Our former youth director served for many years before getting married and leaving for South Africa as a missionary.
He did an outstanding job leading our youth spiritually.
He can, but you would rather him not?
It's an either or thing.
It can't be in the middle ground.
I believe a married person without children is able to be a pastor.
I also believe a single person can be a pastor.
God is the one that calls people to become a pastor.
I believe God doesn't make mistakes.
I have been called to become a pastor and I am in school working my way there now.
I am not married, nor do I have kids, but I still feel it's God's will that I should become a pastor.
Do you not trust the pull of God's will?
Should I run out and marry someone and have a kid to make it "legit"?
I don't think so.
I would rather remain single for the rest of my life before I rush into a marriage to appease people.
You were the one that brought up the point about a person can't be a pastor unless he is married and has kids.
You posted that very thing a few posts ago.
1Ti 3:2 Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 1Ti 3:3 not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 1Ti 3:4 He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, 1Ti 3:5for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church? 1Ti 3:6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. 1Ti 3:7 Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.
For those who do not think an elder has to be married...what other things listed above can we ignore? Can he be a recent convert? Can he not be well thought of by outsiders? Are "above reproach", sober minded, self controlled, respectable, hospitable and able to teach also all voluntary? Can he be a drunk, violent person who loves money?
Which can we pick and choose and why? (Please don't say context...I think verse 5 is the kicker...as was pointed out already, a "household" does NOT consist of one person)
Can is ability. People can violate scripture, they do it all of the time. I'm saying scripture says he ought not do that.
I do trust the pull of God's will. He pulls me to read about His will in His Bible and His Bible establishes the criteria for bishops, deacons, elders, men, women, children and all sorts of good stuff. Whatever is written is His will.
No. Just realize you don't qualify for the role and there are certain things you have to do. Go door-knocking, go street
preaching, feed the homeless, do whatever ministry you feel led to do but don't think that you've been called to do something that is opposed to thus saith the Lord.
You can go and be a pastor and not meet all of the criteria for it. The word of God establishes the criteria for this office. You can abide by it or seek your own path.
Nice welcome...
sarcasm always makes people feel warm and friendily..
You could ask the same sarcasted question about a number of things.
AC, Heat, Lighting, Baptismals, Bathrooms, Sunday School rooms, etc.
Does you church have any of these in it?
Where in the Bible does it offer that "criteria" for those items?
The term used for our youth leader is merely what we call him when we aren't mad at him.
Sometimes
he is referred to as youth leader.
At present time our youth leader is also assistant pastor and married.
The role of our youth leader is to teach them the word of God on their level, motivate them in the service of the Lord.
We have a youth choir, youth visitation program,
and recently returned from a mission trip from Mexico excited about reaching the lost youth in our area.,
Wow. I wasn't being sarcastic. I was asking for I have only heard of "directors" in a corporate setting and never in a church environment. I thought perhaps his church considered a "director" to be a Biblical equivalent of something. My apologies if this question was somehow offensive.
The above are a mishmash of many different situations. Some have to do with sin. Some have to do with spiritual maturity. Some have to do with essential skills of ministry.
"Single?"
"Kids?"
doesn't fit in this list, IMO.
As they relate to marital status (and I guess kids as well)...apples and oranges.
While they are all different situations...are they all not required to be an overseer? If we can just dismiss being a husband...likewise can we also dismiss those I mentioned?
BTW, I think verse 5 is plainly dealing with the essential skills necessary of the ministry...
1Ti 3:5for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church?