Pastors, elders, and overseers (1)

This weekend, I will be teaching from Titus 1:5-9. And I'm asking God to give us more elders to help lead CVC. Will you pray with me?

5 This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you—
6 if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination.
7 For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain,
8 but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined.
9 He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.
Titus 1:5-9 (ESV)

Just what do we call these church leaders?

In Acts 20:17-38, Paul addresses a group of Christian leaders from the church at Ephesus. In the passage they are called elders (v. 17), overseers (bishops) (v. 28), and shepherds (pastors) (v. 28). Therefore, we believe that "elder, overseer, and pastor" are related terms used to describe one office of leadership in the local church. The New Testament indicates that the early church was led by a plurality of elders/pastors/overseers.

What does a Godly church leader look like?

He looks like the person described in I Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9. If we want leaders who would be elders/overseers/pastors in more than just the name, then we need to take the truths in I Timothy 3 and Titus 1 very seriously.

But who can really live up to all that’s required in I Timothy 3 and Titus 1?

Remember that this is an aspirational list. No one lives like this 100% of the time. Paul sets before us a worthy goal--which most of us will work on for a lifetime and still not completely reach. We ought to take this list seriously but also graciously and realistically.