
Then you have to get the juice and provided people look poor people aren't drinking wine
Poor people aren't having all these, you know indulgences we live in America. So we're so spoiled. We live like kings
We don't even understand this fact and even today
Drinking juice is a luxury if you go to the restaurant today
Guess what orange juice is not free refills
If you've ever know if you ever look on the menu
Like you can get as much water and coke as you want, but the orange juice. It's not a free refill
Why because it's a luxury because it's something to point to to opulence to someone that has wealth to someone that has
Luxury and it's saying the pastor should not be one that's given to what?
Luxury to wine to indulgence. This guy just has to satisfy the lust of the flesh
This guy has to live it up. This guy has to always be the fancy living
This is not an attribute of a pastor
This person needs to learn to be content with the things that he has look at Psalms chapter 4 verse 7
Thou has put gladness in my heart more than in the time that their corn and their wine increase
Look corn and wine in a Bible are
Symbols of wealth if you study throughout the Bible every time it's bringing up corn. It's bringing up wine. It's a it's prosperity
It's having wealth and it's saying the pastor is not one given to wealth. He's not given to luxury
He's not given to you know, all of this the fancy things of this world
He doesn't care about the fancy things of this world. He's carried about spiritual things go to John chapter number two
The Bible says in Proverbs 3 so shall thy barns be filled with plenty and thy presses shall burst out with new
Wine so he's saying look when I'm gonna bless you you're gonna have new wine
You're gonna be in abundance and look there's nothing wrong with juice. There's nothing wrong
I heard some guy asked me says so if I drink juice every morning, does that mean I can't be a pastor?
Look, you're kind of taking the Bible and making it silly at that point
We have to take what the spirit of what he's trying to say here
He's saying look if you're given to luxury if you're given to the indulgence of the flesh
If this guy is just trying to satisfy all of the lusts of his flesh in this world
He's consumed with all the fancy things of this world. He's not going to be spiritual enough
He has too much of a carnal mind
Which is enmity with God and look this again is not an attribute of just a pastor
This should be the attitude that we're all
Seeking for that we're all growing towards that every man should not be consumed with the wealth of this world
with the lusts of the flesh
Look at John chapter 2 verse 9
when the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine and knew not whence it was but the servants which drew the
Water knew the governor of the feast called the bridegroom and saith unto him every man at the beginning thus set forth good wine
And when men have well drunk then that which is worse, but that was kept the good wine until now
So we see it a party we see it a great feast. We see the guy praising good wine
Why because it's a picture of wealth
It's a picture of celebration and if you're having a party every single day
You're having a party in your mouth with all this new wine. Are you really qualified to be the pastor?
Are you really seeking after spiritual things or you seek searching after the things of the flesh just pleasing this guy now stay here
Because it also says not only not supposed to be given to wine. He's supposed to be no striker
Now what is a striker? It's literally just striking
It's literally being someone that's just quick to punch somebody quick to just get in a fight
Quick to you know, raise his hands. He wants to be physical real quick. He's this tough guy, right?
Well, some people get confused and say so the pastor needs to be really weak then, you know, this really soft guy this
You know, well, I would never hit anybody for any reason and I would never get physical
That's not what it's trying to say. It's saying this guy when there's you know, just at any drop of a hat
He's ready to punch somebody in the face. That's what it means to be a striker
But you know a man of God
He's still ready to be physical when needed if there's a time and a place to be physical and even a man of God
Can be physical. Let's look at John chapter 2 verse 13. What about Jesus Christ? You think he was a striker?
