Under the conventional approach, a gifted young preacher and Bible teacher can, if he chooses, enter directly into vocational ministry right out of Bible College or Seminary. But in doing so, he often skips past the season of managing his own household that normally serves to temper a young man’s moral character and develop his competence in leadership. He is thrust by modern ministry demands into routines that can undermine his biblical qualifications for church office. These young ministers often leave bible college or seminary with large debts, due to the ever rising costs of such an education, and have no trade outside of vocational ministry.
On the other hand, there are those who have the character qualifications for pastoral eldership, but lack the theological training and practical skills necessary to engage such an office effectively. Formal education is still one of the best ways that a man, called to the ministry, can devote himself to rigorous theological education and the development of counseling, writing, and rhetorical skills.
As young married Bible College and Seminary students ourselves, we experience this tension personally. We aspire to the office of an elder, want to give ourselves to theological training, refuse to compromise the biblical qualifications for eldership, and have a passion to magnify Christ through the use of our giftings in the Church until we meet such qualifications.
Within this tension, the Paul and Timothy Project was born. We desire to be agents of reform to the way pastors and elders are trained in the local church. We believe that a more biblical foundation for the training and preparation of elders in the Church must encompass five primary areas: theological education, ministry mentorship, pre-eldership ministry involvement, character development and pastoral skill. We desire to integrate these four areas in hopes of achieving a more biblical and effective preparation for ministry.
1. Theological education
One of the primary ways a pastor/elder leads, feeds, and protects is through the ministry of the word.
We desire the church to have a high view of the teaching office of the church. “Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.” 1 Timothy 5:17. We desire to see tomorrow’s elders give themselves to the careful and impassioned preaching of the Word. They must be prepared to feed the sheep as well as fend the wolves and their false doctrines.
“It is not right that we should give up preaching the Word of God…” Acts 6:2. “An overseer must be…able to teach.” 1 Timothy 3:2.
A thorough preparation for the teaching office should include extensive Bible study, rigorous theological studies, and Greek and Hebrew language studies. However, formal theological education is in need of reform. The Church is the only institution that is given the authority to prepare the saints for the work of the ministry (Ephesians 4:11-12), and almost all seminaries today do not qualify as an expression of the Church (no elders, no practice of church discipline, no administration of the ordinances/sacraments). We do not believe that a comprehensive theological education can reach its full potential without the checks and balances intended by God in His church.
2. Mentorship
“Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.” Proverbs 13:20.
Young men desiring to be pastors/elders need to be in relationship with seasoned pastors, evangelists, and missionaries. Mature elder qualified men need to engage in the task of apprenticing and teaching younger men, giving them opportunity to explore their gifting in a mentored-ministry setting. Young men need to be encouraged to “preach the Word” under the watchful eye of a qualified elder, just as Paul charged Timothy to “preach the Word” under his tutelage.
3. Pre-eldership Ministry
The dichotomy of vocational eldership ministry – or no ministry at all—is not a biblical one. It is our hope that the Church of our day will create a space where young men like Timothy are able to exercise their ministry gifts openly… without being prematurely elevated to offices reserved in the Bible for older, more seasoned men.
Young men should be ministering now, not waiting until they are local church pastors/elders. They should be doing the work of an evangelist, teaching the Bible, preaching the Word, and doing acts of service. Young Timothys can be a major ministry asset to their church while developing important skills needed for future eldership.
4. Character Development
“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.” 1 Timothy 3:2-5.
Most of the qualifications given to us in the Scriptures for an elder are highly demanding and regard a man’s character. Yet, often it is a seminary degree rather than character which qualifies a pastor in most of today’s churches. It ought not be so. The question is then asked… how does one train his character?
The Bible commends the household as one of the incubators for the character development of local church leadership. A man’s abilities and temperament are tested and nurtured in the management of his own household. As he loves and leads his wife and children he learns how to lead people, effectively and lovingly. The character flaws of a man are often magnified in his family, as they learn from him by example. It is by example that an elder is called to lead, first his family, then the church.
Our hope is to build a community which will drive a movement, and even a revival in the ministry, training, and development of young men in the church. Join us in our desire to see tomorrow’s church better nourished and more mature, prepared for the return of our Glorious King!
