We are exploring the question:  What is a healthy church?  What does a healthy church look like?  What does that feel like? 

As you watch this video think about what is vitally essential for good health.

(video:  Bungee Jump)

With friends like that…

What is a healthy church?  Healthy meaning that - as the Body of Christ - as a congregation we’re living and growing the way we should.

Healthy is not perfect.  But we’re in process.  We’re pardoned sinners still struggling with sin that God is still working on.  Healthy meaning that we are committed to each other.  Committed to seeking to become more like our Savior - seeking to live under the authority of the Word of God - seeking to communicate the Gospel and display God’s glory to the world.

To understand what that looks like in real time we’ve been looking at Paul’s first letter to Timothy. 

In chapter one Paul wrote that one of the real time evidences that a church is healthy is the vital sign of love.  Healthy meaning that love coming from God is flowing sacrificially through us to others - others in the congregation - others in the world around us.

Paul wrote about the vital sign of faith.  Healthy meaning that our trust is in God alone.  Our being totally committed to God for whatever God has for us to do in whatever circumstances that may be.  Our trust in God that shows up in our commitment to each other even in the midst of our hang-ups and issues.

Paul wrote about prayer.  Healthy congregations have prayer as a priority.  Prayer that’s focused on what God desires - specifically that others would come to know and believe the truth of who Jesus is as the Savior.

In healthy congregations Godly men take leadership in prayer.  Which is about the heart of Godly man.  When Godly men pray they need to come before God with hearts that are pure before God - open to God.  Broken and surrendered before God.

Which is also true - Paul wrote - which is also true of Godly women.  Godly women who at the heart level are broken and surrendered to God - trusting God - open to God - who are living for God and not themselves.  Who are supportive and encouraging of men stepping up into their God given roles in the church and home and community.

Which is the context - the big picture we need to keep in mind - as we come to Paul’s teaching here in chapter 3 - Paul’s teaching on Godly leadership. 

In healthy churches men and women are helping each other so that from the heart level we’re working together to reflect God’s character and the truth of His gospel in the community that God has called us together to serve Him. 

To live out that calling it is vitally essential that we have Godly leadership or we’re toast.

We are at 1 Timothy 3.  We’re going to look at these 13 verses in 2 sections.  Section 1 focuses on the office of overseer.  Section 2 focuses on deacons.

Let’s read together verses 1 to 7:  The saying is trustworthy:  If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task.  Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, 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.  He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church?  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.

Paul begins:  The saying is trustworthy...  This is a truth that stands the test of time.  You can depend on this.  Base your life on it.  The saying is trustworthy:  If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task.  Literally - a good work.  Being an overseer is a good thing.

So, what’s an overseer?  We need to be clear.  When Paul is writing to the Ephesian church - what does Paul mean by “overseer”  How would Paul define - or how is Paul using that word?

The Greek word for “overseer” is “episkopos.”  Same word we get “episcopal” from - like the Episcopal Church.

“Episkopos” - “overseer” is a technical term that describes a position or office - or a leadership role in the congregation.  As the word is used in Scripture - that role involves oversight over the ministry of a congregation by watching over it - guarding it - shepherding it - guiding it - protecting the ministry of the congregation. 

Which has led a lot of good people to think that when Paul is writing about “overseers” he’s talking about some kind of top down structure.  Something like pastors, priests, bishops, or some kind of church governing structure with a professional clergy at the top and everyone else filling the pews.

But what Paul is focused on is way different than that.  

Looking through the New Testament there’s never a description of a top down professional governing structure over a church or churches that some churches have fallen into.  That structure just doesn’t exist in Scripture.  Paul himself avoided that kind of authoritarian position. 

Paul is focused on the heart of a Godly man or woman.  The big picture of context of what this teaching fits into.  Not structure.  But what qualifies someone to step into a role of overseer.

Closely related to “overseer” - used almost interchangeably in Scripture is the word “elder.”  The Greek word is “presbuterios” which is where we get our English word “presbyterian.”  Like the Presbyterian Church.

“Presbuterios” was the word that the Greeks used to translate the Hebrew word “zaqen”.  Which is helpful for us to understand.

“Zaqen” literally means “to have a beard.”  Meaning someone who is elderly.  At least elderly enough to have a beard.

Meaning that an elder - a “presbuterios” - was someone that had been around the block a few times.  Someone who could be identified by their proven gifts of leadership and wisdom and justice as well has their age.

Based on those qualifications a Hebrew man could be put into a position of leadership in the Hebrew nation that involved things like settling disputes - governing towns - advising the king - even being members of the Sanhedrin - the Hebrew Supreme Court.  A role of oversight in the community.

With that understanding the Greeks translated “zaqen” with the word “presbuterios” - elder. 