No
he's the bishop of our souls look at verse 13 and the Jews Passover was at hand and Jesus went up to Jerusalem and
found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves and the
The changers of money sitting and when he had made a scourge of small cords
he drove them all out of the temple and the sheep and oxen and poured out the changers money and
Over through the tables and said in the mistle doves take these things hints make now my father's house and house of merchandise
And his disciples remembered that it was written the zeal of thine house have eaten me up
So Jesus Christ is literally whipping people out of the house of God throwing over the tables getting super angry
Why because the zeal of God's house had eaten him up and look there's nothing wrong with a man of God getting physical every once
In a while, but there's a time and a place and we see even Jesus Christ. He took the time
He was not quick and hasty in this decision
He sat down he threaded that cord and as he threaded it
He think he got a little bit more zeal
This is a little bit more zeal even more zeal and then he went out and you know, it's pictured with Nehemiah
You know in Nehemiah
We see these people keep coming into the house of God and they keep trying to sell stuff and they keep trying to sell he keeps
Throwing them out then they just start selling stuff near they're just kind of outside the gate and he comes up to me
He says look if you come back again
I'm gonna lay hands on you
Picturing the Lord Jesus Christ picturing the fact that he's gonna throw out all the the money changers in the temple
Go if you would to
first Timothy chapter number six
So, what does it mean not to be a striker?
It's saying look when someone insults you when someone walks up to you and says something mean you're not gonna just punch him in
The face you're not quick to just but you know hit him
But if there's danger if somebody's trying to attack my family if someone's trying to attack someone innocent if someone's coming in the house of God
I'm trying to defame the house of God. I will lay hands on you
You better be sure that but that doesn't make me a striker that doesn't make the man of God a striker
That just makes him a man of God
Also says that he's not supposed to be greedy of filthy lucre
Says in Proverbs chapter 15 he that is greedy of gain trouble at his own house
But he that hateth gifts shall not live
So obviously we already talked about the wealth the pastor should not be seeking to be
Filthy rich should not be seeking money should not be greedy of goods and he's saying a gift would pervert things
Meaning if somebody does something bad in the church, but they're a big giver
They're big tither look that shouldn't be in a that shouldn't be
No effect on the man of God to say you need to get out
You need to fix things you need to repent and the gifts sometimes will pervert judgment
The Bible is saying the judges were not supposed to be taking any gifts unto themselves to oppress the poor
To oppress other people to rest judgment to do wickedly
Says he's supposed to be patient
Look, if you're gonna teach people you got to be patient. Not everybody's a quick learner
Not everybody understands what you're saying. Even if you got soul winning man
Sometimes you keep showing people just you line it up perfect and they still can't get it, right
I mean you show them everything it takes patience
Sometimes you got to be loving to people and understand. Hey, you didn't always get it the first time did you?
So we need to be patient and loving people not a brawler
This would be one you say what's the difference between a brawler and a striker?
Well the striker as soon as he's insulted he's gonna punch you in the face the brawler
He's a little bit more sly about it. Okay, he's waiting for you to hit him for him to pounce
But he's gonna egg it on you say you wouldn't dare hit me. Would you you're too afraid, aren't you?
You're too afraid of what happened to your face if you came at me, wouldn't you? Yeah, you know, what's up?
I'm just I don't want you to get hurt. Okay, you better just sit down buddy
Look, this is a brawler one that's trying to pick a fight trying to get in people's head trying to you know, pick all these
Guys and make fun of them and try and egg them on and try and get provoke them provoke them to wrath
Look, this is not the attribute of a pastor. And again, these are subjective terms, right?
These are things you just kind of look at a person you get a feel for their personality
You see this guy's not one quick-tempered. This guy's not gonna punch somebody in the face unless it's necessary
This guy's not egging on fights. This guy's you know patient this guy's loving these things are pretty
Subjective these are things that you can just kind of notice you can have different ways or different
methods by trying to determine what this person's like
Here's another one not covetous first Timothy chapter 6 verse 5
Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth supposing that gain is godliness from such withdrawal thyself
But godliness with contentment is great gain for we brought nothing into this world and it is certain we can carry nothing out and having
Food and raiment. Let us be there with
Content look there's so many people that suppose gain is godliness. What does that mean?
You look at the fancy building you look at how many people are in Joel Osteen's church think they must be godly
I mean look at how many people are coming look at how fancy this building is. Did you see the Catholic Church?
I mean this thing is opulent. This thing has so much carved work
It's so, you know beautiful in the lust of the flesh, which I don't even like the way those things look
But you know some people think they're pretty, you know
All those faggoty drawings on all the walls. Those are awful all the stained-glass windows
I don't even like those but some people think they're real pretty they think they're real great
Oh, they must be so godly. It must be so, you know worshiping of the Lord wrong
Look godliness is having contentment
Being content with the food and clothing looking at a guy that doesn't need all this extra fluff
Doesn't need all the lust of the flesh. Look these silver things on the windows. They're not that nice looking
But you know I can be content with it because it's blocking the Sun because we have a place to meet because we're preaching God's
Word we get to learn God's Word. We can be content with that, right?
