Pastoral Qualifications – Overview

See the introduction to this series here.

Before actually diving into each of the specific qualifications for being a pastor, I want to do an overview of all the qualifications and make a few general observations.  Here are the qualifications for a man to become a pastor, as laid out for us in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1.

Character Qualifications (positive)

• above reproach (x3)
• sober-minded
• self-controlled (x2)
• respectable
• hospitable (x2)
• gentle
• a lover of good
• upright
• holy
• disciplined

Character Qualifications (negative)

• not a drunkard (x2)
• not violent (x2)
• not quarrelsome
• not a lover of money
• not arrogant
• not quick-tempered
• not greedy for gain

Family Qualifications

• husband of one wife (x2)
• children are believers
• children are not open to the charges of debauchery or insubordination
• manages his own household well
• with all dignity keeping his children submissive

Faith Qualifications

• not a recent convert
• holds firm to the trustworthy Word

Skill Qualifications

• able to teach
• able to give instruction in sound doctrine
• able to rebuke those who contradict sound doctrine

Civic Qualifications

• well thought of by outsiders

Here’s the major observation that I had while looking at this list after I first organized it like this in my personal journal.  God is much more concerned with who a pastor is than what a pastor does.  There are 22 qualifications dealing with the pastor’s character and family compared to the astonishing fact that there are only 3 qualifications for a pastor’s skill set.

These qualifications are not things that a man drums up in himself upon becoming a pastor.  These are characteristics that should be present in a man and then his church recognizes that he could be a man God is desiring to use in pastoral ministry.  In both Scripture passages, Paul is telling Timothy and Titus how to recognize a potential leader.

In the next post I will begin working through each of the specific qualifications on the positive character list.