Doing Church God’s Way: Marks Of Maturity Series

Doing Church God’s Way: Marks of Maturity

1 Timothy 3:1-16

Jay Kesler, the past President of Youth for Chirst, was on an airplane one day. He sat next to a young man. When lunch was served, the young man declined the lunch. As Mr. Kesler ate his lunch, he noticed that the young man’s head bowed in prayer. After lunch, Mr. Kesler asked the young man if he was a Christian, because it looked like he was praying and fasting.

The young man replied, "I am a Satan worshiper and the members of my church have agreed to fast every Friday at noon. During that time we pray that the leaders of the Christian world will fall. We pray that they will fall into sexual sin, and that their family life would crumble."

According to Barna Research, “In America, 3500 — 4000 churches close their doors each year.” As Christian leaders fall, so falls the Church. But here’s the good news. As Christian leaders mature, so grows the Church.

This morning, we will be looking at the marks of maturity in Church leaders. Don’t tune out because you’re not a Church leader. This applies to all of us. Here’s why. We are either following a leader, becoming a leader or mentoring a leader. We all need to know the marks of maturity in Church leaders.

The text this morning is 1 Timothy 3:1-16. (READ)

Mark Twain said, ““Most people are bothered by those passages of Scriptures they do not understand, but the passages that bother me are the ones I do understand.”

This morning, I’ll take a few minutes to explain the hard to understand verses. But I’ll spend most of the time applying those verses we do understand.

The three verses that may be hard to understand are 1 Timothy 3:2, 11 and 12. Verses 2 and 12 address the same concern. Let’s look at that first. (READ)

The phrase, “husband of but one wife,” has been interpreted in one of three ways: 1) A polygamist cannot be a pastor, elder or deacon, 2) A man who is married more than once cannot be a pastor, elder or deacon, or 3) A pastor, elder or deacon must be singularly devoted to his wife.

The third interpretation is most likely. Why this conclusion? During Paul’s time, polygamy was not a practice of the Christian, the Greek, or the Roman, except in aristocracy. And Scripture allows for remarriage in certain situations. In short, a church leader must be completely faithful to his wife.

The second hard to understand verse is 1 Timothy 3:11. The Greek word, “gyne” as used in today’s English term, gynecologist, means “women” or “wives.” So the translation could be, “In the same way as the deacons, their wives are to be women worthy of respect….” Or, “In the same way as the deacons, women (or female deacons = deaconesses) are to be women worthy of respect….”

Paul wrote in Romans 16:1, “I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deaconess of the church in Cenchrea.” So deaconesses were around during Paul’s time. Whether 1 Timothy 3:11 describes the wife of a deacon or a deaconess, I don’t know. But what do you have to lose by being worthy of respect, godly in speech, temperate and trustworthy?

Now onto what we can understand and apply. Three marks of maturity. Let’s look together.

First mark of maturity in Church leaders you want to follow, you want to become or you want to develop is the mark of “walking the talk.” Vs 2-3; 8-9;14-16

Paul says, “If I’m delayed in visiting you at the Church of Ephesus, teach your people, not just your leaders, to live in this way.” But the leaders must practice what they preach. They must walk the talk.

Which one of these descriptions of a leader do you have trouble living out? I have trouble with all of them except for drunkenness. Now I’m much better than I was 10 years ago. I’m even better than I was a month ago.

“How did that happen?” you might ask. The key is WWJD. Not “what would Jesus do.” But, “Walk with Jesus daily.”

One way to walk with Jesus daily is to learn daily from God’s Word. This helps me make informed and intentional choices. Choosing biblical and wise actions is a pathway to maturity.

Another way to walk with Jesus daily is to associate with godly people. I call or meet with godly mentors and coaches regularly. I also enjoy hanging out with godly men and women. Here’s the best one: I married a godly wife.

Here’s a third way to walk with Jesus daily. Paul calls this the “mystery of godliness.” Unlike man-made philosophies and religions, Christianity promises Immanuel, God with us. Because God live in us, we can live like Him.