I can be content that I'm going to go home. I have clothes on I have food today
praise the Lord
Go to Titus chapter number one in the Bible when Moses was picking out people to be over them to be judges
One of the qualifications he had was men of truth hating
Covetousness, so this isn't a new thing always those were supposed to be in leadership should be those that hate
Covetousness what is covetousness desiring that what you don't have?
What would be the opposite of that jealous jealous is when you love and appreciate and care for the things you own?
Covetous is when you're desiring that which is not yours the word for that would be envious as well
Now the Bible never uses the word jealous negatively because jealousy is not a bad thing. I love my wife
I'm jealous for my wife, and she's mine my kids. I'm jealous for my kids. I'm not going to share my wife with anybody else
That's a godly jealousy and look
There's no such thing as a bad jealousy in the Bible because we should be good stewards of the things that we own
We should love the things that God's given unto us. We should take care of them
We should not want to just share them with everybody
We should be jealous for the things that we have envious is when you look at something
That's not yours, and you say I want that I want whatever that guy has I want that person
You know you look at somebody else. That's not your spouse and you desire them. That's envious
That's being covetous
Says also in verse four and five
Talking about the pastor it says one that rule with his own house having his children in
Subjection with all gravity for the man who not out of rules own house how so he take care of the Church of God
Now like I said some of these are very subjective
Okay, some of these like patient not a striker not covetous
Okay, you can still point at things that would make it obvious this guy is you know an error, but some of them
You know they have a little bit of gray, but these ones they're crystal clear this guy has to have children
It doesn't say maybe it doesn't say hope so look at verse 5 for if a man know not how to rule his own house
How she did care the Church of God
So if you don't have children how can you even read these verses you know there's this guy named Kenneth McCraney
He started a church called all scripture Baptist Church all scripture, huh?
How do you interpret these verses because he didn't have a single child?
You have other people that feigned themselves to be pastors some guy named Tyler Doka
He only has one kid and if you went to his website he had like highlighted this verse
He had highlighted this verse while he's standing there with one kid in the picture
Just mocking the Word of God mocking the fact of what the Bible says look it says children plural doesn't it right?
Not accused of riot or unruly and Titus chapter number one right if any be blameless the husband of one wife
having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly
Now here's the thing you say well, what is faithful children, okay?
Now let's understand these fierce things first. It's children so that means as we plural next. It's faithful now
What would faithful means this means some people interpret as they say well that means they're saved some people say they're you know
They're faithful okay, but the Bible is telling us what it means to be faithful
They're not accused of riot or unruly and look as much as I want my children to be saved
And as much as I believe they will be saved. I don't have complete control over that
You know I can't force someone to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ any more than you can okay?
But you know what I can do I can make sure my kids aren't unruly I can make sure they're not rioting
I have complete control over whether or not my children are unruly or whether or not they're rioting, okay?
So the definition is very clear that is they're not accused of riot or unruly. What would this mean?
They're just out of control
They're just screaming and wailing you've gone to Walmart you've seen the kids screaming and days and bounding on the floor
You know what the parent does they just give them candy
They just give what they want, and then they throw it on the ground like I don't want that one
I want the green one. Why didn't I get to?
We see this is an unruly and riotous child they come into a place and you get nervous
You're nervous about all the you know the the camera back in the back you're nervous about what's going on
You're worried about your purse. You're right look this kid. He's just a riot
It's just obvious when the kids are a riot isn't it and if a kid can sit in church three times a week
He is not riotous. He's not unruly you take the world today. They bring their two and three-year-olds in here
They will not sit through a church service will they so we can see how a parent could actually have their children under control
And now what is this saying is this saying that kids are always perfect is this saying that the kids won't ever mess up
No, it's saying that they're going to respond when the parent punishes them
That's the point of this go if you would to first Samuel chapter number three first Samuel chapter number three
Why is it that the pastor is supposed to have faithful children not accused of riot unruly because as a pastor
You have to exercise church discipline sometimes. What is that throwing people out?
