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Chapter 3, 1 Timothy 3, as we look at the 
qualifications for elders in the church of the Lord Jesus 
Christ, specifically verses 1 to 7. I'll 
begin reading in chapter 3 at verse 1 and read the whole chapter, 
and then we'll look specifically at the verses 1 to 7. This is 
a faithful saying. If a man desires the position 
of a bishop, he desires a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, 
the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, 
hospitable, able to teach, not given to wine, not violent, not 
greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous, 
one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission 
with all reverence. For if a man does not know how 
to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of 
God? Not a novice, lest, being puffed up with pride, he fall 
into the same condemnation as the devil. Moreover, he must 
have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall 
into reproach and the snare of the devil. Likewise, deacons 
must be reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy 
for money, holding the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience. 
But let these also first be tested, then let them serve as deacons, 
being found blameless. Likewise, their wives must be 
reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. Let deacons 
be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children in their 
own house as well. For those who have served well 
as deacons obtain for themselves a good standing and great boldness 
in the faith which is in Christ Jesus. These things I write to 
you, though I hope to come to you shortly. But if I am delayed, 
I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself 
in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, 
the pillar and ground of the truth. And without controversy, 
great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifested in the flesh, 
justified in the spirit, seen by angels, preached among the 
Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory. 
Amen. Let us pray. Father, we thank 
you for the written word. We thank you that it gives us 
all things necessary for life in the Church of the Lord Jesus 
Christ. We pray now for the ministry of the Holy Spirit, that we would 
take seriously these qualifications, that we would seek to apply them 
in the context of our local church. We pray, God, that you would 
guide us and lead us and direct us as a church. And we pray, 
Father, that all of these things would be done for your glory, 
for your honor, for your praise, and Lord, with a view to planting 
other churches. For God, we know that the harvest 
is plentiful, but laborers are few. So we pray that you'd raise 
up men that are qualified, as the scriptures declare, men with 
a burden for souls and a desire to proclaim your truth. And we 
would pray, God in heaven, that you would be pleased to to plant 
new churches, confessional churches, churches that make much of Jesus 
Christ and Him crucified. Do forgive us now for our sins 
and our transgressions and grant us grace and help and strength 
and we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Well, we're going 
to look at this particular section, the qualifications for elders 
under six particular considerations, or there are six categories that 
the man must have in order. The first is his desire for the 
eldership. Secondly, his personal holiness. Thirdly, his domestic faithfulness. Fourthly, his experience in the 
faith. Sixth, the man's testimony toward 
outsiders. I'm sorry, that was five, the 
man's testimony toward outsiders, and then finally the man's ability 
to teach. But before we actually jump into 
the text, a word about terminology. The New Testament uses the words 
elder, overseer, and pastor synonymously. They don't refer to separate 
or differing offices, but these three terms are applied to the 
one office that has as its primary responsibility teaching and preaching 
which in turn means oversight or leadership within the context 
of the church. So the office that Paul is describing 
in 1 Timothy 3, 1 to 7, he calls it a bishop. If you look over 
at chapter 5 in verse 17, he says, let the elders who rule 
well be counted worthy of double honor. Again, the terminology 
of the separate terms apply to the same office. You can see 
this as well in the book of Acts. You can turn there, Acts chapter 
20, because I think at times there's some confusion about 
the various words that are used, perhaps suggesting that there 
are various offices. There are two abiding offices 
in the church, the elder and the deacon, and those things 
are described in 1 Timothy 3. But if you notice, in Acts 20 
at verse 17, It says, from Miletus, he sent to Ephesus and called 
for the elders of the church. And then in verse 28, he says, 
therefore, take heed to yourselves and to all the flock among which 
the Holy Spirit has made you overseers or bishops. So the elders are bishops or 
overseers, and then the functional term describing how they labor 
in the word and in doctrine is then the word pastor. So shepherd 
the flock has made you overseers to shepherd or to pastor the 
church of God which he purchased with his own blood. So the three 
terms, elder, overseer, and pastor, all refer to the same office. So going back to 1 Timothy chapter 
three, let's look at these specific categories. First is desire for 
the eldership. His desire for the eldership. 
Notice in verse one, this is a faithful saying. If a man desires 
the position of a bishop or overseer, he desires a good work. Now I 
know that word bishop connotes several abuses in the history 
of the church. We think of Roman Catholic bishops 
with their big hats and their ungodly authority and their tyranny 
and all that sort of thing. But bishop is a good word. It 
simply means overseer. But the man must desire the office. We don't put unwilling men in. 
It's not a popularity contest. It's not, you know, let's just 
vote and whoever gets the most votes has to serve whether they 
want to or not. No, he must desire it. It's a 
calling. It's a vocation. It is something 
that God commands or demands of a man who enters into this 
that he enters into it willingly. Peter says the same thing in 
1 Peter chapter 5. Willingness is part and parcel 
of a call to the ministry. But as we look at this desire, 
it's good for us to flesh it out in a little bit more detail. I love Pastor Albert and Martin's 
sermon series on a call to the ministry. And he suggests four 
things that ought to play with reference to a man's call to 
the ministry. The first, he suggests, is a 
desire born of right motives. And you see that here. It must 
be a desire born of right motives. It's not a desire born of wrong 
motives, bad motives. The man wants to be a cult leader. 
He wants to build a kingdom. He wants to have, you know, his 
sort of sway over the minds of men. He wants to be a cult leader. 
No, that's not good motivation. The desire must be born of right 
motives. Pastor Martin suggests, secondly, 
that there must be graces indicating genuine Christian experience. 
