​Which One…Faithful or Flamboyant?

​Which One…Faithful or Flamboyant? (I Corinthians 4:2; I Timothy 3:1-7; I Peter 5:1-4)
 
Proverbs 20:6, Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?
I Corinthians 4:2, Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.
I Timothy 3:1-7, This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. 2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; 3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; 4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; 5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) 6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. 7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
I Peter 5:1-4, The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: 2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; 3 Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
 
Whether it is in politics, business, sports, or religion, people demand character and morality from their leaders. No one wants to be led by someone who morally fails in their personal lives. While it’s true, we cannot have perfection in any leader, can and should seek one who is a person of principle. But here is the question. From what origin do you seek your source? When one fails to seek the counsel from Scriptures for leadership the end result is moral and spiritual quandary.
It’s been said, “We want character without unyielding conviction; we want strong morality, but without the emotional burden of guilt or shame; we want virtue but without particular moral justifications that invariably offend; we want good without having to name evil.”
 
There are two ways to take a building down. You can attack the building from the outside with a big crane and wrecking ball. Or you can set explosive devices inside the building to weaken the structure, and the building will implode and collapse on top of itself. As much as leaders are concerned with attacks from the outside, most leaders who fall do so because of implosion. The weight of responsibilities is too much for a weak foundation or weak character. If your competence outpaces your character, collapse is almost certain. If you grow in your role but your integrity shrinks, you won’t be able to handle the weight of the role. If you become more skilled as a leader but don’t grow in your sanctification as a Christian, you are setting yourself up for a fall.  Which means if you don’t work on your character, if you don’t allow God to grow your faith, to keep you humble, to give you wisdom then you are likely to become more skilled and less sanctified. We must care more about the work of God in us than the work of God through us. What specifically does God require of His servants? There are several qualifications for the bishop or as it is more commonly referred to, the pastor found in I Timothy 3:1-7. This is a checklist of qualifications for a pastor, who is to be a model for everyone who serves the Lord.
 
In recent years, the church has suffered numerous reports of catastrophic moral failure by some of its most powerful and popular leaders. It happens to all sorts of pastors from churches large and small, rural and urban. Most pastors I’ve known are godly men, but I’ve known some who took their own lives, three who were caught in adultery, several who were bullies, a few who misappropriated funds, and many liars. While it’s true that many leaders have seduced congregants, have become impossibly selfish and greedy, or abused power; there are still many who are faithful to the Lord and to the congregation.
 
A pastor can be both faithful and imperfect. Pastors face bitter accusations for giving ineffective pastoral counsel, for failing to complete planned projects, even for not performing enough hospital visits. It’s no wonder why some many qualified ministers leave the ministry due to exhaustion? The research of George Barna states that as many as 4000 churches are closing their doors permanently every year in America. While 1,400 pastors are quitting the ministry permanently every single month. Many churches in our country don't have a pastor because it is becoming more difficult to find one. One of the most hurtful experiences for me as a pastor is when I've taught, loved, and served someone faithfully and unconditionally and they simply turn and walk away, never looking back. No matter how much I remind myself that this is part of the ministry and even though I’m reminded that Jesus said it would happen, it is still very painful.
 
A godly pastor will love the congregation and feed them a healthy balance of the whole counsel of God. He will protect the fold by shielding them from wolves who would seduce the people. Healthy church people will hold a high regard for the pulpit.  The congregation will ensure pastors have time for rest and reflection and will protect them from personal attacks and senseless criticism. This may require a godly intolerance for troublemakers whose lives contradict the Gospel. At best, pastors will lead beautiful lives that silence accusers. Personal peace will give them time to pursue godliness and to fulfill their tasks; teaching, preaching, making disciples, praying from a love of Jesus and His people. The end result is that they can go about fulfilling the great commission and occupy until He comes again.
 
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