What is a Pastor to Be? Part 2 (1 Timothy 3:1-7)

At times I have been asked how America, our culture, and Christianity have arrived at the mess we are in. I have been blunt in my answer. The fault lies in the pulpit. The church has settled for and followed unqualified men. The church has forgotten what a pastor is to be. You see, not just anyone should serve behind this sacred desk. So, what is a pastor to be? Who should be a pastor? What expectations should we have of the pastor? There are a lot of views about this in the church today regarding a man’s education, family life, and background. Are there some things we should expect regarding ability, personality, beliefs, and so on? Can just anyone be a pastor? Or should we be picky? And how do we know if someone should be a pastor?

Too many churches have not thought deeply about these questions. As a result, many pulpits in this country are filled by unqualified men who have no business being in the ministry. Too many churches are just happy that someone would be willing to be the pastor. This is a sad thing and has done immense damage to those churches and the lives of their members. As your pastor, what standard are you to hold me to? What are you to look for in the next guy? As we look to expand our staff, what are we looking for? What is a pastor to be? ...