A Noble Task

If you would turn with me this evening.

The first Timothy three to consider the qualifications that God's word requires of those who are called to hold office of leadership in the church. If you were here this morning you're aware that we're at the beginning of a long process about a year-long process of identifying and training in ordaining men who we believe that God has called to lead Grace Church, so the text before us tonight think is of particular relevance as we begin this process. Let's hear what God says, and I'll just let you know I intended to do this all in one message and late Friday. I realize this is gotta be two messages. So what will get through what we can tonight and I will keep you here for another hour but will will finish these this text. Next time I have opportunity to preach, but let stand in honor of God's word is read together.

First Timothy chapter 3, beginning in verse one will read through verse 13.

The saying is trustworthy.

If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore, the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money he must manage his own household well with all dignity, keeping his children submissive for someone does not know how to manage his own household. How will he care for God's church.

He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil.

Moreover he must be well thought off by outsiders so that he may not fall into disgrace into a snare of the devil. Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain.

They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience and let them also be tested first, then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober minded, faithful in all things let deacons each be the husband of one wife managing their children in their own household well 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 Lord you love the church and because you love the church you have given us this very practical and concrete instruction on how you intend us to worship and in work and serve as a body, or as we begin the process of seeking your will concerning the leadership of of Grace Church and of even a potential church plant one day. Would you give us submissive minds that take you at your word. Give us submissive hearts that are willing to rest in your revealed will in May.

The end result of our seeking you and listening to you in these matters be a church that is pure and undefiled, and that brings great glory to our bridegroom, the Lord Jesus Christ Holy Spirit, open our eyes now to see wonderful things from your word. I pray in Jesus name, amen. Be seated.

There is so much that could be said about how the visible church is to function governmentally, structurally, organizationally, but with course don't have time tonight to say all that there is to say, my purpose is not to say all that I could be said, but rather to bring to our attention a couple of passages of Scripture that address specifically the task of identifying men in the church who are called by God to be elders and deacons. Now even in saying that I realize that there were several things I'm presupposing. I'm presupposing that the church ought to have elders and deacons presupposing that a local congregation has a responsibility to identify and set apart men for that task. I'm presupposing that these men who are set apart are men males and not females. I'm presupposing all these things and many more things perhaps meant that I don't necessarily intend on defending or explaining in full tonight simply because my purpose is to talk about and think with you about the qualifications that are given to us in the Bible. Qualifications that are intended to help us identify who was called to these crucial offices. If you want to hear more broadly, an explanation of my thoughts concerning what Scripture says about church government and and specifically a defense of the Presbyterian form of church government.

Let me invite you to join us next Sunday in our new members class. It just so happens that we will be studying the subject of church polity next Sunday morning I down in the conference room but tonight I want us to focus on these lists of qualifications that the apostle Paul gives to the church in the New Testament lists intended to help us identify those who are called to leadership positions in the church next to its creeds and confessions. Is there anything more crucial to the health and effectiveness of a congregation than the character and the legitimacy of its leaders. Someone once said that a church will only ever rise to the level of its leadership. I'm sure there's exceptions to that proverb, but generally it's probably very true as it goes its leaders, so goes the church if if God ensured that a portion of his revelation to us contains instruction on how to identify those who are called to positions of leadership in the church and it behooves us. I think to set up and listen and heed what God says here so without my list for just a few moments tonight. Considering this list of of qualifications. This list of prerequisites for leadership in the church. I want to us to think about this subject under two headings.

First, there are some principles that we should keep in mind, and secondly, there are the qualifications themselves are some principles almost to keep in mind and then will take a look at the qualifications themselves will start with some principles that we need to bear in mind the very fact that the Bible contains a list of qualifications that are intended to identify those who are called to an office in the church implies several things. For instance, it implies that not everyone is called Paul says in verse two that an overseer or an elder or a pastor must be certain things in verse eight he says that a deacon must be certain things. In other words, if he's not these things, then he's not called to this office.

A Christian may want to serve in a capacity of leadership of church may even want a particular member of the congregation to serve in a capacity of leadership. But if the person does not meet the qualifications laid out in Scripture. They are called to that office.