In other words, he not only has a desire, but he's a born-again 
man. He's a Christian man. He has 
faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. He exercises repentance by the 
grace of God. He is walking faithfully with 
his Lord, and he has those graces indicating genuine Christian 
experience. Thirdly, we would suggest gifts 
indicating divine provision. In other words, the man has the 
ability to do what elders do. Without that ability, he is not 
fit for the ministry. He is not called to be an elder 
if he can't teach or preach the word. As we look at the various 
categories of qualification, what Paul writes is nothing more 
than every Christian man ought to be. In other words, everything 
described in 1 Timothy 3, 1-7 is something that should be true 
of every Christian man in terms of his personal holiness, in 
terms of his domestic faithfulness, in terms of his testimony towards 
outsiders. The one thing that differentiates 
the elder is that these things are proven. They're demonstrable. Persons have seen them. Persons 
have tested them. Persons have validated them to 
make sure they are in fact the case for this man. But another 
thing is the aptness to teach. Verse 2. He must be able to teach. I always love to quote this Spurgeon 
quote because I think it's so fitting, with reference to gifts 
indicating divine provision. Spurgeon said, God certainly 
has not created behemoth to fly. And should Leviathan have a strong 
desire to ascend with the lark, it would evidently be an unwise 
aspiration since he is not furnished with wings. If a man be called 
to preach, he will be endowed with a degree of speaking ability, 
which he will cultivate and increase. If the gift of utterance be not 
there in a measure at the first, it is not likely that it ever 
will be developed. Now, Spurgeon was pretty hardcore 
when it came to these particular things. He used to be the man 
that would authorize whether or not a man would enter into 
the pastor's college. And he says at one point, this 
fellow came in and he had a jaw that clicked in such a way that 
for all the gold in Ophir, Spurgeon couldn't keep himself from laughing. 
And he suspected that none of the other persons that would 
hear this man preach would be able to stop from laughing either, 
so he suggested this man with the clicking jaw to go pursue 
another profession. There are several instances like 
that in his call to the ministry, but it highlights the point. 
If God called a man to preach, That man will be endowed with 
a degree of speaking ability. Elsewhere in the essay, Spurgeon 
says to men with narrow chests, he says, that is why we have 
dumbbells in the basement of the college. You need to expand 
the chest so that you can draw in wind and preach the word of 
the living God. That is absolutely crucial. Gifts indicating divine provision. A man may be everything Paul 
describes here in verses 1 to 7, but if the man cannot teach 
or preach, he shouldn't be an elder. That doesn't mean he's 
a bad guy. There's no sin in not being an 
elder. There's no sin in not being a 
deacon. There's no sin in not being recognized 
by the church. It is perfectly acceptable to 
be a faithful churchman. It is perfectly acceptable to 
live your life as a godly man, serving the church without title, 
without recognition, without any sort of special things involved, 
but just to be a faithful brother. There's no sin in not being an 
elder. And so when I highlight this 
aptness to teach, this necessity to be able to preach and open 
up the truth of scripture, that is not to say that persons who 
can't do that are somehow defective, or they're somehow inoperative, 
or they're somehow not as full a Christian. as an elder is. So, desire born of right motives, 
graces indicating genuine Christian experience, gifts indicating 
divine provision, and fourthly, opportunity indicating providential 
opening. Opportunity indicating providential 
opening. Proverbs 18, 16 says that a man's 
gift makes room for him. The man does not make room for 
his gift. The man does not come the first 
time he visits the church, pull the elders aside and say, you 
really need to use me to teach a Bible study. You really need 
to have me come on Wednesday night or on Sunday morning. Or 
you ought to give me the pulpit on a Lord's Day morning or evening. 
No, you don't make room for your gift, your gift makes room for 
you. And that brings us to a very 
necessary consideration, the place of the church in the process. You see, a man's calling to the 
ministry, this desire that he has, these other elements that 
are involved, is somewhat subjective. Just because a man wants to be 
an astronaut doesn't necessarily mean he'll be an astronaut. Just 
because a man wants to be a cowboy doesn't necessarily mean he should 
be a cowboy. Just because a man desires the 
office of eldership doesn't mean he should necessarily be an elder. 
So the subjective desire that is manifested in the man must 
be checked by objective criteria. And this is where the church 
is most helpful. The church is absolutely requisite 
so that she can examine the qualifications of the man to make sure that 
the desire that he has is legitimate, that the desire that he has is 
right, that the desire that he has is consistent with all that 
Paul says. Our confession says, the way 
appointed by Christ for the calling of any person fitted and gifted 
by the Holy Spirit unto the office of bishop or elder in a church 
is that he be chosen thereunto by the common suffrage of the 
church itself. See, just because you desire 
it doesn't mean you should have it. The church must authorize. The church is crucial in the 
process. Goes on to say, and solemnly 
set apart by fasting and prayer with imposition of hands of the 
eldership of the church, if there be any before constituted therein, 
and a deacon that he be chosen by the like suffrage and set 
apart by prayer and the like imposition of hands. Now the 
presence of these qualifications here in 1 Timothy 3 and then 
again in Titus chapter 1 argue as much. It is the church that 
is told that the man that she chooses for elders must be these 
kinds of men. So it's not just the subjective 
criteria that a man has a desire for the eldership. Objectively, 
he must be checked by the Word of God and by the Church of Jesus 
Christ. It isn't the case that a desire 
alone means that a man will be an elder. It doesn't mean that 
a man who has a desire will necessarily be fit and qualified for service. Notice as well the church must 
test those men that are being considered. Look at verse 8 in 
chapter 3. Likewise. The likewise points 
back to what has preceded. Elders must be, and then all 
of the virtues are given, the specific gift is treated, and 
then in verse 8 where it says, likewise, that means that likewise 
deacons must be. The must be is supplied there. 
I think it is legitimately supplied because we are considering the 
qualifications for deacons. But notice in verse 10, let these 
also first be tested. So Paul is saying that the deacons 
need to be tested prior to entrance into the diaconal ministry. But 
the also there indicates or intimates that elders are tested prior 
to entering into the eldership. Let these also, like the elders 
before them, first be tested. Once they are tested, once the 
church has approved of this desire, has seen his qualification, They 
are brought into that sphere of service in Christ's church. So the man's desire for the eldership 
must be present, but it must as well be checked by biblical 
objective qualifications imposed by or examined by the church 
of the Lord Jesus Christ. You see, the church is intimately 
involved in everything concerning ministry. It's intriguing as 
well. In Acts chapter 13, where does 
the Holy Spirit go when He wants missionaries? He goes to the 
church in Antioch. He didn't go to some missionary 
society. He didn't go to some para-church 
ministry. He goes to the church of Jesus 
Christ and the Spirit says, give me Paul and Barnabas. Very mature, 
very gifted, very qualified men. I think at times we undo this 
specific thing when we send unqualified men into difficult situations. Paul and Barnabas were the real 
deal. They had been converted for some 
time. They had exhibited faithfulness. In many ways, we would say they 
were the best that the church had to offer there in Antioch. And so the Spirit comes and says, 
separate these men. I want them to go out and preach 
the gospel in other lands. You don't use the worst men to 
serve as missionaries or elders. You seek by the grace of God 
qualified men that are what the Lord envisages for His church. So that's the desire for eldership. Notice secondly, the man's personal 
holiness. We're not going to spend a lot 
of time on each of these particulars, but just to get a feel for and 
an overview of what is involved in the man's personal holiness. 
