THEO 500 FINAL PAPER
LIBERTY THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
BIBLICAL QUALIFICATIONS FOR
LOCAL CHURCH LEADERSHIP
A PAPER
SUBMITTED TO DR. LARRY McDONALD
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT
OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE COURSE
SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY II
THEO 530
BY
JOE SMITH
DECEMBER 7, 2013
Thesis Statement The ministry of the gospel of Jesus Christ must have certain biblical, and ecclesiastical, and societal qualifications to ensure that this divine calling is implemented and executed with the standards and effectiveness that Christ himself would approve.
Table of Contents
I. Introduction …………………………………………………………………………………...2
II. Biblical Qualifications……………………………………………………………………...2-9
III. Ecclesiastical Qualifications……………………………………………........................10-14
IV. Societal Qualifications………………………………………………………………….15-16
V. Summary and Conclusion……………………………………………………………….16-17
Bibliography………………………………………………………………………………....18-20
ii.
Introduction
In the exploration of the biblical qualifications to leadership in the local church body one must take an objective look at the biblical, ecclesiastical, and societal standards by which this office is made available for leadership. Socrates once said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.”1 In the postmodern era of the church we’re experiencing an increasing casualty rate in the clergy as epidemic as found in an article written by Dr. Richard J. Krejcir who said, “Pastors are in perhaps the single most stressful and frustrating working profession, more than medical doctors, lawyers, or politicians. We found that over 70% of pastors are so stressed out and burned out that they regularly consider leaving the ministry. Thirty-five to forty percent of pastors actually do leave the ministry, most after only five years.”2 As we proceed to examine this topic we take it very seriously that there are certain qualifications for the ministry as there are multiple
BIBLICAL QUALIFICATIONS FOR
LOCAL CHURCH LEADERSHIP
A PAPER
SUBMITTED TO DR. LARRY McDONALD
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT
OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE COURSE
SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY II
THEO 530
BY
JOE SMITH
DECEMBER 7, 2013
Thesis Statement The ministry of the gospel of Jesus Christ must have certain biblical, and ecclesiastical, and societal qualifications to ensure that this divine calling is implemented and executed with the standards and effectiveness that Christ himself would approve.
Table of Contents
I. Introduction …………………………………………………………………………………...2
II. Biblical Qualifications……………………………………………………………………...2-9
III. Ecclesiastical Qualifications……………………………………………........................10-14
IV. Societal Qualifications………………………………………………………………….15-16
V. Summary and Conclusion……………………………………………………………….16-17
Bibliography………………………………………………………………………………....18-20
ii.
Introduction
In the exploration of the biblical qualifications to leadership in the local church body one must take an objective look at the biblical, ecclesiastical, and societal standards by which this office is made available for leadership. Socrates once said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.”1 In the postmodern era of the church we’re experiencing an increasing casualty rate in the clergy as epidemic as found in an article written by Dr. Richard J. Krejcir who said, “Pastors are in perhaps the single most stressful and frustrating working profession, more than medical doctors, lawyers, or politicians. We found that over 70% of pastors are so stressed out and burned out that they regularly consider leaving the ministry. Thirty-five to forty percent of pastors actually do leave the ministry, most after only five years.”2 As we proceed to examine this topic we take it very seriously that there are certain qualifications for the ministry as there are multiple