The qualification and calling are linked there tied to each other. Not everyone is qualified so we deduce not everyone is called a second implication that I would draw your attention is that those who are called, can be objectively identify those who are called to an office in the church can be objectively identified. The New Testament contains two lists of qualifications.

We just read one here in first Timothy three, but a parallel list can be found in Titus one. These lists mention depending on how you count them.

About 16 qualifications for elders eight different qualifications for deacons for qualifications for the wives and to qualifications for the children. So in good covenantal fashion.

The whole family is addressed and there's nothing nebulous or unclear about what these qualifications mean Paul did not write these lists and the Holy Spirit did not inspire these lists to to merely be some sort of unattainable ideal that nobody actually possesses or demonstrates no these are lists of visible and objective criteria by which we are to determine someone's fitness for office. Now, an objection is often raised that goes something like this. Nobody lives up to the standards perfectly. It's unrealistic to even think that there will be people in a congregation who need this ideal that that Paul is prescribing so obviously Paul couldn't have meant that someone must actually obtain these qualities he he must admit that a person is qualified by trying to pursue these qualities or at least by wanting to obtain them. If that's all that Paul means here if if merely desiring or or pursuing these qualities is all that's required of those who would hold office in the church, then it would mean that those who don't want to hold office in the church don't need to be concerned with pursuing these qualities and I hope we see the ludicrousness of that conclusion. These qualities are not describing some extra set of of virtues that only leaders should be seeking their describing some sort of Christian ethic version 2.0.

Their describing Christianity 101 every follower of Christ ought to pursue being above reproach and being sober minded and self-controlled in hospital and so on.

We all should be pursuing those things. The measure is not whether a person is merely desirous of these qualities or in pursuit of these virtues we should all be desiring them in pursuing them. The measure is whether or not he's characterized by them.

But having said that, the premise of this objection is correct.

No one can perfectly live up to the ideal being set forth here. Everyone ought to be pursuing these things, but in reality, nobody is able to attain them. This this level of of sanctification perfectly this side of heaven.

And so I think we have to recognize another principle limits that while these qualifications cannot be perfectly met by anyone. They will be imperfectly visible in those who are called to hold office in the church. That's a mouthful and say it again. I meant to get these on the screen and just didn't get in the cam in time.

While these qualifications cannot be perfectly met by anyone. They will be imperfectly visible in those who are called to hold office in the church, a well-known Presbyterian minister was wrestling through this tension and and he concluded this, he said no one is able perfectly to fulfill the qualifications except Jesus.

We understand this. Still, there were those who fulfilled them though they do so imperfectly and they says this, there is a difference between fulfilling the qualifications imperfectly and not fulfilling them at all. If these lists mean something and they do and if these lists are intended to draw a line of demarcation between those who are called of God to hold office in the church and those who aren't, and they do, then we we cannot simply dismiss the qualities as unattainable. God gave them to us and instructs us to use them as a confirmation of whether a man is called hold office or not. If if he is genuinely called by God to the task of leading and serving the church, then these qualities will be evident, albeit imperfectly in his life.

I think it's helpful to note the verb tense used in Burke, both of first Timothy three and Titus one of the verb tense is a present tense which in Greek present tense can indicate, and often does indicate a continuous action, not just something that is but something that is using. If I can make up a word.

Doug has been going to the book of first John on Sunday nights and there been several verses in that book that honestly that will make some statement about how a person can know that there truly saved and often times those those statements. Those proofs of of conversion of salvation are scary to us because we know that they're not always true of us.

And it sometimes leads us. I think to doubt our salvation.