Casting out the people that are in disobedience
Rebuking people and if you can't even do that with your own children successfully, how can you do in the Church of God?
How can a guy like Tyler Doka get up and throw somebody out of his church?
For first Corinthians 5 when he doesn't even meet the qualifications of a bishop
He should throw himself out first is what he should do
We
See the point of the pastor having these children is that he's able to instruct the children and they respond to the instruction
So sometimes people would ask this question. Well, okay. So how young could a child be?
Well, the Bible doesn't give us an exact age does it?
Okay, so my interpretation would be this that they have to have the ability to be faithful
Now could you say that a baby out of the womb is faithful
That's ridiculous. Look if you see a six-month-old crying, you're not going to ever be like, well, that's just a really unfaithful child
That child is really riotous. You're gonna be looking at the parent being like, why is he feeding the kid?
Why isn't he taking care of the kid, right?
But we see a two-year-old that's screaming and kicking on the ground at Walmart and just wailing
You're not going to look at that kid and just say oh the kids not at fault
Look, you're gonna be like, why aren't you disciplining the kid? Why aren't you taking care of your kid?
So there's a there's an obvious point when kids cross to where they could be observed to be faithful
And if the child is not old enough to be disciplined and receive correction, then this isn't true
How can you say that you have faithful children not accused of right unruly when you don't even discipline them?
You're missing the whole point and we even see people they might have two kids, but they're both under the age of two
How in the world do you see a faithful children? That's mocking the Word of God. That's mocking what it's trying to say
So you say what are you trying to say? Well my opinion
Again, having children having raised kids until the kids, you know, probably 18 months or so
Maybe one they can't really receive any discipline. They really can't respond to the discipline now
You can start training you can start trying to train them, but they're not going to really understand it at one
They're not going to stand at 14 months by about 18 months is when children can really start to respond to that discipline
But in this should we just hope the kid responded to one discipline now
He's a faithful child shouldn't it be observed for at least a little bit of time, right?
My opinion of this verse is again
It's my personal opinion is you should have at least two children above the age of two for this to even be possible
I'm not saying just because you have two kids above the age of two you have faithful children
Okay
I'm saying that I don't even think it's possible for you to meet this qualification unless that were the case
Now if you know of my family, I barely meet this requirement. Okay, I'm not it's pretty obvious
I have a four-year-old. I have a two and a half year old and I have a one-year-old
There's no way you could say that my baby girl is faithful or that she's not accused of riot
Okay, we don't discipline her in any way that she can respond to okay
But my four-year-old and two-year-old if they disobey in church
They're gonna get spanked and they've been being spanked for a long period of time
And you know what just because a two-year-olds not responding yet doesn't mean that a guy couldn't be qualified in the future
Look, he's got to get this house under control
I'm just saying what's the just bare minimum and
Somebody that doesn't have children under the you know, two children over the age of two. How can you interpret these verses?
Explain it to me. How can they not be called riotous? I've heard some people say yeah
You can tell a six-month-old as you know in subjection
Subjection to what? I mean, how can you look at a six-month-old and say it's not riotous. That's ridiculous
That's just making the Bible of none effect. That's just making a joke. Look at first Samuel chapter 3 verse 13
For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity
Which he knoweth because his sons made themselves vile and he restrained them not
What's the purpose of a father having faithful children restraining his children?
Disciplining his children and if a guy is not doing that he's not fit to be a pastor and if he's never done it
Well, guess what? He needs to wait until he's done it to then get up and leave the church
How can you know this guy's gonna kick some railer out
Kick some drunkard out when he can't even discipline his own kids when you've never even seen him do it. Look, it's a joke
It's a mockery of God's Word and you know what you say? Well, so somebody that you know falls in this category
I know somebody that doesn't really get there. Do you still think they're a pastor?
Well, what does God think?
Does God think they're a pastor?
Then they're not a pastor in my opinion because it doesn't matter what my opinion is
It doesn't matter what I think it only matters what God Word says, doesn't it?