Notice again, he must be. Verse 2, a bishop then must be. Again, we could say every Christian 
man must be these things. Every Christian man should be 
faithful in these areas. Every Christian man should aspire 
to this level of godliness. But with reference to the elders, 
it's demonstrable. It is obvious. It is evident. 
It has been tested. It has been seen. It is something 
that is definitely true. So the man must be. This isn't 
suggestive. It would be nice if the elders 
would be these sorts of things. No, they must be. In other words, 
we don't vote for a man or we don't raise the hand for a man 
if he's not these things. If he is not what Paul says to 
the church in Ephesus to Timothy, we are not to install a man. Notice he must be blameless. This is the overarching or all-embracing 
qualification. It literally means not to be 
taken hold of. It means to be irreproachable 
or unimpeachable. Paul does not have sinless perfection 
in mind, but an external reputation that is a benefit to the church, 
that is a credit to the church. Again, it's not sinless perfection. 
It doesn't, you know, Paul doesn't say, you know, a bishop then 
must be perfect, because we'd have no bishops, we'd have no 
overseers, we'd have no elders in the church of Jesus Christ 
if the standard was perfection. We need to understand that. On 
the one hand, we don't want to lower the qualifications and 
put unfit men in. But at the same time, brethren, 
we can't look for angelic beings. We can't look for heart-stroking, 
wing-having, floating men in our society that we will install 
into the eldership because they don't exist. So on the one hand, 
we don't want to lower the qualifications, but on the other hand, we don't 
want to prosecute them in such a way that no man is fit, no 
man is qualified, or no man could ever enter in. to the eldership. 
It's not sinless perfection, rather it is a blamelessness. 
The man is a credit to the church. Notice the husband of one wife. Now, there are several options 
as to the interpretation here. Some suggest that the elder must 
be married. In other words, you can't have 
unmarried or single men that are serving in gospel ministry. 
I don't think that's what it means. I certainly think it's 
beneficial for an elder to be married. I think it's the typical, 
the norm. I think in this context, first 
century Judaism, I mean, piety was seen oftentimes in the fact 
that a man was married. I don't think it's necessary. 
In other words, you've got to get married before you can join 
the eldership. I don't think that's what's in view at this 
particular point. The second option is the elder 
must only have had one wife for his entire life. In other words, 
if she dies, He can't remarry again if he wants to be an elder. 
I don't think the rest of the New Testament supports that view. 
Option three, the text forbids polygamy. A man can't have a 
plurality of wives. Now certainly I don't believe 
a man should have a plurality of wives, and I think that the 
scriptures prohibit that, but I don't think that's what's in 
view in this particular instance. I think option four is right. 
The elder is to be faithful in marriage and sexual matters. 
The language literally is, he is a one woman man. We might say he's faithful and 
true to one woman. In fact, look at 1 Timothy chapter 
5 with reference to the one women or widows that are put on the 
list. 1 Timothy chapter 5 verse 9, 
do not let a widow under 60 years old be taken into the number 
and not unless she has been the wife of one man. I think that 
means her first husband died and she remarried, so therefore 
she can't get any assistance from the church. No, she's a 
one-man woman. In other words, she's faithful 
when it comes to sexual things. She's faithful with reference 
to her covenant of marriage. The same is true here in 1 Timothy 
3, 2, the husband of one wife, he must be demonstrably pure 
when it comes to his own marriage. He is not engaged in extracurricular 
activities. He's not looking at porn. He 
is not flirting with others. He is not engaged in that sort 
of wickedness. No, he is the husband of one 
wife. I love that instance in the prophet 
Ezekiel when God is going to teach a lesson to Israel with 
reference to the destruction of their temple, and God uses 
Ezekiel's wife as the lesson. And God says to Ezekiel, son 
of man, I'm going to take away from you the desire of your eyes. And his wife died. Interesting 
way that he would describe Ezekiel's wife. Now, typically, I have 
Ezekiel as an older man. I don't know why. Well, actually, 
I do know why. Ezekiel is very dated, not him 
being ancient, the ancient one, but the date or the book. I mean, 
he gives the dates over and over again of what's happening and 
when it's happening. Even into his older age, there 
was one desire of his eyes. He didn't have a retinue, he 
didn't have a stable, he didn't have a whole lot of different 
women. He had one desire of his eyes, and that's the kind of 
men that Paul says are to be in the gospel ministry. You see 
it with reference to politics. When the President of the United 
States cannot maintain sexual fidelity, how in the world could 
he possibly govern a nation? When men are unable to operate 
within that most basic covenantal confine, why should we trust 
them for a moment to operate outside of that? If you cannot 
be faithful in that most basic commitment to the wife of your 
youth, then you are not going to be faithful when it comes 
to other matters. Sexually faithful men are necessary 
for the gospel ministry. Notice thirdly, he must be temperate. This can be used with reference 
to sobriety and the use of wine. Here it has to do with mental 
sobriety. The word denotes self-control, 
balanced judgment, and the avoidance of rash behavior. He can't be 
a ready, fire, aim guy. Ready-fire aim guys typically 
don't make good elders. See, when you fire a gun, you 
aim first, and then you fire it. A ready-fire aim guy just 
shoots, and then he looks for where he's going to shoot it 
at. No. You cannot be that kind of a 
man. There has to be a carefulness, there has to be a willingness 
to hear both sides, to hear five sides, and make judicious pronouncements 
on a particular situation. Temperance is necessary when 
it comes to gospel ministry. Notice fourth, he must be sober-minded. Again, similar to temperate and 
has to do with self-control, especially as it relates to exercising 
good judgment, discretion, and common sense. You see what Paul 
is saying here? You don't want the sort of man 
in the office, in the church, that can't reason in a stable 
manner. You don't want rash men. You 
don't want unchecked men. You don't want reckless men, 
because what they are seeking to do is to take care of the 
church of God. In other words, you want good 
men that are sober, that are temperate, those who use the 
heads that God gave them in order to comb through Scripture and 
make decisions upon things based on Scripture. Notice fifth, he 
must engage in good behavior. In chapter 2, verse 9, the word 
there is translated modest. And this good behavior has the 
idea of respectableness, orderliness, and well-behaved. I can't believe 
it. We want our elders to be well-behaved? 