So, for example, first John 36 in the King James version says whosoever abiding in Christ. Sin, if not oh were all in trouble if you're abiding in Christ. You don't sin well. Doug has pointed out several times that the word sin is a net present continuous tense and so in the ESV in an attempt to clarify the point translates the verse like this. No one who abides in Christ keeps on sinning the words keeps on are not in the text explicitly, but there certainly implied in the verb tense and so what what John means here is not that a genuine Christian never sends but that unbridled sinning is not typical of the true believer and anyone who who sins habitually without conviction without restraint without grief in his heart and misery in his conscience does not belong to Christ. It's a statement about the trajectory of a person's life. I believe the same sort of thing is going on with regard to these qualifications for leadership. These lists are describing what is typical of a man's character rather than describing the absolute state of a Christian their describing the trajectory of a man's life when you think of Brother so and so, you realize that he is characterized by these qualities. The these qualities are are typical of his character in and behavior. He he does not exhibit imperfectly or impeccably, but nevertheless he exhibits them so consistently that you could say of this man. He bears these marks to say one more thing and then will jump into the qualifications themselves. There is sometimes a tendency, I think, to view the call to office in the body of Christ as as some kind of indicator that the person is super spiritual or art dwells on some higher spiritual plane than those not called to these offices of leadership and the results of this is that people who are called sometimes feel like they're calling, whatever it may be, is insignificant. Or maybe they resent those who who are ordained for daring to think of themselves so highly you think you are allowing yourself to to to be ordained. I want to point out something that I hope alleviates these reactions if if you find yourself struggling with them. Ephesians 4 tells us very very plainly that Jesus Christ is the one who raises up men for offices of leadership in the church, as is Christ's job. This is what he does for the church. He gives gifts to the church and those gifts are. These men called to office, various offices, elders and deacons are not self appointed shouldn't be self appointed anymore than in the apostles were self appointed is Christ who calls men to these offices. Now if Christ is the one who calls men to these offices and if these called ones are identified by the church by certain character qualities that I think we have to conclude that the same God who does the calling must also do the qualifying God is both the caller and the qualifier of the cold. What this means is that if any Christian possesses even an ounce of these qualities, it is because and only because of the grace of God in that man, not because that man has some leg up on all other Christians around him. Realizing this, that if these qualities are present in a person's life there present because God put them there. Realizing this ought to alleviate any resentment we may be tempted to harbor towards our elders and deacons or it should alleviate any sense of insignificance. We may be tempted to feel with regard to our own calling. Not everyone is called to be an elder or deacon, and that's okay.

Some of us are called to be engineers or homemakers or serve in the medical field or teach school. The church needs people with those various callings. And God is the one is what we need to remember God is the one who distributes gifts and callings as he sees fit. He knows the big picture. He knows his purpose and he's the one at the helm who is who is dictating to receive these various callings and the and the qualifications and get things that go with them. All that to say, asking the church to nominate men to the offices of Elder and Deacon is not a popularity contest.

It's a spiritual process of seeking the Lord's face with regard to identifying those people whom he has called and him he has qualified for this task right so what are than the qualifications that we should look for when considering men for leadership in the church.

We believe in the PCA that there are two offices in the church that of Elder and that of deacon and so Paul gives us a separate list for each office. This is is is due to the fact I think that that the two offices are different in nature and function.

Elders and deacons are not called to the same thing to the same function. Elders are called to give spiritual oversight to rule over the body of Christ, and that rule is exercised primarily through teaching, while deacons on the other hand are called primarily to a ministry of spiritual and physical service to the body of Christ.

So the one office is word oriented, the other office is service oriented and so the character qualities needed for each of these offices to some extent, but not entirely is unique to that office and unique to the functions of each office in each case, the list of qualifications can be divided up into two categories.

What a man is and what a man isn't this, what Paul's Paul's outline is here. What does characterize him and what does not characterize the man called to these various offices. As I was going through this this afternoon. It made a lot of sense. The order that I'd I outlined this in, but as I went through it. I realize this may be really confusing, so please don't try to track the verse by verse through first Timothy three. I'm not following that order, I group them in logical things in my own mind, but that may not translate regrouping the positive qualities, negative qualities and if there is redundancy between elder and deacon I'm putting them together ounce of my intention is to define every quality, but I'm not necessarily going in canonical order that that makes sense.

At any rate, the handout should should help you make sense of it when you get home if if you're thoroughly confused after tonight you have to go quickly through these listed to hit them all. The first positive quality that's mentioned is that he be above reproach and this is a quality that appears in both list for elders and the list for deacons to be above reproach or to be blameless. This doesn't mean that a man has to be free from every vice there is absolutely no blame little stick to this man that doesn't and it is me free from every vice. It means that there is nothing that he can be legitimately accused of that would call into question his integrity or lessen his authority. Every body sins, but some people sin has created this mountain of of scandal or charges that would undermine any authority he may hold in the church. Others have have dealt with their sins in such a way that perhaps restitution has already been made.

