No, not a man who is divorced, but a man who has had an official In verse 2, overseers (elders, pastors) were required to be “the husband of one wife.” In verse 12, the same phrase is set as a requirement for being a deacon. The answer is yes, but then he must first demonstrate a pattern of faithfulness to the Lord over years before he can be considered for the office of elder. Just as someone can go to prison as a lost person, become a Christian while incarcerated, and then have a ministry, a divorced or remarried man can have a ministry for the Lord. In the Old Testament a priest could not marry a divorcee (Leviticus 21:7); the high priest could not marry a widow or a divorcee, but had to marry a virgin (Leviticus 21:14). That would mean that we can never say anything about Driscoll, MacDonald, any homosexual pastor, any liberal pastor, any immoral pastor, etc. The first ordained as a deacon a fine man who had experienced the pain of divorce in his youth and had since put his life together with a wonderful woman. What if he is the innocent party and couldn’t save his marriage? Our youth minister performed it instead. (This would likely preclude a widowed pastor being allowed to remarry. Although 1 Timothy 3:2 does not necessarily exclude a divorced or remarried man from serving as an elder/deacon/pastor, there are other issues to consider. Many people teach that if a man has been divorced that he does not qualify to be a Pastor, Deacon or Preacher. What if his divorce was pre-conversion? 3. Apparently a worthy priesthood holder is not bishopric”material” if he has gone through a divorce and remarried in the temple! Beliefnet is a lifestyle website providing feature editorial content around the topics of inspiration, spirituality, health, wellness, love and family, news and entertainment. Tag Archives: Can a divorced man be a pastor? Pastors and Deacons are elected by the people; therefore, it all based on what the people believe. What is the 'husband of one wife' qualification for pastors / elders / deacons (1 Timothy 3:2, 12; Titus 1:6)? God’s intention was for one man and one woman to marry and stay together. They continued in service, after becoming purified. All of the qualifications describe patterns of life. The pay for any pastor can vary dramatically depending on the location of the church and the size of the congregation. Jerry. You would remember that a man and woman who are divorced are no longer husband and wife (Hosea 2:2). We know from Scripture that divorce, in most cases, is a sin (Matthew 19:1–9). Today, among certain religions and cultures polygamy is still common. Therefore, you wouldn’t even consider that Paul was referring to a pastor who had been remarried after a scriptural divorce. If a man is married to a divorced woman, can he serve in church leadership? Not for Catholic. First Timothy 3:2 and Titus 1:6 teach that an elder or pastor must be known as the husband of one wife, a qualification also mentioned regarding deacons in 1 Timothy 3:12. Others modify this view, and say that if a person was divorced before becoming a Christian, then they can become a minister of a church. Most believe that a divorced man cannot serve as a pastor or in a leadership role within the local church. One could perhaps argue from this text that getting remarried is a better alternative than succumbing to sexual sin. Obviously we can all agree that there are many qualifications that must be met before one can become a pastor, ... but what is their or a denominations's opinion regarding the qualifiability of a justifiably divorced man. You would know from the Bible that he still only has one wife. In addition, increasing numbers of pastors are becoming divorced and yet are remaining in positions of elder/pastoral ministry! The Bible says that the bishop is to be the husband of one wife, which should be the same for anyone else who has been divorced and remarried. In order to dive deeper into this question, let’s take another look at the list of qualifications for a bishop. Needless to say, there are many divorced pastors serving in churches today -- in evangelical, Bible believing churches. Also, I would like to hear someone address the important issue of how marriage represents the union of Christ and His church. Copyright 2011-2021 Got Questions Ministries - All Rights Reserved. You explain how Saul can be considered the greatest Missionary and his words become part of the Bible when he was a murderer but a man that got divorced can not be a pastor. Here's a summary of the four major views of whether a divorced man is allowed to serve as deacon: 1). Some believe that a preacher can still be the minister of a church even though divorced. Day is one of the most influential people in my life. However, there are exceptions. When he is divorced, he has no wife. Depression, discouragement, confusion, anger, bitterness and the nasty things that go with divorce intensifies in the pastor. If the divorce was for unbiblical reasons, he has probably disqualified himself. Can a divorced man become a pastor (or deacon)? Many believe this means literally one wife or never have been divorced. Single men can be pastors. We also know that God forgives sin (Colossians 1:13–14). Those pastors who don’t want to even approach the subject of divorced people becoming a deacon or a divorced person becoming a pastor are being neglectful in their own teaching and leadership. First Timothy 3 lists the qualifications for bishops (pastors, elders). If a man was divorced prior to becoming a Christian, then 2 Corinthians 5:17 comes into play: “If any man be in Christ he is a new creation; the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come.” No pastor should demand that their current policy be changed in one single moment; however, a gentle, patient leading style could go a long way. Married people who divorce and whose marriage is annulled can marry in church; it's likely that the same applies to ordination. Needless to say, there are many divorced pastors serving in churches today -- in evangelical, Bible believing churches. Just my 2 cents worth, When God calls a man to be a pastor, God knows if that man has been, is, or will be divorced. Sign up for Beliefnet's Bible Reading newsletter. I think Paul was most clearly saying that any man could not be an elder who had, prior to becoming a Christian, married two or … I think the comments regarding re-establishing the man's innocence in a divorce … Yes