What Are the Biblical Qualifications for Elders?

Two weeks ago, we looked at what the elders are called to do (lead, guard, feed). This week we want to answer the question: What sort of men are qualified to be elders in the church?

In answer to this question, we must turn to the two passages in Scripture that most clearly lay this out: 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9 (see also 1 Peter 5:1-5, but we’ll focus on Timothy and Titus here). Please take the time to read these and think carefully about them:

1 Timothy 3:1-7

The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. ² Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, ³ not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. ⁴ He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, ⁵ for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church? ⁶ He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. ⁷ Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.

Titus 1:5-9

This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you – ⁶ if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. ⁷ For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, ⁸ but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. ⁹ He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.

The first thing I want you to notice is that the lists are not identical. This indicates that Paul was not intending to give an exhaustive list of qualifications, but rather sketch out a picture of the type of man who was qualified to be an elder.

Second, notice the “Therefore” in 1 Timothy 3:2. Paul gives the qualifications because the office of elder is a “noble task.” It is because of what an elder is called to do (last week) that Paul tells us the type of man he must be. Paul takes this office seriously and so should we.

Third, Paul explicitly says in 1 Timothy that these are things an elder must be. In other words, it’s not up to the church to decide that some of these qualifications are optional and ordain unqualified men.

So let’s dive in. Each passage has about 15 qualifications, so instead of going through each one by one we are going to group them together into a few headings.

The elder and his family

The first category is the elder and his family. In both passages above, Paul tells us that an elder must be a “husband of one wife.” This phrase has sparked much debate over the centuries: does it mean an elder must be married? Does it mean he cannot remarry even if his wife dies? Does it mean he cannot be divorced?

However, I believe the best way to understand this is that the elder must possess the virtue of fidelity in marriage.[1] That is, he must be a one-woman man (which is the more literal rendering of the Greek). This, then, requires more than a mere number of wives. An elder must not be flirtatious with other women; he must not be ensnared by pornography; he must be a man of the sort totally devoted to his wife and his wife alone.

I do believe that this understanding allows room for single men to serve as elders. Paul praises singleness elsewhere (1 Cor. 7:32-35) and he himself was most likely single. Just as the normal pattern is for men to get married, so most elders will be married, but not all.

Paul also insists that elders must be competent fathers and managers of their own households. An elder must be able to raise his children well and order his own home in a godly manner. His children must be godly and submissive to his discipline and instruction. I think the CSB does a better job of rendering a tricky phrase in Titus 1:6, “having faithful children not accused of wildness or rebellion.” I do not believe Paul is there requiring that the children of elders be professing believers (something outside of his control) but rather that they be faithful children under his leadership (something inside his control).[2]

In a certain sense, the elder’s home is a proving ground of his leading abilities. He must first demonstrate his ability to lead his own home well before he can be entrusted with the leadership of the church. He must prove to be above reproach as a one-woman kind of man and as a leader of his own household.

The elder and his Bible

The next category for us to consider is the elder and his Bible. Paul tells Timothy that an elder must be “able to teach” and to Titus he says, “He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.” Elsewhere, Paul exhorts Timothy to devote himself to teaching (1 Tim. 4:13) and to keep a careful eye on what he is teaching (1 Tim. 4:16).

Simply put, the elder must be a man who knows God’s word. He must have read it and studied it in his personal life. And he must know it, not as one who can see all the puzzle pieces sees the picture, but as one who knows how to fit them all together. There is a pattern to Christian teaching he must be familiar with (2 Tim. 1:13).

Every elder is called to be a theologian. The terms justification, sanctification, predestination, propitiation, penal substitutionary atonement, etc. should not be strange to him. He should be able to trace the storyline of Scripture and understand what God is doing in each part. He should know how the covenants fit together to advance God’s redemptive purposes.

He should be one whose life shows that he has devoted himself to knowing God through His word. And he must be able to open up God’s word, understand and apply it to himself, and then helpfully instruct others with it.

The elder and his life

Third, the elder and his life. I admit, this is very broad and a sort of catch-all heading. But perhaps we can make it manageable by splitting it into positive and negative qualifications with a brief explanation of each:

Positively, an elder is called to be:

• Sober-minded – not addicted to any substance, able to think calmly and clearly.
• Self-controlled – not blown about by passions, but a master of his own actions.
• Respectable – honorable, someone to look up to.
• Hospitable – one who uses his resources to bless others.
• A lover of good – someone who truly desires good not merely does it of duty.
• Upright – righteous, walking the straight and narrow.
• Holy – set apart, living a life different from the world.
• Disciplined – in firm control of one’s desires, able to do hard things.
• Gentle – not harsh and domineering.
• Well thought of by outsiders – respected even by those who are not believers. People want to be his neighbor.

Negatively, an elder is not to be:

• Arrogant – proud, full of himself, thinks he is better than others.
• Angry – short tempered, given to bursts of rage, unable to control his words and actions.
• A drunkard – addicted to alcohol or other substances that impair thinking.
• Violent – a bully who throws his weight around to get what he wants.
• Quarrelsome – one who picks fights, who stirs up needless controversy.
• Greedy – in it for the money, captured by the desire for wealth.
• A recent convert – a new believer, recently following Christ.

That is a lot of qualifications! Again, I want to emphasize that Paul is sketching the type of man an elder must be. So, just because Paul doesn’t say he must be “not slanderous,” does not mean that we should ordain a slanderous man to the office.

One note on the negative qualifications before we conclude. You probably noticed that the last one is not like the others. The others are all character qualifications, the last one is not. Being a recent convert is not a character flaw – we all were baby Christians at some point! But the excitement and enthusiasm of a recent convert should not be taken to mean they are qualified for eldership. Indeed, Paul notes that being a recent believer in leadership opens one up to the snares of the devil! Becoming an elder-type man does not happen overnight. A recent convert will not know his Bible and Christian theology as an elder should. He must first demonstrate, likely over the course of at least a few years, his faithfulness and competency as a member of his church before he is considered for eldership.

Did I Miss One?

But did I miss a qualification? No. I want to close by considering the very first qualification Paul gives to both Timothy and Titus, because in many ways it encapsulates the rest: an elder must be above reproach.

The elder’s character and behavior must be free from blights and stains that will call his leadership into question. This does not mean he must be perfect – then the church would have no elders at all!

Simply put, the elder must be an example of a godly Christian. He must be one who can call others to follow and imitate his way of life.

As you consider recommending a man for the office of elder at Grace, compare his life to our church covenant and ask yourself, “Is he a godly example of what it means to be a member at our church?”

May God supply us with an abundance of such men!

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[1] See this article for an evaluation of different views: https://www.biblicaleldership.com/must-elders-be-married-and-have-children/#:~:text=Very%20immoral%20men%20have%20had,%E2%80%9Cone%20and%20only%20woman.%E2%80%9D. This qualification one reason why we believe only men may hold the office of elder in the church.

[2] For a closer look at this, see this article: https://www.biblicaleldership.com/faq/titus-16-says-that-an-elders-children-are-believers-does-this-refer-to-children-still-under-the-elders-roof-only-or-to-the-duration-of-the-childs-life/