Who you are defines what you do.

Yesterday I met with a young man interested in the pastorate/eldership/ministry. He asked me what I look for in a man in that regard.

I hadn't prepared an answer, but quickly came out with the following:

1. I look for a man with a passion for the word of God.

He has to be convinced of the certrality and necessity of the Bible. If he's not convinced of the authority and sufficiency of God's Word, he will be susceptible to pragmatism, compromise, and self-reliance.

There's no substitute for the transforming nature of God's Word in church & personal life.

2. I look for a man with a passion for holiness.

I want a leader who is pursuing Christ, then he just takes others along with him. But attitude reflects leadership. If the leaders don't take seriously a pursuit of holiness in the spirit of Semper Reformanda, "always reforming," the people/church will become complacent with a sub par spirituality. Consequently, the church will be ineffective in the community and with regard to glorifying the Holy One who redeemed them to be like Him.

There's no substitute for personal holiness in the performance of pastoral duties.

3. I look for a man with a passion for the local church.

This would have disqualified hordes of jokers I knew in seminary, who demonstrated minimal (at best) commitment to their congregations while in seminary.

The local church is mechanism by which God executes the Great Commission. The local church is not merely a job or a place to do something by which we feel significant, but it's Christ's body in this world. Though it be flawed due to sinners being made holy, we love the people because Christ love the church. We love what He loves.

There's no substitute for the environment in which God transforms His children to be His ambassadors in communities they're infiltrating for Christ.


All the stuff in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 are essential, of course, as are how he handles his children and gets along with his wife. However, many of those things we can work on.

We can provide mentoring and training therein, but I can't give a guy a passion for the Word, holiness, or the local church. Without those there's reason for him to question his calling and for the church to be hesitant in affirming any such calling.