Spiritual leaders are those called by God through the local church not merely to proclaim the Gospel but to exemplify the power of the Gospel through genuine godliness. This is the heartbeat of the qualification passages of 1 Timothy and Titus 1.

Any discussion about the qualifications of pastors/elders must begin with 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1. These two significant passages provide lists of character qualities every potential spiritual leader must have. It is a mistake, however, to limit our understanding of qualification for leadership to only the individual qualifications listed in these two passages. To get a true understanding of what being qualified to lead is all about, we must see that qualification is really about the power of the Gospel being displayed through one’s life.

With this point in mind, let’s consider these two passages:

1 Timothy 3:1–7:

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.

Titus 1:6–9:

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. 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, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. 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.

The Bigger Picture About Qualification: The Power of the Gospel

As we read these passages, perhaps studying each qualification individually, we might get distracted and forget about the big picture context of what these lists represent. The main point of these qualifications is this:

Anyone considered for spiritual leadership must be someone whose testimony shows he has clearly experienced the power of the Gospel in his life.

Spiritual leadership is not acquired through rank, social class, ethnicity (or diversity), academic education, longevity as a Christian, age, generosity, or even mastery of Bible knowledge. Spiritual leadership is not inherited. The primary qualification for spiritual leadership is genuine godliness, meaning gospel truth (its power) dominates that man’s life.

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