Of course we want our elders to be well-behaved. Shouldn't 
all men be well-behaved? Shouldn't all Christian men be 
well-behaved? I'm not saying, ladies, you don't have to be 
any of these things. We're just kind of focusing on the men tonight. 
We should be well-behaved. This is something absolutely 
crucial in the context and the conduct of the church. Notice 
sixth, he must be hospitable. Again, every Christian is to 
be hospitable. It must be demonstrable in the case of elders. He must 
be hospitable. He must be kind-hearted. He must 
show love to the brethren. He must demonstrate that kind 
of giving and that kind of preference for others. We're going to skip, 
he must be able to teach and make it its own category toward 
the end. Then notice seventhly, he must not be given to wine. 
Now the Bible doesn't forbid the use of wine. In fact, in 
this epistle, Paul is going to tell Timothy to take a little 
wine for his stomach. Persons come to that passage, 
and I think it's a bit of a conundrum. What possible physical malady 
would wine be remedial for? I'm not sure. I don't know what 
gastrointestinal situation wine would be the answer for. I don't 
know what the medicinal value is in that particular instance, 
but certainly there, Paul advocates a use for medicine. But as well, 
God gave wine. Augustine said it's proof he 
loves us. Or was that beer? I'm not sure. 
Wine or beer? I think it was wine with reference to Augustine. 
Probably one of the reformers said beer. Alcohol's not condemned 
in the Bible. Psalm 104 makes the face of man 
glad. It's the abuse of alcohol. It's 
the misuse of alcohol. It is drunkenness that is everywhere 
condemned. And certainly, we don't want 
elders or deacons to be the kinds of men that are given to wine. He must not be preoccupied with 
it. He must not be overindulgent 
with it. The Bible doesn't forbid it. 
The Bible doesn't prohibit it. But the Bible demands moderation. The Bible demands carefulness. The Bible demands precision when 
it comes to this particular issue. Notice day eight, they must not 
be violent. The old King James had striker. That's a great way to describe 
it. He's not supposed to hit people. Again, this is something 
I think should be self-evident. We don't want a pastor that smacks 
us if we get out of line. That's legit, isn't it? He mustn't 
be violent. As I was thinking through this, 
I thought, we need to get a hidden camera and put it in Mike's car. 
Proof positive of where a man has violent tendencies is when 
he's driving, especially in Chilliwack. Can't do that to me. Don't put 
a hidden camera in my car. You're not supposed to be a violent 
man, no striker, no giver of blows, not pugnacious, not one 
who is willing to use physical violence to coerce people in 
the life and ministry of the church. He must not be greedy 
for money. This is a textual variant. It's 
in the majority text in TR. It's not in the UBS, but certainly 
it's everywhere in Scripture. He's not supposed to be greedy 
for money. Next, he must be gentle. So that 
tells us what he must not be, but he must also be gentle. And 
again, gentle there shouldn't be misunderstood. I think we, 
you know, we think of Jesus' words, blessed are the meek, 
for they shall inherit, you know, the kingdom. And meekness is 
oftentimes understood as doormatness. A meek man never raises his voice. A meek man never, ever elevates 
the tone of his voice. A meek man is what liberals are 
craving in our day and age. Somebody who just shuts up and 
never triggers anyone else. That's not what meekness is. 
The same Jesus who said, blessed are the meek and the poor in 
spirit. That same Jesus flipped over 
tables when it came time to cleanse the temple. So meekness, I think 
a good description of it there is power under control. The same 
thing here with gentleness. Gentleness doesn't mean effeminacy. Gentleness doesn't mean that 
he's a girl. Gentleness doesn't mean that 
he likes to, you know, carry purses and go antiquing. That's 
not what gentleness means. Gentleness means gentle. He's not abusive. He's not coercive. He doesn't take captives within 
the context of the church. He's a gentle man and he does 
what he does for the glory of God. Notice he must not be quarrelsome. He must not be quarrelsome. Turn over to 2 Timothy 2, 24 
and 25 for a good illustration of this. And if you're so inclined, I've 
got other verses sort of in my notes here. If you're interested 
in doing a bit more research and looking at some parallel 
passages, just email me and I will send you the notes so that you 
can trace out these various lines of thought in a more detailed 
basis. As I said, this is a bit of an 
overview. But notice the quarrelsome-ness in 2 Timothy 2.24, and a servant 
of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to 
teach, patient. In humility, correcting those 
who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance 
so that they may know the truth and that they may come to their 
senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken 
captive by him to do his will. A servant of the Lord must not 
quarrel, but be, there it is, gentle to all. I think pastors 
in our own day and age with social media need to exercise great 
caution. It's not just physically in person 
that a man can demonstrate a quarrelsome attitude, but his Facebook posts, 
the way he mixes it up online. I mean, if he's obnoxious and 
pugnacious and a giver of blows on the internet, certainly that 
does not look well in terms of his overall fitness for gospel 
ministry. I'm not suggesting a pastor can't 
use social media. I'm not suggesting he can't mix 
it up in some, you know, comment section or blog comments or whatever 
it is he wants to do. but he cannot be a quarrelsome 
man. You know, there's guys I've seen 
or witnessed on the internet, and they just go from blog to 
blog and Facebook post to Facebook post, and they're just obnoxious. 
