1 The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. 2 Therefore an overseer 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.
8 Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. 9 They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. 11 Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. 12 Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. 13 For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus. – 1 Timothy 3:1-13 ESV
Timothy was going to need help; shepherding even a relatively small congregation of new believers would not be easy, especially in an environment like Ephesus. So Paul encouraged Timothy to find qualified men to assist him in overseeing the church. It would be impossible for one man to minister to all the needs within the body of Christ and, with the Judaizers promoting their legalistic adherence to the Mosaic Law, Timothy was going to need allies in the fight of faith.
That’s why Paul recommended that Timothy develop a recruitment strategy for possible “overseers.” The Greek word Paul uses is episkopē, and he seems to use it as a synonym for another Greek word, presbuteros, which typically gets translated as “elder.” Both words convey the idea of someone with authority and responsibility for the spiritual well-being of God's flock. Paul tells Timothy, “If someone aspires to be an elder, he desires an honorable position” (1 Timothy 3:1 NLT). A desire to shepherd God’s flock is a good thing.
The Greek word for “aspire” is oregō, which means “to stretch oneself out in order to touch or to grasp something, to reach after or desire something” ("Outline of Biblical Usage for [oregō / G3713]." Blue Letter Bible, edited by Larry Pierce, [URL]. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026). But, like most Greek words, oregō has another and somewhat darker meaning as well: “to give oneself up to the love of money” ("Outline of Biblical Usage for [oregō / G3713]." Blue Letter Bible, edited by Larry Pierce, [URL]. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026). In fact, Paul uses this secondary meaning in Chapter 6 when talking about an inordinate and unhealthy attraction to money.
For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows. – 1 Timothy 6:10 NLT
Paul declared that it was proper and appropriate for a man to aspire to be a leader in the church, but not for what he could get out of it. And the apostle Peter echoed that sentiment.
I urge the elders among you: Give a shepherd’s care to God’s flock among you, exercising oversight not merely as a duty but willingly under God’s direction, not for shameful profit but eagerly. – 1 Peter 5:1-2 NLT
Leadership within the local body of Christ was never meant to be a means for attaining wealth or acquiring power. That’s why Peter and Paul compared the role of an overseer to that of a shepherd; it was meant to be a selfless, sacrificial role modeled after the life of Jesus. Paul’s emphasis was less on the role or job description than on the qualities of the kind of man who was qualified to fill it.
Paul does not provide details on the job description of an elder. Instead, he points out the required character qualities to be considered for the position. These qualities should be the aspiration of every God-fearing, Christ-following man in the church today.
Aspiration is a good thing. The desire to achieve is built into the human psyche. Every individual has goals and ambitions to which they dedicate their time, talents, and energies. For some, a successful career is their greatest ambition, and it ends up shaping their entire lives, as they spend every waking moment trying to achieve it. A few men have legitimate, realistic aspirations to make a name for themselves in the competitive world of sports. Then there are those who simply aspire to be good employees, fathers, husbands, friends, and community members. But Paul would encourage Christ-followers to have a different aspiration; to aspire to something of a higher nature. But it is a job with few perks, many responsibilities, high expectations, no income, a degree of anonymity, and some fairly lofty hiring guidelines.
In the Book of Acts, Luke records a meeting between Paul and the elders from the church in Ephesus, where Paul gave them a stern warning.
So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock–his church, purchased with his own blood – over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as elders. – Acts 20:28 NLT
Elders had a high calling and a lofty responsibility to guard both themselves and God's people. Therefore, they had to be godly men of strong character and impeccable morals. They didn’t have to be perfect, but they did have to strive to be blameless and above reproach in every area of their lives.
It’s interesting that the characteristics Paul lists cover nearly every area of a man’s life. An elder had to be a man free from compartmentalization; he could not afford to keep any area of his life hidden from the flock. His home life was to be just as important as his church life. Every one of the things that Paul lists would have been easy to assess and ascertain by anyone in the church. These qualities are visible, external, and open for anyone to see and evaluate. They reflect an inner character that flows out into every area of life.
