Biblical Eldership Church Leadership

Paul’s Instruction to Timothy

would destroy the man, causing personal disgrace, loss, exposure, di vine chastisement, and possibly wrecking his faith. It would also hurt the church. So Paul warns against appointing a new convert as an e1 der, “lest he become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil.” As to why this qualification is not listed in the Titus catalog of quali fications, we can only guess. It may have been that leadership by new converts was a real problem in the church at Ephesus. Perhaps new converts were deceived about their giftedness and spiritual intelligence and stirred up confusion in the church. A MAN WITHA GOOD REPUTATIONAMONG NONBELIEVERS: Finally, and of significant importance, an elder “must have a good reputation with those outside the church.” Both the apostles Paul and Peter express deep concern that Christians have a good reputation be fore a watching, nonbelieving world (1 Cor. 10:32; Phil. 2215; Col. 425,6; 1 Thess. 4211,12; 1 Tim. 221,2; 5:14; 621; Titus 225,8,10; 3:1-2; 1 Peter 2212,15; 321,16). If all believers are required to have a good testimony before nonChristians, then it is imperative that the leaders have a good reputation with unbelievers. The church’s evangelistic credibility and witness is tied to the moral reputation of its leaders. In reality, the nonChristians may know more about the character and conduct of the prospective elder than the church. Quite often the prospective elder’s nonChristian fellow workers or relatives actually have more daily contact with the church leader than do the people in church. So “Paul is concerned,” writes George Knight, “that those who may judge less sympathetically but perhaps also more realistically and knowledgeably will render a ‘good’ . . .verdict both from the perspec tive of their own consciences. . .and also from their awareness of the particular man’s commitment and consistency in terms of his Chris tian faith.”18 An outsider’s opinion of a Christian leader’s character cannot be dismissed, for it affects the evangelistic witness of the entire church, “the pillar and support of the truth.” That is why Paul emphatically states “he must have a good reputation.” The verb “must,” the same verb used in verse 2, again stresses the absolute necessity and impor tance of this matter. The reason for emphatically insisting on this qualification is that an elder with an unfavorable or sinful reputation among nonChristians

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