Now, I'm so foolish and naive to think that if they're that 
obnoxious online, well, then they might just be that obnoxious 
in person. Though I know there's a bit of, 
you know, courage that sitting behind an internet keyboard seems 
to instill in men. They may not say in person what 
they'll say through the keyboard, but it does reveal or demonstrate 
something of a quarrelsome heart when that seems to be their M.O. And then finally, he must not 
be covetous. Covetous. False teachers are 
in it for the money. Notice in 1 Timothy chapter 6 
at verse 5. useless wranglings of men of 
corrupt minds and destitute of the truth who suppose that godliness 
is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself. 
You see, in the context of the first century, it was not uncommon 
to pay with reference to teaching. Philosophers got paid, men who 
taught got paid. The same thing was carried into 
the church. That's why Paul says in 1 Timothy 
5.17, Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of what? Double honor. The honor there 
isn't, oh right, reverend sir. The honor there is do-re-mi. 
It is money. And we know that because you 
honor widows who are widows indeed. That doesn't mean you give them 
the best parking spot. It means you give them a check. 
to keep them eating because their husbands are dead and they have 
been faithful in the life and the context of the church. So 
the same word is used, honor those elders who rule well with 
double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine. 
So there was money to be made so to speak, in religion. And 
an ungodly man would see that godliness is a means, I'm sorry, 
would see that this is a means of gain. And then notice in 1 
Peter chapter 5, 1 Peter chapter 5, same idea. 1 Peter 5, 1, the elders who are 
among you, I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness 
of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory 
that will be revealed, shepherd the flock of God which is among 
you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion, but willingly, 
not for dishonest, what? but eagerly. You see, there were 
men that were attracted to the church in order to make a buck. And so Paul tells Timothy that 
elders aspiring for eldership are not to be men who are looking 
to make a buck. Now, that doesn't mean we let 
them starve. That doesn't mean they live in huts. That doesn't 
mean we treat them like they're, you know, just John Deere tractors 
and we just make them work and we never give them any. No. But 
at the same time, we discourage men who are looking for a place 
where they can make money. So in summary, we ought to say 
that the elders should avoid glory, girls, gold, and gab. And by girls, I don't mean his 
wife and his daughters. I mean other girls. George Knight 
summarizes, in short, the bishop's life is not to be dominated or 
controlled by wine or money, nor may it be one of strife, 
but rather it must be one of peace and gentleness. We've seen his desire for eldership. 
Secondly, his personal holiness. Note third is domestic faithfulness, 
verses 4 and 5. Verse 4, it says, one who rules 
his own house well, not that he rules it, but he rules it 
well. Now, I believe that a lazy man should never be an elder. 
I believe that a slothful man should never be an elder. I believe 
that many men occupy the office that are not worthy of occupying 
the office. Having said that, a man who works 
himself to the bone and dies prematurely isn't necessarily 
the wisest man either. and also a man who works for 
the church to the neglect of his family has disqualified himself 
from working for the church. You get that? He must rule his 
own house well. Not just rule it, but it must 
be well. In order to rule a house well, 
the man must be invested in his family. He must be there for 
them. He must interrelate with them. 
If he's always out fixing the kingdom to the neglect of his 
castle, he is not fit to go out and fix the kingdom. It's an 
amazing thing that men will neglect their wives and children for 
the ministry. In my estimation, if a man is 
neglecting his wife and children, he should have no business in 
the ministry whatsoever. Get out, because you're unqualified, 
you're disqualified, you're not doing what God has said you need 
to be doing. He must rule his own house well. And this argument is an argument 
from the lesser to the greater. If he doesn't know how to rule 
his own house well, how's he going to take care of the Church 
of God? If he can't do the smaller thing, we certainly don't want 
to entrust him with the larger thing. If he messes up his wife 
and his kids, why would we want him to mess up our wives and 
our kids? Did you ever follow the logic? 
I mean, that's what Paul says. Verse 4, one who rules his own 
house well, having his children in submission with all reverence. 
4, here's the argument. If a man does not know how to 
rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of 
God? Two different words there. Elders aren't rulers in the church 
of God. Elders are stewards. Elders are 
takers care of. It's not magisterial. It's ministerial. It's not lordly. It's workers with you for your 
joy. It's not exercising dominion. It's not cult leader. It is what 
I've suggested, a worker with you for your joy. Two different 
words are used. If a man does not know how to 
rule his own house well, How will he take care of the Church 
of God? How will he steward? How will 
he facilitate? How will he administrate? How 
will he engage in that ministerial function with reference to the 
Church of the Lord Jesus Christ if he doesn't rule his own household 
well? That means he properly relates 
to his wife. He is a one-woman man. She's 
the woman for him, and he relates well to her. He loves her. She 
is indeed the desire of his eyes. He wants to be with her. With 
reference to his children, some have taught that his children 
need to be born again. And some have suggested that 
if a man does not have converted children, then the man is not 
supposed to be in the eldership. Titus 1.6 tells us that he has 
faithful children, not accused of dissipation or insubordination. The NIV translates, a man whose 
children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild 
and disobedient. Now you can see where that translation 
would lend credence to the idea that a man's children must be 
converted. I don't think that is legit. 
I think the idea is that his children are under control. As 
long as they are under his roof, they are under his control. They're 
not mismanaged, they're not unmanageable. Now that doesn't mean they wear 
halos. It doesn't mean they glide. It doesn't mean they strum harps. 
It doesn't mean they're absolute perfection. But it means they're 
under control. He disciplines them. He cares 
for them. He loves them. He throws the 
ball with them. He tends to them in such a way 
that they are the sorts of children that are described herein. One 
who rules his own house well, having his children in submission 
with all reverence. It doesn't demand that they are 
converted. I don't even think that Titus 
1.6 demands that they are converted, having faithful children, not 
accused of dissipation or insubordination. In fact, we might say the latter 
half qualifies or explains what a faithful child looks like. 