Things are settled. Consciences have been cleared to such an extent that there is no lingering blame to be cast. The man who was above reproach. A man whose blameless doesn't have unfinished business hanging over him. He doesn't have this huge backlog of sins that that he's committed against others that have never been adequately resolved is not living in the shadow of scandal. It's a man on whom charges of wrongdoing won't stick because they're either false charges or because they've already been dealt with the next quality mentioned in again. This one is also included in the list for deacons is that he be the husband of one wife, the husband of one wife polygamy was widely accepted. It was permissible in Paul's day, this qualification I think is condemning polygamy. It's it's disqualifying the man who has multiple wives. Now polygamy is not an issue in our day, at least not in our American culture. And yet, in principle, this qualification very much applies to us the principle behind the qualification is that of fidelity in marriage fidelity faithfulness in marriage. We probably wouldn't ask a man being considered for office if he has more than one wife. But we could asking and I think should ask if he's ever been divorced if he has been divorced were there biblical grounds for that divorce.

We might also ask if if there is a divorce in his in his past that divorce occurred before or after his conversion to Christianity. If he is remarried, we might ask whether the second marriage occurred before or after his conversion to Christianity. All of these questions are pertinent in ascertaining whether a man is above reproach beyond scandal with regard to marriage, sometimes the question of whether this particular qualification requires that an officer in the church be married is is that what Paul's saying a word single men are excluded on this on this qualification. I think it's difficult to make that case. Some have attempted to. We know from first Corinthians 7 that Paul himself one writing this list was not married. And yet he held office in the church. Now I also realize that his office as an apostle was unique, but it would be odd in my opinion, if a standard that is binding with regard to the office of Elder and Deacon were not binding with regard to the office of of apostle with the A, but I wonder if the whole question doesn't really just missed the point rather than asking whether or not a man ought to be married. I think we should be asking if a man is Mary. What kind of husband is that's where Paul wants us focusing qualification has to do with being above reproach in marriage.

There's no reproach in being single. There's much reproach.

However, being unfaithful in marriage. That's what this qualification is about the next quality in the elder list is sober mindedness. The Greek word behind this quality can mean temperance with regard to alcoholic beverages or it can mean temperate with regard to one's thought processes once thinking the ESV translation favors the latter sense of the word and I would tend to agree because the matter of alcohol is about to be addressed more specifically later on in the list.

It seems it would be redundant if if this qualification means the same thing that a later qualification means another synonym for this word then would be levelheaded he's he's he's sober minded he levelheaded.

He's not reactionary but self restrained in mind next in the list is one is very closely related to sober mindedness is the quality of self-control self-control is distinct from sober mindedness in that its emphasis is on restraining the body and its actions. If if a sober minded man is thoughtful about his convictions of self-control. Man then subjects his behavior, his actions to those thoughtful convictions so we put all that together and and see that the sort of person is restrained in both thought and action under control in mind and body man who is qualified for the office of elder is not a loose cannon is not impulsive. Given over to his passions. Instead he is under control. He's intentional. He's deliberate. He's restrained and thoughtful in the me also, just briefly mention for the sake of thoroughness that over in Titus one, Paul mentions the quality of being disciplined think this is very much related to the ideas of of sober mindedness and self-control. The distinction here seems to be that self-control suggests restraining oneself from evil.

While discipline in Titus emphasizes the moral strength. The moral resolve to pursue good. The one is negative.

The other is positive, but both relate to the person keeping himself under control. The next quality to mention is that of respectability. The word refers to modesty or propriety. Some people are by nature outlandish there given to extremes in their in their personality in their dress in their words that we often praise people for that quality people that are different people that are kinda out there for for being different. We praise and use. Gotta be true to yourself, you go get them whatever all that means. And yet Paul requires offices of the church to be men who whose conduct is modest for the sake of the gospel rather than outlandish.

I think the word dignified in verse eight with reference to deacons refers to the same kind of of quality, dignified respectability same kind of a thing and so neither an elder nor Deacon is called to draw attention to himself. He's called to draw attention to the gospel and its can be very difficult for a person who lacks a sense of what is appropriate in any given situation to not let his behavior or appearance or words get in the way of the gospel. I recently heard about a pastor who seemed to lack this this quality of respectability. He was prone to do things for the sheer shock value of it.

