As I write this, I’ve just watched the memorial service for John MacArthur. You can watch it here. I’ve written before about my appreciation for John MacArthur. You can read my article “Why I Love John MacArthur here.
The loss of MacArthur follows the recent loss of other giants in the Reformed/Evangelical camp. R.C. Sproul died in 2017 and Tim Keller in 2023. Sadly, there have also been men, who through their sin, have disqualified themselves from ministry. Among the giants still remaining are John Piper, Sinclair Ferguson, and Alistair Begg, all of whom are in their 70’s.
As we considered the loss of MacArthur, I was talking to my long-time pastor about who the leaders of the future would be. With so many of the giants departing, who will take up the mantle? Who will be the next Charles Spurgeon, or Martyn Lloyd-Jones? His response was to look to the faithful pastors who labor in the local church.
The Bible has qualifications for pastors listed in two places – 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1: 5-9. Those qualifications are primarily character related, rather than skills a man has to possess.
In 1 Timothy 3: 1-7, Paul tells us that if anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. He then writes:
“Therefore, an overseer (or pastor, or elder), must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4 He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, 5 for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church? 6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. 7 Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.”
In Titus 1: 5-9, Paul adds:
“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. 7 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, 8 but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. 9 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.”
Those that faithfully meet these qualifications are true giants. They will likely never speak at a major conference, write a best-selling book, or have hundreds of thousands of social media followers.
In 1 Peter 5:2, Peter gives this charge to faithful pastors:
“Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; 3 not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. 4 And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.”
I am thankful for faithful pastors.