He is not accused of dissipation. He is not accused of insubordination. Again, George Knight says, what 
must not characterize the children of an elder is immorality and 
undisciplined rebelliousness. Notice that, undisciplined rebelliousness. Heard men say before, well, my 
son has done this or my child has done this. Well, are you 
working on it? Are you disciplined? Yeah. Praise God, that's what 
you're supposed to do. The text does not demand perfection on 
the part of your children. It demands faithfulness on your 
part to discipline them and seek to bring them to that place of 
submission. He goes on to say, Paul is not 
asking any more of the elder and his children than is expected 
of every Christian father and his children. However, only if 
a man exercises such proper control over his children may he be an 
elder. So you get the idea, personal 
holiness, domestic faithfulness. He must rule his own household 
well. His wife is well-adjusted. His 
children are not, you know, the worst, running around unchecked, 
undisciplined. No, the elder functions properly 
in his home. Notice, fourthly, the man's experience 
in the faith. Verse 6, not a novice. lest being 
puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as 
the devil. Not a novice, not one newly planted, 
not a new convert, not a neophyte. Now we need to be careful as 
we tread here because Paul does not set a mandatory age length 
with reference to being a Christian. A new convert in Ephesus would 
have looked different than a new convert in Crete. See, in Crete, 
Titus chapter 1, there is no qualifications given for deacons. 
It's only for elders. And I believe the reason for 
that is because the church in Ephesus, where Timothy was, was 
a more mature church. It had been around for a while. 
They had need for elders and deacons. But Paul sets Titus 
in Crete to set things in order by appointing elders. Now brethren, 
if you do the math with reference to the book of Acts, and you 
look at the historical situation, those converted on Crete had 
not been 10, 15, 20 years as a Christian. They were newly converted, with 
reference, or had they been, in Ephesus. In the first missionary 
journey, in Acts chapter 14, it's intriguing. Paul and Barnabas 
go out, they go to the various places on the map, and then they 
return the same way, visiting the churches, strengthening the 
brethren, and appointing elders in every church. Now the time 
just wasn't there for those men to have been Christians for 10, 
15, 20, 30 years. So we need to operate with wisdom 
when it comes to this whole idea of being a neophyte. What is 
in view is spiritual maturity. William D. Mount says the application 
of this rule would depend upon the relative age of the local 
church, its speed of growth, and many other factors that would 
vary from place to place and from time to time. A similar 
injunction does not occur in Titus chapter 1. All Paul has 
to deal with, with reference to Titus and the people in Crete, 
are relatively new converts. So Paul says, nevertheless, they 
must be these kinds of men, Titus 1, 5 to 9, and when they are 
these kinds of men, install them into the eldership. So there's 
no particular age requirement in terms of, well, he's only 
been saved for five years or ten years. No, it's spiritual 
maturity that is in view. Notice in the fifth place, the 
man's testimony toward outsiders, verse 7. Moreover, he must have 
a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall 
into reproach and the snare of the devil. Now, this good testimony 
among those who are outside. I don't think that Paul means 
he has to be at every civic event. You know, there's a parade downtown, 
so he needs to have a truck with a float, and, you know, I'm the 
pastor from so-and-so. In fact, I would suggest that's 
exactly what Paul wouldn't want you to do. I'm pastor whoever 
from wherever. No, no, no, don't do that. This 
good testimony with those who are outside. It might be as basic 
as cut your grass. Clean your yard. Pay your taxes. Adorn the gospel you preach. Don't be the one guy on your 
street whose house looks like it should be condemned. Maintain 
a good testimony with those who are outside. You know, does Fortis 
or Hydro dread the day that they ever send you a bill because 
it's not going to get there on time? Are they constantly having 
to send guys out to cut you off? That's not a good witness. You 
know why I think Christianity was ultimately recognized by 
the Roman Empire? Because somewhere high up said, 
you know, these people are decent human beings. They pay their 
taxes, they cut their lawns, and they clean their houses. We like that. That's a good contribution 
to the empire. Let's sanction them. You gotta 
have a good testimony with those on the outside. Now, I think 
a qualification is in order here because beware if all men everywhere 
speak well of a church elder. Now, they shouldn't speak evil 
of him because, you know, this, that, and the other, but brethren, 
if all men everywhere think that every elder is the greatest guy 
on the face of the earth, then I would wonder if he's preaching 
the offense of the cross. Because typically men don't like 
that, do they? They don't like to hear they 
are deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. They 
don't like to hear that they are those engaged in total depravity 
and total inability. That doesn't win friends and 
influence enemies. That's just not a popular thing. 
So if a man is loved by everybody on the outside, arguably he's 
not doing his job. Again, don't go out and offend 
for the purpose of having people hate you. You know, don't go 
out and carry a sign that says whatever it may say, just to 
necessarily make people angry at you. But this idea of a good 
testimony toward those on the outside, among those who are 
outside, doesn't necessarily mean you're everybody's best 
friend, because if you are, you're probably not preaching the offense 
of the cross. And then finally, if you look 
at all these particular things, they all have to do with character, 
don't they? They're all virtues. They're all sort of good aspects 
or facets of a man's life. There's one gift in 1 Timothy 
3, 1 to 7, and it's the ability to teach. Verse 2. That's what 
separates the man. That's what differentiates the 
man. That's what, along with all of 
these graces, qualifies the man to be an elder. Notice that the 
deacons are described in roughly the same way in terms of character, 
in terms of fruit, in terms of virtue, in terms of grace. They 
as well need, according to verse 9, they need to hold the mystery 
of the faith with a pure conscience. That means they need to be doctrinally 
sound men that are deacons in the church. But nowhere in verses 
8 to 13 is the deacon told that he must be apt to teach. This 
is uniquely the elder's role. This is what bishoping, overseeing, 
and eldering and pastoring has to do with. The whole of it is, 
is preaching and teaching the word. In other words, how do 
pastors govern the church? How do pastors steward the church? How do pastors take care of the 
church? It's not the wielding of some 
cult acceptor, it's the preaching of the word. That's how shepherding 
is done. It's not through coercion, it's 
not through manipulation, it's not through running roughshod 
over persons, but rather it is to teach them what the truth 
of God says, and then the Spirit of God takes that truth and moves 
them in the proper direction. It's a beautiful thing. It's 
a beautiful, wonderful thing. So the elder must be able to 
teach. Now, when we look at this particular 
section, we see that, as I've said, it describes the character. 