And if a man wants to be a bishop, he better be a bishop according to God's Word
So the guy doesn't meet these qualifications. He can't be a pastor. You know what? That doesn't mean he can't be a Christian
That doesn't mean he can't be a soul winner. That doesn't mean he can't be a godly person
It just means he shouldn't be doing that type of work. Should he and he should wait and the guy that's not willing to wait
Well, he falls into Titus chapter 1 verse 7 it says for a bishop must be blameless as a steward of God not
self-willed
Self-willed these guys that just decide to be a pastor despite what the Word of God says they're self-willed
They're deciding it's more important for them to be a pastor then for God's Word to be true then to follow God's commandments
What's more important for me to just be a pastor or for God's Word to be true for us to follow God's commandments
And if I ever do not meet any of the qualifications of a pastor never come to my church ever
Get out of my church. Never see me again. Get out of here
I don't want someone to come into my church if I'm not meeting the qualifications of a pastor or a bishop because I'm a bad
example
You know what? I feel good preaching that because I don't want you to I don't care what I think or what I say in
The future get out of my church if I don't meet the qualifications of a pastor my wife leaves me
My children aren't faithful any of these things get out and don't go to a church where the guy doesn't meet the qualifications either
Find a church where he does find a church where he's doing right and now
Sometimes a pastor may only meet the minimum qualifications in an area, right? Is it okay for him to still pastor?
Well, let's think about it this way. What age can someone start driving in, Texas?
16 right. Do you think it's okay for 16 year olds to drive or should they wait till they're 17?
Wait, no, no 17 is not, you know old enough 18. Oh now they're 20
Look, there's got to be a minimum and you know, the guy that's 16 and starts driving and drives for a whole year. Okay
Compared to the 16 year old that just waits to be 17
Who's gonna be a better driver the guy that's been doing it for a year or the guy that just waited because he's older
Look obviously the guy that's been doing it for a year, right? I have a decision
Hey, should I be a pastor once I meet the minimum qualifications or should I just wait and keep waiting and waiting and waiting?
Look, I know that I would be a better pastor after
Pastoring for several years then just waiting then just trying to do more training. Look you never there's no better teacher than experience
There's no better teacher than doing it. I'm not against the guy that meets all the minimum qualifications
Let him go pastor Church turn up the turn the whole world upside down with the gospel
But if you don't meet the qualifications of a bishop sit down shut up
Let somebody else lead let somebody else follow God's Word because you're a bad example
go if you would to
first Timothy chapter 4
You know what I hate about it the most is
children always see through the hypocrisy
Children know what the Bibles children read first Timothy chapter 3 and they're like
Well, this says having faithful children and this guy has none
Why are we going to this church and they just think about the parents are like, why are we doing this?
What does God's commandments not really matter and that's the seed that gets planted in their mind that God's commandments don't matter
You know, it's okay for the if it's okay for the pastor to not even meet the qualifications of a bishop. What else is okay
Oh, it's okay to commit fornication then I guess I mean the pastor he's not even a real pastor and he's up preaching
Pastor won't even throw people out the pastor won't even follow God's Word
Look, it's wicked and we don't need more guys to get up and just be pastors just because because they're self-willed
No, they need to meet the qualifications of a bishop and I don't care if it's the minimum
Look go out and preach the Word of God, but you better meet the minimum
Otherwise sit down and shut up
But
Don't go to an unscriptural church. You say why do we have the qualifications?
So, you know, it's church to go to you shouldn't be going to a church where the guy doesn't meet the qualifications
Get out of that church go somewhere else go where there's a man of God that you can learn from that's going to be faithful
That's gonna be a good example that cares more about the Word of God
Than himself in his own pocket book and his own fame in his own name or whatever it is. Just being self-willed
Just trying to get all that's my message it's more important for me to be a pastor
Look, it's more important for my family to be godly
It's more important for me to serve God than for me to be a pastor and if any of those things get in the way
Then I'll just step down. It's not more important for me to be a pastor
It's not like oh if you're a pastor, you're a better Christian
Look, it's work and we all have work to do you can do great things for God without ever being a pastor
But you know what the guy that's going to be a pastor. He needs to meet the qualifications
We have a bunch of a high masses saying. Oh, man. I really want to run job job. Send me. I'm ready to run
He sends kushai, you know a high mass doesn't have you know any message?