When he started using profanity in the pulpit but that would be cool and it wasn't long before his church defrocked him and and rightly so. I think because an elder needs to possess a sense of decorum and propriety, he must be respectable and dignified for the sake of the gospel. Next, we see the quality of hospitality.

That word means what we think it means nothing magical about the Greek behind that an elder needs to be welcoming and generous towards people and in the focus of this hospitality seems to be particularly on the stranger or the sufferer. In other words, those who need our generosity, the most Titus one mentions a corresponding quality in verse eight where it says that he is a lover of good, in other words, he loves doing good to others. Sometimes it's translated a lover of kindness. So the elder is hospitable because he loves blessing others with kindness. Next we have the quality of aptness to teach aptness to teach. This points to one of the primary functions of an elder. He's called, among other things, to teach the people of God sound doctrine.

This means that he needs to understand sound doctrine, but up be able to communicate that sound doctrine in a meaningful and helpful way to the church. Many a Christian fancies himself apt to teach because the smarts were because he loves reading books on systematic theology.

This qualification is in about understanding and loving theology of I think it does assume that it's about the ability to convey that understanding and love of doctrine to others.

It's about conveying a proper employment application of doctrine to others.

Titus tells us that it's also about an ability to rebuke those who are at odds with Scripture. So this qualification then focuses on a man's ability not just his temperament, his character, but his and his ability to communicate the truths of Scripture, and that communication may come in the form of teaching and in the form of rebuking. I believe there's a corresponding qualification to this with regard to the office of deacon, a Paul says in verse nine that a deacon is to hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.

In other words, while a deacon is is not called to an office of teaching.

That's not his primary function. He certainly needs to know the faith and he needs to be fully convinced of its truths. Deacons are often called upon to make decisions or offer counsel to those they serve those decisions and that counsel needs to always be informed by Scripture stands to reason then that both deacons and elders alike need to grasp and and be fully convinced of sound doctrine the last positive quality that Paul mentions with regard to elders is that they must be well thought of by outsiders man called to this office must have a good testimony among unbelievers seems sort of odd doesn't it, that proof of a man's integrity lies in in some measure in the hands of unbelievers. What's that about Paul were we looking the people who hate the church and in and want nothing to do with it as as witnesses for a man's a man's integrity. John Calvin acknowledges this. This difficulty, and he explains the oddity by saying it like this. He says this appears to be very difficult that a religious man should have as witnesses of his integrity infidels themselves who are furiously mad to tell lies against us. But the apostle means that so far as relates to external behavior. Even unbelievers themselves shall be constrained to acknowledge him.

This fellow who is called to be a good man, for although they groundless lease land are all the children of God, yet they cannot pronounce him to be a wicked man who leads a good and inoffensive life amongst them, such as that acknowledgment of uprightness which Paul here describes your you're a person of such integrity, that even lost people who hate the church really have no legitimate accusation against you as a good name to outsiders. Will Paul then turns his his attention to several qualities that should not be present in the lives of those called to hold office in the church. These are the negative things he says should not characterize first. He's not to be a drunkard.

This is applicable to both offices. Elder and deacon Deaconess is told to not be addicted to much wine. Verse eight and I think that self-explanatory means W drunkard will be an alcoholic. That's a disqualifier. The next three qualities go together. Paul says the elder must not be violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, and get a lump those together, not violent, not quarrelsome but gentle Titus repeats these qualities and he adds to them quick temper goodness in another synonym that fix fits in this group of violent man is a pugnacious bully who must have his way quarrelsome man is a fighter literally one who strikes the word means a striker disease prone to solve problems literally or metaphorically with his fists.

The quick-tempered man is a hothead someone who way to quickly ramps up someone to squat described quick-tempered people as those who lose no time being angry and do so with those they ought not over things they ought not an far more than they ought quick-tempered menace.

