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Can a Divorced Man be a Pastor/ Preacher?

Discussion in '2003 Archive' started by dianetavegia, Aug 8, 2003.

  1. dianetavegia

    dianetavegia Guest

    Let's discuss this remark. Can a divorced man be a pastor in YOUR church or a pastor to YOU?

    Diane
     
  2. Johnv

    Johnv New Member

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    Yes. unlike drunkenness and adultery, divorce is not a sin, unless done for sinful reasons.
     
  3. aefting

    aefting New Member

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    At my church, we understand the Biblical qualification to exclude divorced individuals from holding the office of pastor or deacon.

    I think a more interesting question is if a man marries a divorced woman, does that disqualify the man from holding those positions? For the purpose of the discussion, let's assume that the woman was innocent and divorced for Biblically allowed reasons.

    Andy
     
  4. Scott J

    Scott J Active Member
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    That's the case with my pastor... and I still think it is an interesting question.
     
  5. Wisdom Seeker

    Wisdom Seeker New Member

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    Diane, you know that glitch that I was telling you about , about when my "recent posts" list shows other peoples posts and not mine? Your post, is on my list.

    I'll report it to the webmaster. Weird glitch.
     
  6. dianetavegia

    dianetavegia Guest

    My church does not allow a divorced man or a man married to a divorced woman to be a pastor or a deacon. We feel scripture that says 'husband of one wife' (not one at a time) covers this qualification quite well.

    Personal opinion... ONLY personal opinion... Except in the case of repeated patterns of unrepented adultery, I believe a Christian should forgive their spouse as commanded by Jesus. Someone has asked me if I would forgive 70 X's 7 and I'm not sure...... I cannot honestly answer that. Therefore, I do not believe in divorce.

    Laurenda, that IS odd! I noticed today that 'Today's Active Topics' might have MY name on someone else's post but when you open the post it's correct. Glitch alright! LOL

    Diane
     
  7. donnA

    donnA Active Member

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    At our church a man can not be divorced and be a deacon or pastor. I really don't know about the wife, an issue like that has not come up.

    I've been seeing that weird posting stuff too.
     
  8. gb93433

    gb93433 Active Member
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    God used Moses to lead His people and he muredered a man. David was used by God and he coveted another man's wife and had her husband killed. Peter cut off a man ear. Paul persecuted believers and I would assume that meant killing them also.

    Nicky Cruz was a gang member. He wrote the book Run Baby Run. We have loads of examples of men who have done things that would cause any of us to cringe. Yet God used all of them to lead people for His glory in spite of their past.

    God does care so much where we have been but where are we going.
     
  9. aefting

    aefting New Member

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    I agree that God can use anybody. Just because someone does not meet the Biblical qualifications for a pastor or deacon doesn't mean that God can't use him in another area of ministry.

    Andy
     
  10. dianetavegia

    dianetavegia Guest

    I agree Andy! God can use these men in many ways but they do not fit the scriptural qualifications of 'husband of one wife' so therefore cannot be a pastor or deacon.

    However, I have heard some wonderful traveling evangelist who testify of what they were and what they are now that they have met Jesus! Wonderful testimonies but they don't pastor churches.

    Our minister of music in our church is divorced. This happened way before we moved here. His wife was unable to have children (not sure if it was him or her) and she decided she no longer wanted to be married. She left him and divorced him. He has never dated or remarried (because of scripture) and neither has she. The church voted to allow him to stay. He NEVER preaches or teaches. He'll be retiring soon.

    Diane
     
  11. Mike McK

    Mike McK New Member

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    Depends on the circumstances surrounding the divorce.
     
  12. Mike McK

    Mike McK New Member

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    I've had the same problem.
     
  13. aefting

    aefting New Member

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    One more thing about our church. Our constitution says that those on the pastoral staff (i.e., music pastor, youth pastor, etc.) must also meet the Biblical qualificaitons for a pastor. They are, after all, "elders" in the Biblical sense.

    Andy
     
  14. dianetavegia

    dianetavegia Guest

    If a wife is involved in adultery and leaves her husband, was he able to rule his own house well? Would this not disqualify this man as well?

    Diane
     
  15. Gunther

    Gunther New Member

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    Diane, you are right on the mark with this one.

    Divorce could disqualify a man on several accounts: blameless, not ruling his house well, or the husband of one wife clause, depending on what the divorce was.

    Any of those violations DISQUALIFY a person.

    Most people do not want to deal with divorce because either they have been or know someone or ... :rolleyes: . Rarely does the Scripture define these discussions.
     
  16. Molly

    Molly New Member

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    Although,I believe that phrase *husband of one wife* refers to the character of the man and his faithfulness to one women,I do agree with the fact that a divorce man is not eligible to pastor,based on the qualifications of above reproach and ruling his household. I think divorce is looked upen too leniently today.

    What about a man who is divorced before his repentance and salvation....and then has a desire to preach/pastor? He was married,divorced,then saved later...now is married,is a godly husband and father,and meets all other requirements. Can he pastor?

    What do you think?

    Molly
     
  17. cireofmi

    cireofmi New Member

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    The way I see it, is that someone can only remarry if they were widowed. That is only way someone can have more than one wife and be allowed to Pastor a church.
    Matthew 5:32
    Mark 10:11-12
     
  18. Gunther

    Gunther New Member

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    Molly, good thoughts and questions.

    I would have to say that such a man needs to be encouraged to fulfill many functions within the church (teaching is one). The role of 'overseer' though is limited to certain men though. So, any capacity that is available that is not an 'elder/overseer' is okay.
     
  19. gb93433

    gb93433 Active Member
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    Are you saying that it is okay to kill someone and pastor pastors and plant churches but it is not scriptural to pastor a church? That is what Paul did.
     
  20. John Wells

    John Wells New Member

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    An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. (Titus 1:6)

    Here's a scenario to use in debating this:

    Two men live wild and disobedient lives in their teens and twenties. One marries and divorces and the other marries and somehow their marriage survives these turbulent times.

    They both receive Christ as their Savior around age 30 and become new creations in Christ. After ten years of spiritual growth they feel God's call to the ministry. After seminary they are ready to being their faithful calling to pastor their first church.

    Now the positional view of some will say the divorced man is not biblically qualified to be a pastor based on Tit 1:6 and 1 Tim 3:2 (which has the identical wording of "husband of but one wife"). I can only find two translations (NAB and NRSV - which contradicts teh RSV) that render this as "married only once." The multitude of others render it similar to the NIV quoted above.

    One cannot wedge divorced man into these passages from either the literal meaning of "husband of but one wife," (as MacArthur, Dr. Bob, and Pastor Larry agree means a "one-woman man") nor does the original Greek lead to a "married only once" interpretation.

    My position (based on the Greek) is that this speaks to marital fidelity rather than status. The intended admonition here is that a pastor be faithful to his wife - a one-woman man! This fits with the rest of the admonitions that deal with a pastor having charge and control (being the spiritual leader) over his family. It doesn't say a pastor cannot be divorced! That is out of context and doesn't fit with the rest of the admonitions.

    Also, disqualifying the one pastor because of the sin of divorce while applying God's grace to the multitude of their other sins implies that divorce is a "second unpardonable sin!"
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