He doesn't have any message to bring because he wasn't supposed to be sent and when he goes and he shows up and David's like
So what happened? I don't know. I just kind of saw a commotion. I don't know what really happened
You got weak pastors and how what what does the guy decide?
When the guy doesn't meet the qualifications of the bishop, does he really throw people out?
I mean, you're just going to be a hypocrite or are you gonna be weak?
I mean you basically have to make a bad decision either way, right and
The people if they knew what the qualifications of the bishop were they wouldn't go to that church and then you wouldn't have that problem
You know why because there's nobody there. The guy's not gonna preach to nobody
It's people that are ignorant of these qualifications showing up at this guy's church and letting him pastor
You're in control if all of you leave and nobody ever comes to my church it's gonna be really rough
Okay, why am I teaching the qualifications so you can hold me accountable?
So you can hold any person accountable any church you go to I don't care what church you go to serve the Lord
But go to a church where the guy meets the qualifications learn the qualifications
Appreciate the qualifications like verse Timothy chapter 4 verse 12
I'll read for you. It says not a novice less being lifted up with pride
He fall into the condemnation of the devil says let no man despise thy youth
But be thou an example of the believers and word and conversation and charity and spirit and faith and purity
So according to the Bible, what is the pastor?
He's a good example and the Bible says look we shouldn't just let some you know
Novice get up and start preaching the Bible. He needs to know the Bible and again, this would be subjective, right?
I mean, what is what is not a novice?
I mean someone that has some experience and somebody knows what he's talking about
It's somebody that didn't become a Christian yesterday and look it's subjective to what that could be
But we need somebody in the pulpit that knows what they're talking about
There's someone is a good example someone that's done these things has seen it. He knows what's going on
Look ever go back to first to me chapter 3. We'll look at verse 7
Says
Moreover you must have a good report of them which are without lest you fall into approach and the snare of the devil
The Bible saying that the pastor should also be one that's a good worker outside the pulpit
One where he has a good job. He's faithful at his job and the people outside. They're like man
This guy's such a good worker. What are examples of this Joseph? I mean you see all the godly people in the Bible
They're super hard workers. They're constantly being promoted at their job. People love this guy. They're like man. This guy's so faithful
Man, Daniel, I mean, there's no way we could find any fault with this guy except for the way worse of this God
That's the time of testimony a pastor should have that's the type of testimony every Christian guy should have
But look the pastor should be one that's hard-working now. I can't keep a job. I'm not faithful my job
Nobody likes my work ethic. My boss is constantly complaining about me. This is not the pastor type mentality
Like the pastor should be one that's a very hard worker. Look at first Timothy chapter number six
Flip over just a chapter to first Timothy chapter six verse one
Let as many servants who's run the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor
That the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed and they that have believing masters
Let them not despise them because they are brethren but rather do them service because they are faithful and beloved
Partakers of the benefit these things teach and exhort if any man teach otherwise and consent not to wholesome words
Even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ into the doctrine, which is according to godliness
He is proud knowing nothing but don'ting about questions and strikes of words. We're coming envy strife railings evil surmises
perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds and
destitute of the truth supposing that gain is godliness from such withdrawal thyself
Look every single Christian man should say yes, sir to the boss. Yes, sir
I'm gonna do it on time every time I'm gonna obey all the commands
Look, not even just the believing ones the unbelieving ones do it doesn't matter what your boss thinks or believes obey him do
Right, and this is the type of mentality for the pastor not all just the pastor should be a good worker
No, everybody should be a good worker. Let all the servants be subject under their own masters is what the Bible says
I have a lot more. I'm not gonna have enough time kind of run out of time go if you would to
First Timothy chapter number five. That's the last place I'll be turning
In Titus chapter 1 we see that Paul's giving instruction to Titus
he says for this cause left I thee and create that thou should have said in order the things are wanting and
Ordain elders in every city as I had appointed thee
Look, I would love to ordain men to be pastors in the future
And you know what Titus was given the instruction to ordain people to go out and start churches
But they're gonna have to do the things that we just saw in the Bible and on top of that
There's going to be other things and you have to make practical application of what they mean as well
The man of God has to decide what does it mean to be a novice?
