I. Qualifications for Elders.A. Paul’s instructions to Timothy

(1 Timothy 3:1-7).

1. “Desires the position” (vs. 1).

2. “Blameless” (vs. 2a).

3. “The husband of one wife” (vs. 2b).

The QualificationsQualifications & Work of Elders

I. Qualifications for Elders.A. Paul’s instructions to Timothy

(1 Timothy 3:1-7).

4. “Temperate” (vs. 2c).

5. “Sober-minded” (vs. 2d).

6. “Of good behavior” (vs. 2e).

The QualificationsQualifications & Work of Elders

I. Qualifications for Elders.A. Paul’s instructions to Timothy

(1 Timothy 3:1-7).

7. “Hospitable” (vs. 2f). Lit. “love of strangers.”

8. “Able to teach” (vs. 2g). KJV &ASV “apt to teach.”

The QualificationsQualifications & Work of Elders

I. Qualifications for Elders.A. Paul’s instructions to Timothy

(1 Timothy 3:1-7).

9. “Not given to wine” (vs. 3a).

10. “Not violent” (vs. 3b).

11. “Not greedy for money” (vs. 3c). (1 Timothy 5:17-19).

The QualificationsQualifications & Work of Elders

I. Qualifications for Elders.A. Paul’s instructions to Timothy

(1 Timothy 3:1-7).

12. “But gentle” (vs. 3d).

13. “Not quarrelsome” (vs. 3e).

14. “Not covetous” (vs. 3f).

The QualificationsQualifications & Work of Elders

I. Qualifications for Elders.A. Paul’s instructions to Timothy

(1 Timothy 3:1-7). 15. “One who rules his own house well, having his

children in submission with all reverence (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?)” (vss. 4-5); (Genesis 21:7).

The QualificationsQualifications & Work of Elders

I. Qualifications for Elders.A. Paul’s instructions to Timothy

(1 Timothy 3:1-7).

16. “Not a novice” (vs. 6).

17. “A good testimony among those who are outside” (vs. 7).

The QualificationsQualifications & Work of Elders

I. Qualifications for Elders.B. Paul’s instructions to Titus (Titus 1:5-9).

1. “Blameless … one wife” (vs. 6a-b).

2. “Having faithful children, not accused of dissipation or insubordination” (vs. 6c).

3. “Blameless, as a steward of God” (vs. 7a). “Entrusted with God’s work” (NIV).

The QualificationsQualifications & Work of Elders

I. Qualifications for Elders.B. Paul’s instructions to Titus (Titus 1:5-9).

4. “Not self-willed” (vs. 7b).

5. “Not quick-tempered” (vs. 7c).

6. “Not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but hospitable” (vs. 7d-8a).

The QualificationsQualifications & Work of Elders

I. Qualifications for Elders.B. Paul’s instructions to Titus (Titus 1:5-9).

7. “A lover of what is good” (vs. 8b). KJV “lover of good men.” philoxenon “a lover of strangers” and philagathon “a lover of good.” (2 Thessalonians 2:10).

8. “Sober-minded” (vs. 8c) & “self-controlled” (vs. 8e).

The QualificationsQualifications & Work of Elders

I. Qualifications for Elders.B. Paul’s instructions to Titus (Titus 1:5-9).

9. “Just” (vs. 8d).

10. “Holy” (vs. 8f).

11. “Holding fast the faithful word...able to...exhort and convict those who contradict” (vs. 9).

The Qualifications & The Qualifications & Work of EldersWork of Elders

I. Qualifications for Elders.C. Qualifications of His Wife (1 Tim. 3:11).

1. “Reverent” (vs. 11a). NASB “dignified,” KJV & ASV “grave.”

2. “Not slanderers” (vs. 11b).

3. “Temperate” (vs. 11c).

4. “Faithful in all things” (vs. 11d).

The QualificationsQualifications & Work of Elders

II. Names Associated with this Position (1 Peter 5:1,2).

A. Bishop (Overseer). 1 Timothy 3:1 & Titus 1:7 “bishop” episcopos meaning literally “overseer.” NKJV 1 Peter 5:2 “overseer” (1 Peter 5:3,4).

1. 1 Timothy 3:1 episcopes “position” or “office” of a bishop or overseer.

The QualificationsQualifications & Work of Elders

II. Names Associated with this Position (1 Peter 5:1,2).

B. Elder (Presbyter). presbyteros “an elderly person.” 1 Timothy 4:14 “presbytery.”

C. Shepherd (Pastor). poimen “shepherd or feeder.” NKJV Eph. 4:11 “pastor.”

The QualificationsQualifications & Work of Elders

III. The Work of an Elder.A. “Shepherd the church of God”

(Acts 20:17, 28-32). 1. “Being examples to the flock” (1 Peter 5:2-3).

• Not “by compulsion”—“but willingly.”

• Not “for dishonest gain”—“but eagarly.”

• Not “as being lords”—“but being examples.”

The QualificationsQualifications & Work of Elders

III. The Work of an Elder.B. “They watch out for your souls”

(Hebrews 13:17).

The QualificationsQualifications & Work of Elders

• Choosing elders is an appointment not an election.

• Serving as an elder is a spiritual work.

• Those who serve as elders have a tremendous impact on the welfare of the church (3 John 9-

11).

The QualificationsQualifications & Work of Elders