Something else that’s important for us to understand.

In Scripture there is no example anywhere of an elder being a women.  There were leaders - prophetesses and Deborah who was a judge and Esther who played a huge role in Hebrew history - women who for a time gave counsel or took roles of leadership in the nation.  But the elders - those who led the nation in that role of oversight - the elders were always men.

That understanding fits the pattern of Scripture from the Fatherhood of God through the headship of Adam - the patriarchs - Abraham, Isaac, Jacob - through Hebrew history down to Jesus - Son of God - Son of Man - Head of the Church.  That pattern is consistent through-out Scripture - even in the New Testament.

Jesus could have appointed a women to be one or all of His Twelve Apostles.  But He didn’t.  When the church came to replace Judas - they choose Matthias - a man. 

In the New Testament there were a number of women disciples.  Numbers of women who followed Jesus closely as He traveled around Judea.  Some were His close associates.  They were respected.  They were honored.  They were integral to the ministry.  Later, women came to have significant roles of ministry in the church.

Coming to Paul and Paul’s mindset - when Paul writes to Titus - who was pastoring on the island of Crete - Paul tells Titus to appoint “elders” to the office of “overseer.”  (Titus 1:5-9)

What Paul is saying is that within the local church God is raising up “elders” - think qualification - to this position of “overseer.”  When we want to find people qualified to be overseers - we need to look for elders. 

Putting all that together - elders and overseers - an overseer is someone that the people recognize as having the elder experience necessary to put them into this position - this office of oversight - as an overseer - in the nation - or coming to the New Testament - the church. 

In Scripture - elders were spiritually mature men who had proven themselves over and over again - and so gained the respect to be called “elders” - to be placed into this role in the nation - or in the church - to be placed into the role of “overseer.”  Which is the mind-set reality behind Paul’s teaching about “overseers.”

That reality has made a lot of people understandably uncomfortable for a number of understandable different reasons.  Which has led to a lot of unnecessary division in the church.  Let’s be honest.  This is a hard teaching.  For all of what we have going on in our lives this teaching of Paul is difficult to process.

We need to stay focused on what Paul is focused on.  Paul isn’t teaching about structure.  Like every church in every place must always have overseers - meaning men -  and deacons - or we’re all living in sin.

Paul is teaching about qualification.  What goes on in the heart.  Which starting in verse 2 takes up the bulk of his teaching in this section. 

Please hear this:  Paul isn’t writing about what disqualifies women.  What a lot of people get hung up on.  He’s writing about what qualifies men.

Put simply - Paul is calling out men because in Ephesus Godly men needed to be called out.  Men needed to step up to lead in prayer - to step up into leadership - to lead as Godly men.  What is a noble - a good and godly - work to do.

Paul is writing to Timothy who is pasturing in a difficult city in a congregation with some seriously unhealthy issues.

We saw in chapter one that that the church of Ephesus was being influenced by ungodly men claiming to be teachers who were teaching all kinds of ungodly nonsense.  What was distracting and dividing the congregation.

We saw in chapter two that the culture of Ephesus was dominated by the worship of Artemus.  Worship that included ungodly sexual practices.  Worship that encouraged the domination of women over men.  Culture that was influencing the women of the Ephesian church to ungodly attitudes and actions.

Paul urged men to act with godliness coming from the heart.  Paul urged women to act with godliness coming from the heart.  A healthy partnership of men and women sold out to God - used by God for God’s purposes - for God’s glory.

That healthy partnership - given all the unhealth of what was going on in Ephesus and in the church - that healthy partnership required Godly men to step up - to take leadership - to be respected and empowered for leadership.

So it was vitally important for the church to weed through all those ungodly “wannbe” overseers - to get the right men in the right place - to avoid spiritual disaster - to move forward taking the gospel into Ephesus. 

Which is Paul’s focus.  His teaching - urging men to step up - and how to recognize and respect men that God has qualified to lead.

Which is vital for us here at Creekside - given all the unhealth of what happens around us - and the potential for unhealth in the congregation - and in our homes - we need to seek out - recognize and respect - those that God has qualified for leadership.

Coming to verse 2:  The Qualifications For Overseers.  How do we recognize the men God is raising up to spiritual leadership.  The heart being internal and hard to judge.  Paul gives us external evidences - what to look for if we’re going to understand where a man is at the heart level in his relationship with God.

Verse 2:  Therefore - because having Godly overseers is vital to church health - Therefore an overseer must be above reproach

Stand up for God and we become a target.  Godly leaders will be accused of wrongdoing.  Above reproach means the accusation has no basis - it won’t stick.  It doesn’t mean that an overseer hasn’t ever done anything wrong.  We’d all be trouble if that was true.  But, it means that the sin has been dealt with honestly - openly - moving the man forward in the pursuit of godliness.

