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Aspire to the Office … Starting Now
Aspire to the Office … Starting Now
God designed congregations to be led by shepherds, who provide oversight and spiritual guidance. The Lord’s church desperately needs more shepherds, though God has a high standard for the office.
If any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do. An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money. He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?), and not a new convert... And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church… (1 Tim. 3:1-7).
We notice two things. First, each qualification is expected of every Christian. Second, each qualification cannot be attained overnight, but rather through years of active faith.
So, when should one begin aspiring to the role? Two weeks before elders are appointed, when the call for nominations goes out? When one goes gray and retires? No, much, much sooner! I speak here to young men in their twenties, even in college and high school. Guys, it’s virtuous for you to start now aspiring to the most important office in the world! Here are some things you should do to prepare yourself:
Marry well. Attract and keep a godly woman who shares your goals and puts the kingdom first in her life. You will fail without her help.
Make worship a non-negotiable priority. Be there when the doors are open. Keep activities and hobbies from cutting into worship time. Pick a career that interferes as infrequently as possible. Gain proficiency in the various aspects of leading worship.
Become a Bible expert. Carry your Bible. Read it diligently and take notes in it. Underline passages, memorize verses, seek answers to the hard parts. Learn to “exhort in sound doctrine and refute those who contradict” (Tit. 1:9). Teach others from it.
Pray regularly. Spend quality time talking to God. You’ll need His help to build (Psalm 127:1).
Learn to love people. Shepherding is less decision-making, more feeding and protecting people. The good shepherd “calls his own sheep by name, and leads them” (John 10:4, 1 Pet. 5:2). Fix their plumbing, babysit their kids, visit them in the hospital, invite them for dinner. Teach strangers the gospel. Reach out to struggling brothers, and confront sinful brothers. Become the sort of person people turn to when they have a crisis. Make time—if the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep, you can at least lay down the remote (Ezek. 34:4-5). Learn to love even the prickly ones, especially their souls (2 Tim. 2:24-26).
Develop the skill of influence. Being a good leader is not only knowing the way to go, but also convincing others to follow. It’s understanding when to speak and when to hush. Parenting is the training ground for influence, where one learns the combination of proactive teaching and reproof, so that people gain a sturdy faith of their own.
Plan a busy retirement. It saddens me to see a man finally retire and, just when the church can most benefit from his skills and free time, watch him disappear into the mountains to relax. Vacations are great, but the fields are white for harvest, so save real retirement for Heaven! The work of a shepherd is “diligently laboring” (1 Thess. 5:2) and “working hard at preaching and teaching” (1 Tim. 5:17). Plan for this season of life. Eliminate debt, save up a nest egg, and take care of your health. Make it so that, if God allows, you will have money and energy to shepherd for decades.
–John Guzzetta