The kind of men who were to be considered for leadership were those whose hearts were continually being transformed by God. They were men who lived under the control of the Holy Spirit, operating by His power and exhibiting the fruit He makes available.
But shouldn’t the qualities and characteristics Paul outlines be the aspiration of every man? Why wouldn’t every man of God aspire to live the kind of life Paul describes, whether he gets appointed as an elder or not? The church needs men who are above reproach, faithful to their wives, self-controlled, wise, of high repute, hospitable, moderate in all things, gentle in spirit, spiritual leaders in their homes, and respected in their communities. The local church should be filled with men who are viable candidates for eldership.
Paul told Timothy that if a man aspires to be an elder, he desires an honorable position. But the desire should not be focused on the position and any honor it may bring. In a world where achievement has become an obsession, it could be easy to turn the desire to become an elder into a self-serving, honor-seeking competition. But that is not what Paul is talking about. He wanted Timothy to find men who desired to display the character of an elder, not selfishly seek the role or responsibility. The position is honorable because the men who occupy it are honorable; their character is Christlike and holy. They are not perfect, but they are men who are willingly and regularly being perfected by God. The church needs more men like that today.
But Paul doesn’t stop with overseers; he also describes the role of a deacon (diakonos). This was a different, more service-oriented role within the local body of Christ. These men were intended to serve alongside the elders/overseers so that the spiritual and physical needs of the congregation were met. While Paul does not provide a detailed description of the day-to-day functions of a deacon, he does make it clear that the requirements for the position were virtually the same as those of an overseer.
The roles were different, but the character requirements were almost identical. While it might be tempting to view the role of deacon as less significant than that of an elder, Paul insists that Timothy not take it lightly.
Before they are appointed as deacons, let them be closely examined. If they pass the test, then let them serve as deacons. – 1 Timothy 3:10 NLT
The criterion for consideration was no less stringent or demanding; these men also had to be spiritually and morally qualified to serve. There was no dumbing down of the standards or lowering the bar of expectations. Their character was to be above reproach, and their marriages were to reflect the effectiveness of their servant leadership. If they couldn’t manage their own homes well, how could they be expected to minister to the body of Christ?
Paul wanted Timothy to surround himself with godly men who would help him lead and love God's people. Paul knew there would be a time when Timothy had to leave Ephesus, go to the next city, and minister to yet another congregation. So, Timothy needed to prepare for that moment by finding the right men to shepherd the flock of God in his absence. The church needed leaders, and the body of Christ needed overseers and deacons to serve as “examples to the flock” (1 Peter 5:3 NLT). The future of the church depended on godly men whom God would raise up and place as undershepherds of His flock.
In his letter to the church at Ephesus, Paul described the unique nature of God’s strategy for the church's health and well-being. God had devised an assortment of roles within the local body of Christ designed to promote spiritual maturity and effective ministry.
Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. Then we will no longer be immature like children. – Ephesians 4:11-14 NLT
God ordained that gifted individuals would help lead, feed, protect, and equip His people for the work of the ministry. He sent the Holy Spirit to provide them with spiritual gifts, supernatural power, and divine guidance. The church thrives because of the godly leadership that God ordained. He calls, equips, and commissions them for service, and their contribution to the spiritual well-being of the church is immeasurable.
Father, like everything else You do, Your plan for the church was flawless in every way. The whole concept of the global and local church was Your idea. The formation of a Spirit-filled, heart-transformed group of individuals from all walks of life and every tribe, nation, and tongue was . Your plan from the very beginning. Paul got to see the early stages of this phenomena and played a vital part in bringing it about. He saw small, fledgling congregations spring up all over Asia Minor, Galatia, and Macedonia. He watched the gospel transform the lives of the rich and poor, males and females, and slaves and freemen. More importantly, he witnessed the rise of countless Spirit-filled leaders who stepped into the gap to help serve the rapidly expanding flock of God. And You continue to raise up leaders today. The church thrives because of godly leadership. The body of Christ remains healthy due to the Spirit-inspired commitment of those You call. Thank You for providing Your people with everything they need for life and godliness and for raising up leaders to guide, lead, and feed Your flock. Amen.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.