Next - the overseer is “the husband of one wife”

There’s some discussion about what this means.  What about a divorced man or a widower or a single man?  Which would have disqualified Paul and Timothy - even Jesus.

The culture of Ephesus was kind of like ours today.  The commitment of marriage didn’t mean a whole lot.  At least they still realized that marriage was between a man and a women - sort of.  People went from marriage to marriage to marriage to marriage without thinking too much about it.  People had mistresses.  Prostitution was a way of life.

Paul’s point is that a man with overseer material is not bouncing flippantly from marriage to marriage.  He’s living by the Biblical commands for what marriage is.  He’s not an adulterer.  He’s a one woman man - committed to one woman - his wife - whom he loves sacrificially.

The overseer is “sober-minded” - which means he’s calm.  He has balanced approach to life.  He’s not jumping from one thing to another.

“self-controlled” - meaning prudent - discrete.  He knows when to keep his mouth shut and when to speak up.

“respectable” - meaning he’s purposeful and organized and prepared in how he does life.  He doesn’t ramble.  There’s a point to what he says and he gets to it.  He dresses appropriate to the occasion.

“hospitable” - literally the Greek word means “loving strangers”.  He’s open and welcoming to strangers and promotes fellowship in the church.

The overseer is “able to teach”

There are godly men who fulfill the other requirements but they’re not gifted to teach.  Overseers teach.  That doesn’t necessarily mean “preach.” 

But an overseer is to be able to explain the Scriptures and to correct those who misuse or misunderstand them.  They watch over the congregation by keeping the congregation focused on God’s truth.

There’s a second idea here too.  Overseers must be teachable.  In order to teach they need to first be in the Scriptures themselves.  Committed to growing in their own relationship with God.  Open to instruction.

Going on - verse 3:  The overseer is not a drunkard - meaning addicted to wine.

“not violent” - which has to do with being physically violent.  Maybe as a result of being drunk.

“but gentle” - meaning considerate, gracious, desiring to work through problems - and differences - in a reasonable way

“not quarrelsome” - meaning he’s not stirring up trouble in the congregation - openly or behind the scenes.

“not a lover of money” - which isn’t about living in poverty or wealth so much as being free from being influenced by money or the pursuit of money.

Verse 4:  He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church? 

We all live in perfect families.  Right?

Everyone has issues at home.  Stuff happens.  The qualification is how a man handles those problems.  How does he manage his family as they go through the stuff of life?  How does he partner with his wife in raising their children?  At home does he take leadership as Godly man?

Which is a tremendous test of how a man will handle problems in the church.

Some times God’s people struggle as they seek to together follow God. That may come as a surprise to some people.  But it happens.

A Godly man will not run away from problems and issues and people.  He will deal with them - prayerfully, graciously, lovingly, Biblically - applying God given wisdom.

Verse 6:  He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil.

Second - he needs to have a track record.  Evidence of an ongoing - growing - deepening - having gone through the stuff of life pursuing God - with God - relationship with God.

We know this.  Sadly, we’ve seen this.  Put someone into leadership too quickly - no matter how well meaning they or we might be - and it is way too easy - given the pressures of the position - as a target for Satan on the front lines of the spiritual battle - too easy to seek the approval of others rather than God’s approval.  Too easy to go along with the opinions of our friends in the church rather than following God.

Verse 7:  Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.

An overseer isn’t a Sunday Christian.  Game face on for Sunday - righteous clothes - righteous vocabulary - Bible tucked under the arm - kids lined up - faces polished - the wife looks like Snow White.   Great image.

Monday he’s swearing up a storm - ripping people off at work - flirting with the ladies.  Its pathetic how many Christians there are that we’d never know they’re Christians by their behavior at work or school - outside of the congregation.  For a Godly man - what you see is…. what you get.  A Godly man doesn’t have a hidden life that Satan can tap into and use to destroy the testimony of the Gospel.

Those are the qualifications for overseers.  Godly Men - raised up by God - obedient to God in how they live their lives - guiding the congregation by their teaching and own life example.  Godly Men of prayer who teach God’s Word and hold the congregation accountable to live in obedience to God.  (Acts 20:18-35; Hebrews 13:7; 1 Peter 5:1-4) 

In verse 8, Paul turns to the office of Deacon.  Let’s read together starting at verse 8:  Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain.  They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.  And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless.  Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober minded, faithful in all things.  Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well.  For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

Paul begins:  “Deacon’s likewise…”

Like overseer - deacon is an office - a position of ministry in the congregation.  We need to have an understanding of where Paul is coming from when he uses the word “deacon.”

