The Right Stuff: The Lord's Qualifications For His Public Ministers

Abstract

The synod is experiencing a growing need for pastors as the dawn of the 21st century arrives. Many have offered solutions to provide “qualified” pastoral candidates to offset the ever-growing shortage. Lyle Schaller and C. Peter Wagner indicated that pastors are essential for the church’s success in the coming century. However, neither indicated a lack of theological training as a disqualifying factor for the candidate for ministry. On the other hand, Luther laid out the qualifications for pastors as indicated in 1 Timothy 3:2–7 and Titus 1:7–9. This list includes: being blameless—though not sinless, for that is impossible, but conducting in good examples for the congregation—a character above reproach, a husband of one wife, sober, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not be violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not be a lover of money, manages the family well, not a recent convert, has a good reputation with the congregation and the public at large, not arrogant or overbearing, not be inclined to anger or easily angered, being a lover of what is good, being righteous—not in regards with his atonement status before God but in dealing with the Word—, and a willing to serve as a pastor rather than be forced into such a position. This requires preachers to be thoroughly trained in the Scripture to live and teach these truths found in the Scripture in daily life. The thorough training also provides the pastor to grow in his faith and stand against Pietism. However stringent these qualifications are, one must remember that his competency does not arise from himself. God has made all of us to be competent ministers of his covenant.