The Competence of an Effective Christian Leader

“An overseer must be… able to teach… He must manage his own household well… He must not be a recent convert… He must be well thought of by outsiders.”

1 Timothy 3:2–7

Paul outlines three areas of core competence for church leaders: doctrinal, personal, and spiritual.

Doctrinal: able to teach
“An overseer must be… able to teach” (3:2). “[Deacons] must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience” (3:9). Not all elders will be preachers. But they must grasp the truth and be able to apply it to their own lives and the lives of others. They must be able to refute false doctrine (1:3). It is the special calling of elders and pastors to make sure that the Word of Christ is central in the church.

Personal: able to manage
“He must manage his own household well” (3:4). Every home has pressures and problems. The key is a man’s ability to manage his own life and to give leadership to his own family. An effective leader begins by learning to manage his own family well. Are his finances well managed? Is his home well ordered? Do his children respect him?

Spiritual: able to stand
“He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up… He must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil” (3:6–7). Paul identifies two primary pressures in spiritual warfare: First, pride is the enemy within. Do you know the grace of God enough to handle success with humility? Second, disgrace is the enemy outside. Satan wants leaders to fall into public disgrace so that he can use it to harm the church.

You may be wondering, “Who is sufficient for these things?” Christ may never call you to be an elder or deacon. But He can form the character and competence of an elder or deacon in you.

Ask God to help you pursue the character and competence that will be most useful to Him.