This describes his gift. The gift of teaching differentiates 
the elder from the deacon. And then as well, the gift of 
teaching or preaching is consistent with the emphasis on sound doctrine 
throughout what's called the pastoral epistles. Pastoral epistles 
are 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus. They're called pastoral 
epistles because Paul wrote them to pastors. And you know Paul's 
emphasis throughout 1st, 2nd Timothy and Titus? It's on sound 
doctrine. It's on the truth. It's on teaching. It's on preaching. There are 
several, several places that we can see this. In fact, it 
does bear a quick survey. Notice in 1st Timothy chapter 
4, verses 6 and 7. First Timothy chapter 4, verses 
6 and 7. If you instruct the brethren, or by instructing the 
brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus 
Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of good doctrine, 
which you have carefully followed. But reject profane and old wise 
fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness. So the minister 
himself is to be nourished in the words of faith and of good 
doctrine. Notice in 4, 13, and 14. Till 
I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. 
Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to 
you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership." 
Brethren, verse 13 refers to public worship. This isn't Timothy's 
personal reading habits. This isn't his own devotional 
life. Verse 13 has to do with public worship. Till I come, 
give attention to reading. That's the public reading of 
Scripture. Why have we read Hosea 5 tonight, 
Mark 16, in the morning? Because that's what the church 
does. She reads Scripture. Do you realize that in Paul's 
day, when he wrote this, they didn't have these beautiful Cambridge 
Bibles? You know where persons came into 
contact with the Word of God? It was in church on the Lord's 
day. It was through the reading and the preaching of Scripture. 
That's why the emphasis is upon the reading and the preaching 
of Scripture. So, verse 13 is with reference to public worship, 
"'Til I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to 
doctrine.'" Notice in 1 Timothy 5.17, I've already referred to 
this, "'Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double 
honor, especially those who labor in the word and..." What? Doctrine. 
Notice in 6.2. And those who have believing 
masters, let them not despise them because they are brethren, 
but rather serve them because those who are sanctified, those 
who are benefited are believers and beloved. Teach and exhort 
these things. 617, command those who are rich 
in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain 
riches, but in the living God. You see what Paul tells Timothy? 
You gotta teach people. You gotta instruct them. That's 
what elders are supposed to be able to do. That's what elders 
are supposed to exist for in the context of the church. Notice 
in 2 Timothy 1.13, hold fast the pattern of sound words which 
you have heard from me in faith and love which are in Christ 
Jesus. That good thing which was committed to you, keep by 
the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. Notice in 2 Timothy 2.15. 
Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who 
does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of 
truth. Now, I understand that in some denominational settings 
or in some sort of preaching settings, the sign of nobility 
in the minister is that he gets his text on the way to the pulpit. 
I could think of nothing more foolish than such a thing. Now, 
I'm not suggesting that if a minister is gripped with something and 
God seems to overwhelmingly come upon him in terms of providence 
that, you know, maybe you should preach this. I don't think God 
actually says that, but, you know, maybe 10 atheists show 
up. So he shelves his study on, you know, wives. You know, know 
how to bake a cake. I don't think that's what we 
should be teaching on anyway. But he thinks, hey, I'm going 
to go ahead and preach the gospel. There might be a change or there might 
be a time for a minister to change it up because of, you know, circumstances 
or something that comes up. But as a matter of course for 
a man not to know what he's going to preach on, well, it may have 
sort of some mystical element of piosity. Paul says, you need 
to be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who 
does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of 
truth. In other words, you need to cut a straight path in the 
word, be prepared to speak the word in order to edify people 
with the word. It isn't pious to just sort of 
wake up on a Sunday and hope the Lord gives you a text. Just had to get that B out of 
my bonnet. And then notice, 2 Timothy 2, 
what we already read, 224 and 25, it is by means of teaching 
that you correct those who are in opposition. Of course, the 
text in 2 Timothy 3.16, all scripture is given by inspiration of God, 
profitable for doctrine, reproof for correction, for instruction 
in righteousness. And then, of course, 4, 1 and 
2. Preach the word, be ready in season and out of season, 
convince, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and teaching. 
It's just amazing to me that the church, at least in our generation, 
has somehow forgotten this. Why do pastors exist today? Well, 
they're CEOs, they manage groups, they manage ministries, they 
manage the parts in the church. They should be managing their 
time so they're effectively preparing to preach the word of God to 
God's people. That's what managing that a pastor 
should be engaged in. It's not managing the various 
structures and the various ministries and, you know, conducting himself 
as a Fortune 500. No. Preach the word, Timothy. Be ready in season and out of 
season. Convince, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and teaching. 
This is what you're supposed to do. This apneas to teach in 
3.2 is not a suggestion for an elder that may go above and beyond. 
It is absolutely necessary. That doesn't mean every elder 
will be a Spurgeon preaching week in and week out. It doesn't 
mean every elder is going to be as competent as John Calvin, 
but it means every elder has the ability to open his Bible 
and to teach and preach when necessary. Some are gifted to 
do it in a public setting week in, week out. All must be gifted 
to be able to do it in a private setting when persons ask questions 
of conscience or they ask questions concerning Scripture. That is 
absolutely required for gospel ministry. You see it in Titus 
1 as well. Notice in Titus 1 verse 9. holding 
fast the faithful word as he has been taught that he may be 
able by sound doctrine both to exhort and convict those who 
contradict. John Calvin says with reference 
to holding fast the word of God, this is the chief gift in a bishop 
who is elected principally for the sake of teaching. For the 
church cannot be governed in any other way than by the word. 
He wishes that a bishop should hold it fast, so as not only 
to be well-instructed in it, but to be constant in maintaining 
it." And then note the twofold thing that the elder must do 
with the Word. By sound doctrine, the end of verse 9, both to exhort, 
I take that to mean exhort those in the church who are for the 
doctrine that you are exhorting on. In other words, exhort those 
who are with you. Exhort those who comply. Exhort 
those who are being edified and sanctified by the Spirit through 
the Word. It's that next aspect that's 
a little bit more difficult, and convict those who contradict. In other words, the minister 
must not only be able to teach the Word in such a way as to 
feed the flock, to help the sheep, to guide them, direct them, and 
lead them, but he must also be able to convict those who contradict. John Calvin explains it this 
way, the pastor ought to have two voices, one for gathering 
the sheep and another for warding off and driving away wolves and 
thieves. That's a great description of 
that twofold thing there in Titus 1.9. Well, there's our exposition, 
just a couple of thoughts and then we'll close. in the first 
place, the necessity of the qualifications. The church must know these things 
and the church must apply these things. Turn to Revelation chapter 
2 for just a moment, just to see a bit of a success story. 
