Overseer

 

1 Timothy 3:1-7

“Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task.” (Verse 1)

What are some words that come to your mind when the word “overseer” is used above: Words like supervisor, manager, chief, boss, somebody who supervises workers.   But that would be totally wrong, it is none of the above, the word “overseer” is referring to a pastor, a bishop, or elder in the Church.  What is of interest is that the person seeking the office of overseer, has decided, has set their mind on, has a desire to be an overseer, and if he is your pastor, you should expect those desires to have come from God, and not his mother or because it looks like a good career.  And that brings me back to the understanding in our culture of the word “overseer.”  What happens if your pastor has the attitude of being the boss or as I’ve heard some profess to be the CEO of the local church?

Before answering that, lets look at the manufacturer’s handbook about the job description found in 1 Timothy 3:2-3, “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.”  In that I grew-up in small Baptist churches, I often have to get past the folklore and customs of what I was taught, and go to the Bible to check it out.  One thing that was not going to happen in these Baptist churches was a woman preacher, and as I look at 1Timothy, I believe that is in line with God’s word, but it is not in line with today’s culture.  It is clear to this writer that 1Timothy 2:12 states, “I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man.”  Now that’s very clear, but a showstopper is how can a woman be  “the husband of one wife”?  And what about, not a drunkard, and how is that going to happen on grape juice, because my little Baptist church taught that Jesus did not drink wine, it was grape juice, and yet the people drinking it seemed to get drunk, not sure how that happens?  Traditions, enough of that foolishness on the non-biblical customs of my past, and back to what the Bible has to say regarding the overseer. 

Picking up in verse 4-5, “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?  Often, way too often, we see this Scripture ignored, and from the side lines I wonder if the men who are so busy at the job of pastor, and forget to be first pastor to their families with all dignity?  It is always the same message, he is such a good pastor, but his wife or his children are just bad apples, yet I read somewhere that the apple does not fall far from the tree.

Verses 6-7, “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.”

Let me wrap this up with these thoughts; the role of an overseer; Pastor, Bishop, Elder, is not for the guys looking for a 9 to 5, well paying job.  It has got to be one of the worst jobs a person could pick, that is unless he is called of God, and then it is still very hard, and yet very fulfilling, that is if he is called.  No, where in the Bible do we find what that call looks like, but the person who is called has a surety of the call.  The Bible does give examples of men who were called.

As a person who was called to minister in the business world, I’ve only been a part of seven churches, and two of those were the small Baptist churches, and it seemed like we went through pastors quickly, and yet at that time of my life I was not a Christian, just a member.  Since that time, I served under the leadership of seven men, and have gotten to spend time with my last two pastors, they are kingdom minded, not perfect, but they have been a joy to serve with, to learn from, and they have this goal; to be a shepherd and a servant to the community that God has entrusted to them.  Men like this need to be supported in prayer.  As you and I listening to the Holy Spirit so that as fellow workers with them, we can have the kingdom mind-set of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice