question on the eligibility of a pastor

trentlogain2 · Jan 25, 2014

how many of you sit underneath the ministry of a pastor who has been divorced and has been remarried? what do you think of the scripture that says a pastor must be the husband of one wife? i come from the line of belief that says a man is disqualified from pastoring if he becomes divorced. mind you, that he may still have a "pastor's heart", but the scripture is still plain.

also, for those who disagree with this, you must interpret that passage differently. so what's your take on it then?

miamited · Jan 25, 2014

Hi trent,

I'm in agreement. It is a tough qualification, but it is there nonetheless. Some say that they understand it to mean one wife at a time, but in my research, I haven't found that polygamous marriage was a big deal in the areas and in the time that the Holy Spirit prompted Paul to write this instruction, so I'm not in agreement that that is what it means. I believe that God has always held those who accept His calling and taken on the responsibility of leading His people to strive to be above reproach in all that they do.

If we truly follow the logic and instruction of the whole of the Scriptures, a divorced pastor is committing adultery every time he has relations with his new wife. Yes, that's a tough one also, but it is there nonetheless. The Scriptures are fairly clear that divorce causes both the people involved in the broken marriage and any new partners thereafter to be adulterers. It just seems to me that God may actually hate divorce and does not take lightly those who don't take their vows before Him for what they are.

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

1watchman · Jan 25, 2014

I don't believe the New Testament shows us that one should be the PASTOR or chief preacher, but that the priesthood of all saints is the liberty God intended for His assemblies (1 Pet. 2 & 1 Pet. 5:1-3; Rom. 12:4-8; 1 Cor. 12; etc.). Pastors (shepherds), Teachers, Evangelists are always in the plural, as for all saints among the gathering. Just my view here!

Bluelion · Jan 25, 2014

seems hypocritical we are to forgive everyone, but not the preacher? why not? He is human, he is not with out sin. So if you condemn he for divorce what about other sins? do you hold your self to these standards? Doesn't seem very much like loving your neighbor as you self.

miamited · Jan 25, 2014

Bluelion said:
seems hypocritical we are to forgive everyone, but not the preacher? why not? He is human, he is not with out sin. So if you condemn he for divorce what about other sins? do you hold your self to these standards? Doesn't seem very much like loving your neighbor as you self.

Hi BL,

It's not a matter of us forgiving. Sure, we are to forgive every sin committed against us. As a matter of fact, there is some evidence that our forgiveness rests on our ability to forgive others, but...

That's not what's at question here. No one is claiming that we shouldn't forgive a pastor who gets a divorce and breaks up his marriage or is the victim of a broken marriage. Not that there would really be anything for us to forgive in such a circumstance. This is about God's qualifications for one to be a pastor. Nothing to do with our forgiving, but rather what does God say are the qualifications for someone who takes on the mantle of responsibility to lead a flock of God's people.

God will even forgive divorce as the death of His Son is claimed to have been for the forgiveness of all the sins of those who would believe. However, just because God forgives someone of their sin doesn't obviate their necessity to meet some special requirement to serve God in some area of their life.

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

Bluelion · Jan 25, 2014

miamited said:
Hi BL,

It's not a matter of us forgiving. Sure, we are to forgive every sin committed against us. As a matter of fact, there is some evidence that our forgiveness rests on our ability to forgive others, but...

That's not what's at question here. No one is claiming that we shouldn't forgive a pastor who gets a divorce and breaks up his marriage or is the victim of a broken marriage. Not that there would really be anything for us to forgive in such a circumstance. This is about God's qualifications for one to be a pastor. Nothing to do with our forgiving, but rather what does God say are the qualifications for someone who takes on the mantle of responsibility to lead a flock of God's people.

God will even forgive divorce as the death of His Son is claimed to have been for the forgiveness of all the sins of those who would believe. However, just because God forgives someone of their sin doesn't obviate their necessity to meet some special requirement to serve God in some area of their life.

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

Paul sinned Peter denied Christ. So Paul and Peter should not have had any part in the Bible? Thing is to forgive means to erase it like it never happen. There are plenty of preachers who should not be doing the things they are, many are not even children of God in the first place, everyone else just hides their sin better.

The standard God holds Preachers to is higher, which means God is fast to correct them. If you start throwing stones there would be no one left to preach. If the person repents he should be forgiven and restore to his position as Peter was. I think this is the heart of the Lord, forgiveness. You can not say i forgive you then punish the person that is not forgiveness. It is as if it never happen. That is forgiveness. Maybe you don't understand what it means to forgive.

Can a man sin and still be a man of God yes, If those who wrote the Bible still sinned yet God saw fit to still use them, then why should a preacher not be used today? If you can point out on case where God removed a person from His appointed position he gave them I would be interested to here that.

USCGrad90 · Jan 25, 2014

I think the question is a tough one, because there are different circumstances in which divorce happens. One problem in our society is that we accept divorce as normal. We have become de-sensitized to the fact that divorce breaks not only the promise to each other, but the promise we make to God. My church has strict standards for a pastor not to have been divorced. It is not a matter of his sin not being forgiven, but rather that he serves as an example of how to manage his house and honor his commitment to God. I hold the same expectation for myself that I hold for him. Divorce is not an option for me and I have traught my children the same thing.