I think Ephesus gets a bum rap. Now, it's certainly not good 
that they were condemned for leaving their first love. I'm 
not suggesting that, you know, that's a good thing. But I think 
we forget the commendation by Christ to the church at Ephesus. Now Ephesus is where Timothy 
was when Paul wrote to him, 1 Timothy. Notice in Revelation 2.1, to 
the angel of the church of Ephesus write, these things says he who 
holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks in the 
midst of the seven golden lampstands. I know your works, your labor, 
your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And 
you have, notice, tested those who say they are apostles and 
are not, and have found them liars. Now, he's going to go 
on in verse 4 to say, nevertheless, I have this against you, that 
you have left your first love. I don't think that means they 
were apostate. I don't think it means that they 
had abandoned Jesus altogether. I personally think it means that 
the church probably met up with some difficulties, some trials 
and some hardships, and while the church was battling those 
difficulties and trials and hardships, the love for Jesus waned a bit. So Jesus, in his kindness, tells 
them, nevertheless, I have this against you. And it's spoken 
by him to them to stir them up to this particular thing. But 
that is very commendatory. You have tested those who say 
they are apostles and are not, but you have found them to be 
liars. The church needs to take seriously the qualification for 
the eldership, and she needs to apply that in her own context. Secondly, I would suggest that 
any man who aspires to the office of elder, vis-a-vis the man described 
in 1 Timothy 3, 1 to 7, must first prove himself in churchmanship. In other words, if a man hasn't 
been a faithful church member, why in the world would we be 
inclined to think he's going to be a faithful church elder? 
Does that make sense? You're not a faithful churchman. 
You're not gonna be considered for eldership. That's just the 
way it goes. The man should maintain a consistent 
devotional life, both private and family. The man should faithfully 
attend the public means of grace. I mean, come on, is that asking 
a lot? Well, we expect our elders to 
show up at church. How dare you? How dare you? I can hear it now. I'm taking 
you to court. What, because we think you should 
show up to church if you're going to want a pastor in that church? 
You should be a member of the church. You should support its 
ministry. You should pray for it. You should encourage. You 
should be faithful. The man should love and serve 
the brethren. It's part and parcel of pastoral 
ministry. That's what eldership is all 
about. That doesn't mean he fawns over everybody all the time and 
he brings them coffee and flowers at their workplace. It can't 
mean that. but it means he loves and he 
serves the brethren. Brethren, that is something elders 
do. The man should be faithful in 
little things before we give him responsibility with big things. Now, I sometimes see my notes, 
you know, when I revise them, I see what I used as illustrations 
then and, you know, it kind of indicates where I was at in my 
own life at that particular time. At that particular time, I happened 
to know that Ronnie Coleman was the eight-time Mr. Olympia. These guys, you know, they got 
muscles on top of muscles. And I remember hearing Ronnie 
Coleman say something once that really intrigued me, and I think 
there's a spiritual application here. He says, everybody wants 
to be a Mr. Olympia, but he says, nobody 
wants to lift any heavy weights. In other words, you're not going 
to become Mr. Olympia unless you lift heavy weights. My observation 
in the church, there are men who want to preach in pulpits. 
They ain't going to show up at the old folks' home on a Monday 
night. They want to preach in pulpits, but they're not going 
to plunge a toilet if it starts to overflow. They want to preach 
in pulpits, but they're not going to clean up vomit if a kid loses 
it during the service. They want to preach in pulpits, 
but they're not going to show up at the church work day. They 
want to preach in pulpits, but they're not going to cut the 
grass at the church. They want the greater without 
showing faithfulness in the smaller. Now brethren, I don't think it's 
rocket science, and I don't think I'm applying anything too severely 
or too harshly, but he who is faithful in little is faithful 
in much. If a man is not faithful in little, 
he can't show up consistently on time to church services, why 
in the world would we ask him to preach in a church service? It makes no sense to me. So, 
ecclesiastically, if a man is not a good church man, he ought 
not to be considered for the eldership. If he is not faithful 
in the little things, he certainly ought not to be given charge 
in the greater things. And, of course, the man who aspires 
to church office must be recognized by the church. In terms of teaching 
and preaching, in terms of doctrinal understanding, this is a blessing 
of being a confessional church. We have 32 chapters in that little 
compendium of the Christian faith of those things most surely believed 
among us. It is a useful proven guide on 
how we can scrutinize men who aspire to Christian ministry 
to make sure that they are doctrinally sound, to make sure that they 
are within the parameters of historic Christian orthodoxy. A man must know his Bible, a 
man must know sound theology, or a man ought never, ever to 
go into a Christian pulpit because it is that important. It is that 
necessary. Paul would not say he needs to 
be able to teach if it wasn't absolutely requisite. So those 
are the kinds of men that we ought to be searching after Those 
are the kinds of men that this church must pursue. Those are 
the kinds of men that ought to be recognized and put forward 
into gospel ministry. Well, let us close in a word 
of prayer. Father, we thank you for your word and its clarity 
on these issues, and I pray that you'd give us wisdom as we proceed. 
Give us grace, Almighty God, to make faithful, wise, and good 
decisions, and give us grace to operate always in the strict 
confines of written revelation. May we not depart and may we 
never devolve to the place of a popularity contest or a man's 
proven success in another area of this world. But God, may we 
indeed take it seriously and apply it and live accordingly 
in the life and the context of the Free Grace Baptist Church. 
We do pray for this church plant in Surrey. We do long to see 
it staffed and fitted with qualified men. We just pray, God, that 
it would be a work blessed of God And in particular, we pray 
for our brother Mike, that you would cause him to see the seriousness 
and the solemnity with which he is to pursue this. I pray that you would give him 
grace to strive to be all that Paul says in this passage of 
Scripture. Go with us now, watch over us 
in this coming week, and help us to live for your glory and 
for your honor. And we pray through Jesus Christ, 
our Lord. Amen. We'll close with a brief 
time of meditation and then be dismissed.