“Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, nor take part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure” (1 Timothy 5:22)
Pastoral Shortages
Churches need pastors. Nearly all churches have engaged in a pastoral search and discovered the shortage in supply. This is an issue that spans all denominations. When there is a shortage of a resource, a few things can happen – people panic, seek alternative options or even lower their standards. When there is a crisis or potential crisis of resources, we run to the store to grab any milk and bread we can find regardless of quality or maybe even expiration date. We may rationalize that having something is better than nothing.
Standard Temptations
In our current state of pastoral shortages, there is a danger of acting out of crisis mode and rushing to the store to grab whatever we can find. Because churches have a deep and understandable need for pastors, ministerial committees can feel the pressure to credential pastors quickly or bend standards to give credentials to those who have been called by a church to pastor. In their desire to love and serve churches, ministerial committees can feel an obligation to get individuals ordained quickly because they do not want to stand in the way of church ministry. This can often be the case if a pastor is not new to ministry but is transferring in from another conference or ecclesiastical body.
When there is a felt need or crisis within the church, we need leaders who are not prone to panic but are committed to serve the church out of the instruction and wisdom of Scripture. Ministerial committees can feel great pressure to credential individuals out of duty, but they must resist this pressure and credential individuals out of a desire to honor God and protect the church.
The Double-Edged Influence of Elders/Pastors
The apostle Paul makes it clear in the pastoral epistles, and Acts 20 highlights, that elders/pastors are both a benefit and a danger to the church. They are a benefit in that they lead and protect the church in faith and doctrine, but they can also be dangerous wolves that can lead churches astray. Paul knows this and, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, lays out the qualifications for elders/pastors. Ministerial committees must not rush the process of credentialing. They must commit to praying, evaluating and processing those who wish to be credentialed for the sake of the church. Those wishing to serve as credentialed ministers should desire to be evaluated and held accountable for the sake of their own lives and the life and health of Christ’s church.
Biblical Warning: “Do Not Be Hasty.”
In 1 Timothy 5:22, Paul warns Timothy not to lay hands on anyone too quickly. They are not to be hurried in commissioning people to ministry. Paul gives a big reason why just a couple of verses later: “The sins of some people are conspicuous, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others appear later” (1 Timothy 5:24).
Paul himself did not rush into ministry after receiving the miraculous call of God to preach to the Gentiles:
“But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone; nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days. But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord’s brother. (In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie!) Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. And I was still unknown in person to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. They only were hearing it said, ‘He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.’ And they glorified God because of me. Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. I went up because of a revelation and set before them (though privately before those who seemed influential) the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles, in order to make sure I was not running or had not run in vain” (Galatians 1:15–2:2).
Paul took time and submitted himself before jumping into ministry (cf. Acts 15). Paul met with the Jerusalem council both to defend his ministry and also to make sure he was not running in vain. We must not be quick to enter ministry or to credential for ministry. Ministerial committees must be committed to honoring God in the evaluation of those who have received the call to ministry.
Trust God’s Inspired Word
God has given us his inerrant, infallible and authoritative Word. He has given us all we need to walk with those called to lead our churches. We must be careful to avoid rushing the process out of need, love or panic. May the Lord call more workers to the harvest, and may he guide ministerial committees to come alongside churches and pastors to encourage, assess and carefully affirm or deny those called into ministry.