Acts 6 is the first time we see the ministry of deacons in the church.  The Jerusalem church had a food distribution ministry - a way of caring for needy people.  But, certain widows were not being adequately cared for.(Acts 6:1-7)

When they brought this problem to the Apostles - the Apostles told them to choose 7 men who were appointed to a position of ministry that was to take care of the problem.  They gave certain qualifications of what to look for when choosing these men.

The Apostles said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables.”  (Acts 6:2)

That word “serve” is “diakonos” - which is where we get our English word?  “deacon” from. 

We need to also notice that in the New Testament - unlike with overseers - there are examples of women serving in the ministry of deacons.  Paul using these terms - writing to the Ephesian church:  “Overseers” - are men who focus on guarding, guiding, and teaching.  “Deacons” - are men and women whom God raises up to serve the practical needs of the church.

Verse 8 to 13 focus on The Qualifications For Deacons.  How do we recognize the men and women whom God is raising up to serve as deacons?

Verse 8:  Deacons likewise must be dignified - serious - not double-tongued - talking out of both sides of their mouths - not to be given to pleasing people by saying one thing to one person and another thing to someone else.  Deacons speak the truth.

Deacons are not addicted to much wine - they’re not alcoholics - or greedy for dishonest gain - not taking advantage of situations to gain money - especially if they’re going to be in situations where they’re going to be discretely handling the church’s money.

Verse 9 - but -  they must hold the mystery of the faith - a deacon must have a testimony of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  He or she believes the Gospel - with a clear conscience - a deacon lives what they profess to believe. 

Verse 10:  And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless.  A person shouldn’t be shoved into a position of responsibility without first being given some initial assignment and being watched to see how that person does.

Verse 11:  Their wives likewise must be dignified - same word as with the men - serious - not slanderers - meaning that they use information to slander others - malicious gossip - not that anyone would ever do that - but sober minded, faithful in all things - responsible - trustworthy - someone who you can count on to follow through.

Verse 12:  Let Deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their households well.  Same qualification as with the overseers.

Verse 13:  For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.  Serving God transforms our lives.  Gives us the confidence in our relationship with God that we need to live life.

Processing all that...

The Head of the Church is Jesus.  It’s His Church.  His ministry not ours.  When looking for Godly leaders - if we’re going to move forward as a church - we need to recognize those God is raising up to leadership - those that God qualifies.  Leadership not focused on themselves - or maintaining the status quo - focused on church activities - administrating the work of the church.  But leadership that will lead us spiritually - that will lead us forward with God because they themselves are being led forward by God. 

There are two words here in verse 1 that we need to understand.

First is “aspire.”  Greek word “orego”  Kind of like Oreo with a “G”.  Which means to stretch.  To stretch out after something - to lay ourselves out - total commitment - reaching farther than we thought possible - to stretch out with a great desire to grab onto to something.

Second is “desire.”  In Greek its “epithumei.”  Which is two Greek words stuck together to make one word.  “epi” which means “over” or like above and beyond.  And “thumos” which has the idea of hot passionate desire or anger coming right out of our hearts - the core of who we are.

Think about Jesus in the Temple - seeing how the money changers had turned God’s house of prayer into a bazaar - selling animals needed for sacrifices and gouging people on the exchange rate - ripping people off.  Jesus - with zeal - passion - anger - from deep within - taking a whip and knocking over tables - pouring money all over the place - driving the money changers out of the temple.  That’s “epithumei”  (John 2:13-17)

It would be really easy to look at this list of qualifications - stop there - and think that if we find someone who meets these qualifications we’ve found someone who can be put into leadership.  And that’s just not true.

Behind the qualifications are “aspire” and “desire” - the heart of a Godly man or woman.  Godly men and women are never satisfied - never plateau - never resting on where they’ve been as a follower of Jesus.  Because a follower always follows.  Continually.

The heart of a Godly man or women is totally committed to their relationship with God - stretching forward - reaching for godliness - poured out before God - passionate in desire coming from the core of who they are - passionate about moving forward in their relationship with God - in being surrendered to Him - trusting Him fully with their lives - allowing God to shape them and mold them and use them - according to His purposes - for His honor - for His glory.     

Church leadership is the most exciting job on earth.  To be in the center of what God is doing on earth - as His human channel through which the mind and will of the living God is active in the lives of His people - what they can do and how they can move forward accomplishing His ministry - goes beyond the ability to put into words.  It’s never dull.  It is a noble - honorable - purposeful task.

We miss all that when we look at a list and not a life.

As the Church - God calls us to penetrate the world - Merced - with Gospel of Jesus Christ.  To do that it’s essential that we have Godly leadership - Godly men and women who are aspiring and desiring.

Processing that personally.  Two questions:

First:  What are you aspiring to?

Second:  What do you desire?

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Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®  (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.  Used by permission.  All rights reserved.