2 Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,
We started yesterday dealing with the qualifications for being a pastor, someone in spiritual leadership of God’s people. The first qualification is often the most difficult to swallow in our culture of easy and frequent divorce. One wife! Outsiders see the contradiction in the message preached that the God of love wants to change your life and provide for every need, and the leader who says they are getting a divorce. It has little to do with the reason for the divorce. They see the contradiction, so why can’t we? Divorce results from a breakdown in relationship. If God is about relationships, with Himself and with others, then those in leadership should (and I am writing as an outsider would say it) be able to maintain healthy relationships. How can you preach one thing and practice another? Some might interject the issue of multiple wives that exist in some cultures as a way to soften the impact on their own marriage failure. They say Paul only meant to place a limit on having one wife at a time, that a pastor should not be a polygamist, that serial marriage is acceptable. But that would contradict both the clear and direct statements of Genesis, Jesus and other passages of Paul. God hates divorce because of its dire consequences for all involved. The more that is known about effects of divorce on both spouses, on the children, and on a society at large, the more making marriage work is important. I think the answer for a pastor who gets a divorce is for them to step out of pastoral ministry into some other vocation. I know this is extremely difficult, but so is divorce. Perhaps they would work harder at saving or preventing the divorce if they know it meant another life-changing disruption. Twice in this list the use of mood inducing substances is mentioned. In this verse the use of alcohol must not lead the pastor to unrestrained activity. If the alcohol has them, they are in trouble. They must have their activities under their control, not allowing substances or others to negatively influence their behavior. They need to be able to teach. If they are not living their message, they are not able to teach. As any parent knows, our children learn more from watching our lives than by listening to our words. This is true in the spiritual realm as well. Our lives and lessons must match. That is above reproach.
The Arnold Journey 