a divorced man can be a pastor, if His wife chooses to divorce Him. I think Protestantist and Baptist churches will think that a person who has been and divorced "repented" from that sin, can become a pastor/priest; but I doubt that a separated person (still married to but not together with and separated from your spouse) can become a pastor/priest. Some teach it to mean a man must be married in order to serve, thus removing single men from any opportunity of leadership service. The Bible nowhere says a divorced man can't be a pastor-that is something we read into the passage, but is nowhere present. As far as divorce: To answer whether a divorced man can pastor based on the qualifications Paul lists would require a LOT of uncomfortable questions and honest answers. A minister can be divorced and be remarried but it will be examined in his interviews. Passages like 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1 teach that, among other things, an “overseer” must “be above reproach,” “manage his own family well,” “have a good reputation with outsiders,” and be “self-controlled, […] One such case would be if the spouse committed adultery. Are there any cases where Divorce is OK? Now, let us look at ALL the qualifications required to be a pastor as found in 1 Timothy 3:2-4. Some believe that if a preacher was ever divorced, even before becoming a Christian, they cannot ever be a pastor. Not all Christians and churchgoers are comfortable with the idea of a divorced pastor leading. When a man is married, he has one wife. Charles Stanley is perhaps one of the most well-known current pastors who are divorced. And that is what PB has done. What if the pastor is a womanizer? Join Our Christian Singles and Take The Sin & Repentance Quiz ... first off, paul is not saying in 1 Timothy that u could not be a man who was divorce. At the Creator’s command, the first man and woman were to “become one flesh” for purposes of procreation, bonding, and mutual pleasure in a safe and loving relationship (Genesis 2:24). If a man is married to a divorced woman, can he serve in church leadership? Some pastors believe this passage teaches that a man who has been divorced or widowed and subsequently remarried should not be allowed to serve as an elder or as a deacon. Therefore, I do not believe the Bible teaches that a man who has ever been divorced may hold the office of pastor or deacon. Not allowed - divorce disqualifies. However, some ministers may begin as associate pastors in larger churches, which can start as low as $31,000. Allowed if divorce occurred before conversion to Christ. The fact that divorced pastors still serve as pastors does not prove the matter biblically. Obviously we can all agree that there are many qualifications that must be met before one can become a pastor, ... but what is their or a denominations's opinion regarding the qualifiability of a justifiably divorced man. Can a divorced man serve as a pastor, elder, or deacon?" In summary, a divorced man can be an elder or a pastor if he has proven himself faithful for a long duration of time and he did not initiate the divorce. Can a divorced man become a pastor (or deacon)? As such, how does this affect, if it does, the marriage requirements of a pastor. How then do they conclude that when a man called to preach is remarried he is disqualified to pastor? As a general rule, divorce disqualifies a man from service as either a pastor or deacon. Some delineate whether such a man was divorced for a biblical reason, or whether he experienced a conversion to Christianity after a divorce. Even people who know very little Scripture know that Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines. This act of grace took place years before I arrived in Matador. The divorce of his youth gave him wisdom and humility for service. Most of Christendom, however, holds that a pastor or deacon must be one who has never experienced the sorrow and tragedy of divorce. A divorced man may become a pastor only if he was divorced pre-conversion. 3). When the question of divorce concerns a man who has been called to preach, it is always controversial. When he remarries, he has one wife. An elder/pastor/deacon is to be a man that the church and community can look up to as an example of Christ-likeness and godly leadership. If you read the Bible from Genesis through Revelation and come across these verses in 1 Timothy and Titus regarding the pastor’s marital status, you would say he could not be a polygamist. A list of all the qualifications for an elder or a pastor is given in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9. Apparently a worthy priesthood holder is not bishopric”material” if he has gone through a divorce and remarried in the temple! Divorce doesn't actually exist in the Roman Catholic Church, so the simple answer is No: they can't. An innocent man (non-adulterer) in a divorce may serve after a period of time. Jesus himself reiterated the divine intent (Matthew 19:4,5) and Paul instructed Christian spouses faithfully and regularly to fulfill their sexual responsibilities to each other (1 Corinthians 7:3-5). Is there a Scripture that prohibits divorced man to become a pastor despite if his sin has been forgiven by God? Although the offices of “bishop” and “deacon” may be closed to the divorced man, there are many ways in which a divorced Christian can serve Christ in positions which do not require ordination. Divorced Pastors & Deacons? The Church Order of the Christian Reformed Church says that only those persons who “meet the biblical requirements” are eligible for office. This does not mean divorced persons cannot serve in the church. When a man and a woman are joined together in holy matrimony, the two become one in spirit, soul and body. Discussion in 'Christian Philosophy & Ethics' started by tdiddy, Feb 17, 2010. Discussion in 'Christian Philosophy & Ethics' started by tdiddy, Feb 17, 2010. You say separated, not "divorced". Baptist churches are autonomous and can make their own decisions about how their church is run. But what does this actually man? Results are only viewable after … Otherwise, as has been mentioned before, a single man, never married, can't be pastor, nor can a man without children, or whose children have … There are a number of polygamists in the Old Testament that are mentioned by name including Lamech, in Genesis 4:19, who was the first polygamist. 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