CALLED BY GOD UNTO THE MINISTRY? AND WOMEN PASTORS?

1Ti 3:1 This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
1Ti 3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
1Ti 3:3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
1Ti 3:4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
1Ti 3:5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
1Ti 3:6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.

Oftentimes it is said that a man, or woman that is in the pulpit has a ‘special calling’ of God unto the ministry, and that they are ‘called out’ by God to preach God’s word as one of His ‘anointed,’ and some will say, “I’ve been called by God.” One has to wonder is this the case or not, but we are told in God’s word of truth that “if A MAN desires the office,” but many today feel there is nothing wrong with a woman holding the “office” of a Bishop, Pastor, or Shepard over the church. But this is not how God designed for His church to function, it would be impossible for a woman to function as the ‘overseer’ of a ‘church’ because she does not meet the qualifications required above.

1Co 11:3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.

1Co 11:8 For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man.
1Co 11:9 Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.
1Co 11:10 For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels.

God designed that the man be the “head” of the wife, and with this being the case; how could she be an ‘overseer’ of a group of believers when she is not in the position of “rule” in her own house? The one that “desire the office of a Bishop” HAS to be the “head” in the marriage, and if she held the office of a Bishop, Pastor, or overseer, this would mean that she is the “head” of the “house,” and the marriage. The woman, and men have the liberty, and are exhorted to “teach” others, but when it comes to being an Bishop, Pastor, or overseer, this “office” has qualifications required because of Satan’s plan of evil against God’s word, and His messengers.

Tit 2:3 The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;
Tit 2:4 That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,
Tit 2:5 To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

So when we look at what God’s requirement for the office of a bishop, deacon, preacher, etc., this is a work that is to be a “desire,” also this man is not to be a “novice,” meaning ‘unlearned,’ also they must first be “proved,” but most importantly; these men must be taught. Today, the man has to be “taught,” and “faithful” as he is educated in sound doctrine, and established, and edified whereas he is able to teach others in the word of truth, and the doctrine which is “according to godliness.”

Col 2:3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Col 2:4 And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.
Col 2:5 For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.
Col 2:6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
Col 2:7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
Col 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

Furthermore, not only must these men be “taught,” but these “faithful” men must be ‘steadfast’ in the faith of Jesus Christ, “built up in Him,” in other words; they must be “edified,” and taught by the thirst for their Father’s word, and desire to be educated by it, and search for it as “treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” But today the men, and women in the pulpit “desire” the office because of “filthy lucre,” (the love of money) or because their mother ‘wanted them to be a preacher,’ but for the most part, because of the prestige, and the fame, and most importantly; because of the Power!

2Ti 2:1 Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
2Ti 2:2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
2Ti 2:3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
2Ti 2:4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
2Ti 2:5 And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.

And as you can see, God places emphasis upon the faithful saint being “taught” and “stablished” in sound doctrine, and “built up, where he himself is “able to teach others also.” Our Father wants the “son” to be “strong in the grace,” because of Satan’s plan to attack the message of the gospel, and the messenger as he goes about establishing others. This faithful overseer ought to labor, and fight as a “good soldier” against the doctrines and commandments of men, and the “affairs of this life.”

Tit 1:7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;
Tit 1:8 But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;
Tit 1:9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.

Finally, the qualifications of a Bishop, Pastor, or overseer is not hard to be understood if we follow God’s design how that His church is to be edified, but many do not think there is anything wrong with a woman as the overseer of the body of believers; or whether a man is qualified, and has been faithfully taught. But this is the design of Satan to institute a counterfeit of what the true church is supposed to be, and how it is to be properly established today. But all too often this is not the case, and this is dangerous to the edification and establishment of the members of the body of Christ, but many “desire the office of a Bishop” because of their own “self-willed” desires to exalt themselves over other men, and to have men “glory” in them, as they assume they are the “head of the Church,” and with that; they have exalted themselves over the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, whether they want to acknowledge or not.

Rod Jones