All of those qualities are contrasted with the quality of gentleness, gentleness means accommodating and tolerant accommodating and tolerant is a good chance that we recoil a bit when we hear that definition who wants an accommodating and tolerant elder or deacon, why would we want that kind of person leading our church. Aren't those the qualities of milquetoast compromisers rather than leaders. Why think our reaction against those qualities is in large part due to the abuse of tolerance and accommodation that we see in our day. We've lived in a culture that prizes tolerance of all the wrong things for all the wrong reasons but that doesn't mean that tolerance is bad bad tolerance is bad. Good tolerance is good and the man qualified for office in the church knows the difference. He knows when it's time to fight and when it's time to refrain from fighting when it's time to argue and when it's time to concede the argument for the sake of peace, a negative quality that appears in both the list for elders and deacons is that they are not lovers of money, they're not greedy for dishonest gain officers in the church are entrusted with the physical assets of the church if they are prone to love money if they are prone to love dishonest profit they going to face many temptations to abuse the trust they been given an officer then must have a heart that is not greedy. The last negative quality mentioned in first Timothy regarding the office of Elder is that he not be a recent convert, not be recently converted to the Christian faith and the corresponding quality and Titus one is that he not be arrogant to promote novice to early temptation is to pride that the temptation is to concede, and so I think that the the Titus quality of arrogance is the is the corresponding one here. This disqualification has nothing to do with the man's ability or knowledge. It has everything to do with the man's experience if he simply hasn't lived long enough as a believer to have been tested and humbled and sanctified, and it doesn't matter how knowledgeable or nice. He is, he's not ready and we do him a disservice to lay hands on him hastily.

The only quality quality left to to comment on specific to deacons is that they must not be double tongued must not be deceitful or hypocritical in speech, you know, in carrying out their duties. Deacons have to interact with the needy and the helpless in the indigent in ways quite unlike anyone else in the church. They will have to know how to be discreet, but direct that takes a special skill and if a man lacks that abilities and find it very difficult and awkward to fulfill his office as as deacon as we approach the end of this long list of qualifications only briefly mentioned to qualities that appear in Titus one, but have no corresponding quality mentioned in first Timothy three and Titus 18 Paul says that the elder must be upright and he must be holy must be upright any, must be holy upright describes a man who relates to other people with fairness, with equity with justice. It's a it's a horizontal word you're upright in your dealings with other people. Holiness, on the other hand, describes a man who was righteous in his dealings with God. It's more of a vertically oriented word, he relates to God in an upright way so this this man is just for other people and he is just before God, he is upright and holy. The only thing left to say that has to do with the arena in which all of these qualities are most visibly and clearly demonstrated in that arena.

Of course, is the home. My intention tonight was to get through all of these character qualities and then address the relationship between a man's home life and his call to hold office in the church.

I also had intentions of of addressing the gender issue by explaining what the Bible says about ordaining women to office. Those are those are crucial questions that our culture today is asking both of these issues are crucial for us to understand if were to be faithful to Scripture, but I overestimated my time to be brief, so we're at a time, I'll plan on picking up where we we left off. Here the next time have opportunity to preach. I did however want to provide you with with that handout so you can take it home at this handout contains a harmonized summary of of all the qualifications that are listed both in first Timothy and Titus one. So if if I've missed something tonight or a move through these two fast you can use that handout to to study through and think through these qualities on on your own pace. As you pray about who the Lord would have you nominate if anyone, to the offices of Elder and Deacon as we conclude for now. Let me draw attention to Christ, the head of the church. Our book of Church order opens by declaring the preeminence of Christ over his church listen to these words. It says that Jesus the mediator, the sole priest prophet King Savior and head of the church contains in himself by way of impotency all the offices in his church and has many of their names attributed to him in Scripture. He is apostle, he is teacher. He is pastor.

He is minister. He is Bishop and he is the only lawgiver in Zion and Christ in his wisdom calls imperfect men to be his under shepherds, elders and deacons. The rule and serve in his name church you are entrusted with the very weighty responsibility. The responsibility of identifying and electing those men who were called by God to lead this congregation.

You dare not exercise that responsibility thoughtlessly or flippantly. You dare not exercise that responsibility carelessly by disregarding the instruction that God himself is given to us in his word. I pray you'll take that to heart. You'll listen to what Paul has said is you pray about about who you may nominate to the offices of Elder and Deacon at Grace Church. Let's close in prayer. Father God.

May you raise up men who are called to the noble task of leaving your church's Holy Spirit.

May you give wisdom to your people, that they may rightly identify those men who have been qualified and call for this task.

Jesus Christ made the process before us culminates in a church that brings great glory to you, it's head for many many generations to come. We pray these things in your name.

Amen