1 Timothy 3:2 –
So an elder must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife. He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must be able to teach.
As I read this chapter the first thing that comes to mind is why do these characteristics apply to elders and deacons and not the body of the Church? Elders and deacons are accountable to the body so they need to ensure they are living a pure Christian lifestyle. If one fails, it gives the Church a black eye and causes issues within the body. People will question why they are following these rules, when the leaders are not. Over the years we have had some very public downfall of mega church leaders that have caused some major ripples throughout not only their church, but the nation as a whole.
Non-believers still crack jokes about Jim Baker and Jimmy Swaggart who lost their way in the late 80’s. In these two cases the men got lost in lust and greed and lost their standing in society. Each was raking in hundreds of millions each year and instead of following Paul’s guidelines for leader, they allowed compromise to creep in. This opened the door for their downfall. See Paul understood the repercussions of leaders falling that he spelled out specific guidelines to follow.
Now does that mean as “followers” we are not held to the same standard? No way, we are to live by the same standards as an elder. Obviously new Christians cannot follow the first guide in verse 6, but they can strive to become rooted in Christ through prayer and study. As new Christians one should strive to gain knowledge and experience so they could be a deacon or elder one day. Our lives would be much simpler if we embraced what Paul says here, just ask Jimmy, Jim and Tammy Faye (Jim Bakers wife)!