Bluelion · Jan 25, 2014

USCGrad90 said:
I think the question is a tough one, because there are different circumstances in which divorce happens. One problem in our society is that we accept divorce as normal. We have become de-sensitized to the fact that divorce breaks not only the promise to each other, but the promise we make to God. My church has strict standards for a pastor not to have been divorced. It is not a matter of his sin not being forgiven, but rather that he serves as an example of how to manage his house and honor his commitment to God. I hold the same expectation for myself that I hold for him. Divorce is not an option for me and I have traught my children the same thing.

I have the same view I do not agree with divorce ever. It was much harder to be divorced when America was just starting out. Marriage was for Life, I agree with that, However I do know it can happen even if people did everything they could to stop it from happening. I think one thing wrong with the church is impossible standards placed on preachers. If they repent we should for give and restore them. That is what God did with Peter so it is good enough for me.

For the record i am happily married and believe it is for Life. But I think a divorced man or woman can still preach if they repented.

classicalhero · Jan 26, 2014

They can still preach, but not be a Pastor. God has high standards for his leaders, which is why we should be praying for them to fall into sin and be lead astray.

dies-l · Jan 26, 2014

What if the pastor divorced for biblically permissible reasons such as adultery or abandonment by a non believing spouse? What if the ex-spouse left precisely because of the pastor's conversion to Christianity? Are you really saying that, in such circumstances, a person is forever disqualified from pastoral ministry? And are we really going to base this on a passage that addresses polygamy, and doesn't even mention divorce?

miamited · Jan 26, 2014

Bluelion said:
Paul sinned Peter denied Christ. So Paul and Peter should not have had any part in the Bible? Thing is to forgive means to erase it like it never happen. There are plenty of preachers who should not be doing the things they are, many are not even children of God in the first place, everyone else just hides their sin better.

The standard God holds Preachers to is higher, which means God is fast to correct them. If you start throwing stones there would be no one left to preach. If the person repents he should be forgiven and restore to his position as Peter was. I think this is the heart of the Lord, forgiveness. You can not say i forgive you then punish the person that is not forgiveness. It is as if it never happen. That is forgiveness. Maybe you don't understand what it means to forgive.

Can a man sin and still be a man of God yes, If those who wrote the Bible still sinned yet God saw fit to still use them, then why should a preacher not be used today? If you can point out on case where God removed a person from His appointed position he gave them I would be interested to here that.

Hi BL,

Why do you chase after rabbit holes? You keep bringing up and addressing the issue of sin. God never said that a sinner cannot be a pastor. The Scriptures tell us that Paul wrote that a pastor or deacon should be a man of only one wife. Nowhere do we find any instruction that he can't be a sinner, although it does seem quite clear that this man should work diligently to put away any sin in his lfe. The question here is not about sin. The question here is whether or not Paul was revealing a truth from God when he wrote that a pastor or deacon should be a man of only one wife? And if so, then what does that mean exactly. Is it referring to a man who is not in a polygamous relationship or actually speaking of a man who has remained faithful to the breast of his first and only wife, till death they are parted?

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

revrobor · Jan 26, 2014

The verses you refer to saying that a pastor should not have more than one wife was written in the day when polygamy was common and has nothing to do with divorce, In fact Jesus says in Matthew there are grounds for divorce. Those who like to use the Timothy and Titus verses to keep one called to the pastorate from accepting his call are interfering with God's directions.

revrobor · Jan 26, 2014

classicalhero said:
They can still preach, but not be a Pastor. God has high standards for his leaders, which is why we should be praying for them to fall into sin and be lead astray.

You have been mislead. There are pastors who have done jail time for serious crimes. That is less serious than divorce? Contrary to what the op said the Timothy and Titus verses are not clear prohibitions of a divorced man pastoring.

Bluelion · Jan 26, 2014

miamited said:
Hi BL,

Why do you chase after rabbit holes? You keep bringing up and addressing the issue of sin. God never said that a sinner cannot be a pastor. The Scriptures tell us that Paul wrote that a pastor or deacon should be a man of only one wife. Nowhere do we find any instruction that he can't be a sinner, although it does seem quite clear that this man should work diligently to put away any sin in his lfe. The question here is not about sin. The question here is whether or not Paul was revealing a truth from God when he wrote that a pastor or deacon should be a man of only one wife? And if so, then what does that mean exactly. Is it referring to a man who is not in a polygamous relationship or actually speaking of a man who has remained faithful to the breast of his first and only wife, till death they are parted?

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

Yes and you have to put it into context He was speaking to Gentiles who at the time were known to have many wives. I don't think he was speaking against divorce, because both Moses and Jesus gave a way out for that, but was speaking to polygamy. Just a thought.

Let me add that even though Jesus and Moses gave a way out Jesus said it was not as God intended. Adam and Eve were for Life, and that is the way it was meant.

miamited · Jan 26, 2014

Hi BL,

Well, I've already allowed that there are some who believe that way.

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

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