What does it mean to have faithful children?
What are these things really mean when it comes down to the nuts and bolts and not forgetting, you know
Not forsaking some of the scripture saying well, I know he's just got like a one-year-old and a baby but you know
Who cares who cares what the Bible says who cares that it says faithful children not accused of riot unruly
I guess that one's not important and then kids and the you know
Pope or kids in the pew are like this guy doesn't meet the qualifications. He's got enough children
This guy doesn't you know, what else can we just take off the table?
So what is it what is what other things do I have
Well first you have to meet all the qualifications of the bishop
But not only that I believe that he should be married for five years
So someone that wants to be a pastor and
Sent out by this church has to be married for at least five years. Not only that
I believe he should be saved for seven years
I mean, you can't just get some guy saved and then tomorrow expect them to go out and pastor a church
That's ridiculous. He's got to at least be saved for a while
Not only that I believe he needs to be soul winning for at least two years
If you're gonna be starting a soul winning church
You better know how to go soul winning and you better been doing it for all seasons and the winter and the summer
This guy had better been faithful for a while. It doesn't matter what the weather was or what the time was
He was there. He was leading. He was getting it done. He needs to be read as King James Bible ten times
This guy can't just be ignorant of what the Bible says. I mean, you gotta know the Bible. He's got to read the Bible
Not only that he needs to have two children above the age of two I
Mean I don't see how you can interpret having faithful children without that and again, we're talking about minimum qualifications
We're not talking about the ideal. We're not talking about the best-case scenario
We're just saying look for this for the Bible to even make sense here for the Bible even be true here
These things have to exist
Just because you read the Bible ten times doesn't automatically not make you a novice either
If I ask you questions about the Bible and he's like, I don't know. I don't know the Bible says
Look, it doesn't matter how many times you read it. Look you got to know what the Bible says
You got to be a good soul winner. You got to be one that actually has faithful children
not just their ages meet the requirements and
To be
scriptural, I believe you need to be ordained by an elder and
One that is qualified not just me and my buddy decided that I'm gonna be a pastor tomorrow
Oh, you know Joseph Smith just ordains himself
How does that work? I don't think I can just get ten random strangers on the street corner to just ordain me
That's ridiculous. It needs to be a man of God. We don't see that anywhere the Bible
We see man of God laying hands on other men of God and they become a great prophet
They become a great man of God and even says in first Timothy chapter 4
Neglect not the gift that is in thee which is given thee by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery
What does presbytery mean? It's the elders
Look, how do people get ordained by an elder elder ordains elder elder and elder of Dan's elder
Not just you and your buddies sitting in a living room just ordaining random people
That is not what the Bible teaches and look someone has to be accountable for these qualifications to say this guy meets them
He's looked at all the qualifications. He's measured this guy
He's looked at this guy not just ten people that came off the street and say yeah, I think it's alright
Yeah, I think this guy's faithful and patient and loving and given hospitality and not a brawler not a striker
I know I met him two weeks ago
But I guess he's probably good enough
look
it needs to be an elder that's had him training and been discipling him and putting time and energy and effort in this guy and
Recognizing hey this guy meets the qualifications and then ordaining him and sending him out
So someone wants to do that
They have to meet these qualifications and look there's nothing holding me back from wanting to ordain people other than God's Word
Other than people meeting the qualifications other than people having the desire to do a good work. Let's close in prayer
Thank you father so much for your word
Thank you that you're willing to give
People pastors after your own heart and that would just want to serve you and want to feed your sheep
I pray that as this church continues that we just help me have the right heart
Have a heart to just love people and want to work hard for you and that all the people in this church would hold me
Accountable with God's Word they would hold accountable any pastor to any church that they go to and they would only go to a church
Where there's a pastor after your heart not after their heart not of their own will
But that are seeking after you and if there's anybody in this room that would desire to be a bishop in one day
They do just get these words just sink down in their ears
And they would desire to be a great Christian and not only people that desire to be a pastor
But every man would see that these are good things
These are all good attributes of a godly man and that we would seek to serve you in Jesus name we pray amen