Four C’s of a Church Planter (Part 3: Character)

Last article, we dove into the foundational issue of Calling for church planters. Without a call of God, one should never enter into planting ministry or ministry in general. If you have missed the introduction to this series or last week’s article, I would encourage you to go back and read. Our article today looks at the 2nd C of a Church Planter – Character.

Character

I distinctly remember former Home Mission director, Pastor Paul Nash talking a lot about spiritual warfare within church planting. This is a big issue and a big reality.  Church planting, like foreign missions, is front line ministry work. It is spiritual combat. Within the front line battle, the cause advances through a hail of bullets. Satan hates church planters. He hates the gospel coming into new places and reaching dead sinners. His goal is to destroy planters. He hates the congregation also and will do everything he can to halt its power.  Part of his approach is to throw an onslaught of temptation and difficulty at the planter.  In the midst of this, not only is the calling of God so significant, but character is tested like never before. Like on the mission field, weaknesses are magnified. Little issues balloon to large ones. A common phrase I have heard from other planters is that a planter’s disqualification in ministry likely won’t be doctrinal, but moral.

As this issue is considered, a sneaky problem arises. How does one define character? Who gets to define it? You see, it’s easy to allow our natural thinking to invade here. It’s easy to assume that because a guy is a good dude or nice, he’s good to go for pastoral ministry. But that isn’t enough. God set’s the standard. It’s his Church. How good it is that we don’t have to try to manufacture this. He has already given us the character qualifications He desires for His work. The Scriptures paint a clear picture as it relates to the necessity of character as primary qualifications for pastors. Paul gives us two lists:

“If anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.” (Titus 1:6-9)

Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church? He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil. (I Timothy 3: 1-7)

Students of the Bible have found it helpful to categorize these qualifications to better understand and assess them. There are multiple ways to break these down, but a common approach is to separate these qualifications into 5 categories.

A Pastors Reputation

1. 1. “Above reproach” (1 Tim. 3:2, Titus 1:6)
   2. “Respectable” (1 Tim. 3:2)
   3. “Well thought of by outsiders” (1 Tim. 3:7)

A Pastors Family

1. 1. “The husband of one wife” (1 Tim. 3:2, Titus 1:6)
   2. “He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive” (1 Tim. 3:4)
   3. “His children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination” (Titus 1:6)

A Pastors Integrity

1. 1. “Sober-minded” (1 Tim 3:2)
   2. “Self-Controlled” (Titus 1:8)
   3. “Not greedy for gain” (Titus 1:7)
   4. “Not quick tempered” (Titus 1:7)
   5. “Not quarrelsome” (1 Tim. 3:3)
   6. “Not a drunkard” (1 Tim. 3:3)
   7. “Disciplined” (Titus 1:8)
   8. “Above reproach” (1 Tim. 3:2, Titus 1:6)
   9. “Upright” (Titus 1:8)
   10. “Holy” (Titus 1:8)
   11. “Gentle” (1 Tim. 3:3)
   12. “Not arrogant” (Titus 1:7)
   13. “hospitable” (1 Timothy 3:2, Titus 1:8)
   14. “a lover of good” (Titus 1:8)

A Pastors Maturity

1. 1. “Not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil” (1 Tim. 3:6)
   2. “Hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught” (Titus 1:9)
   3. “And let them also be tested first; then let them serve…” (1 Tim. 3:10a)
   4. “He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it” (Titus 1:9)

A Pastors Skill

1. 1. “be able to give instruction in sound doctrine (Titus 1:9)
   2. “rebuke those who contradict it” (Titus 1:9)
   3. “able to teach” (1 Tim. 3:3)
   4. Notice, while there are a few qualifications that deal with competency and skill, the vast majority deal with character. Consider just how dangerous a pastor can be to a flock who lacks integrity and maturity. He might have a ton of idealism and charisma, but danger awaits.  There is a high probability that He will manipulate and spiritual damage the congregation. Unfortunately, it isn’t hard to find many examples of this.  It’s important to see that these qualifications are there for the health and protection of the congregation and must be honored.

Now, a word about the list. It’s important to recognize that in this life, only Jesus fulfilled these qualifications perfectly. If we see this list as requiring perfection, we are mistaken.  No pastor can fulfill this list perfectly. If you are a pastor, you know and feel this intimately. We are often bombarded by a total lack of unworthiness in ourselves to shepherd God’s people. That feeling of unworthiness is a good thing.  How good is the grace of Christ in the midst of our failures.  However, another mistaken understanding is to see these qualifications as idealistic and unreal and therefore can be marginalized. We must understand that these qualifications are in the realm of sanctification which is a great work of the Spirit of God in our lives.   These are areas that he seeks to grow in us as pastors.  Given the qualification of spiritual maturity, there should be a track record of evidence of these Spirit produced qualities. As we consider the assessment process here, the value of godly and mature believers surrounding potential pastors is so crucial. 

Men, this should be our desire. By God’s grace and Spirit, it should be what we shoot for. Our attitudes toward this should be humility and dependence upon the Lord. If a potential pastor is blind, or unconcerned, or obviously failing, or unrepentant in these areas, then we have a problem and potentially a disqualification.  Charisma, knowledge, leadership skills, and talent simply cannot be a supplement for the godly character needed for Christ’s church.

Let’s continue to pray for the spiritual health and protection of our pastors in all the various ministry contexts.

Part 4 will dive into the 3rd C – Chemistry