Titus 1:16 (NKJV)
"They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work."
The word “disqualified” means “unfit.”
Pre-disqualified? You’re unfit before you get to the door.
Just like not everyone could join the military, the same is said for people that desire to be in the ministry.
"If you can't be tested, you cannot be trusted."
Anyone could say that they were "called" into the ministry and even start a church, but are you qualified according to the Scriptures?
Just because you sound “preachy or teachy,” it doesn’t mean that you’re qualified.
The gift of gab doesn’t mean you’re qualified.
Everyone hides behind "I'm called by God," but what if you were "screened" for the position?
The purpose of the "screen door" is to keep the flies out, but sadly, a few "flies" will get in because they just wait for the right moment for you to open the door. Some "flies" are smart. They wait near or on the door and as soon as you open the door, they fly right in.
The Cretans (isle of Crete in the Mediterranean, southeast of Greece and south of the Aegean Sea) received the gospel from Paul when Paul was on his way to Rome to appear before Caesar.
Titus was instructed to ordain elders in every city. The qualifications were simple and some of these qualifications came from the instructions that Paul left with Timothy.
We must point out that just because a person never came into Christ and then selected to be elders were fit and then became disqualified. Just as the world, we need to remind ourselves that some people are disqualified before they start out.
Just like in the military (I've served 4 years in the Navy), not everyone becomes a member of the Armed Forces of the United States. The recruiter must read the mindset. Not everyone has the military mindset to handle the rigors of military life.
The purpose of the military is "LETHALITY."
The whole purpose of the recruiter is to ensure that a person that desire to be a member could pass the very basics of bootcamp. It doesn't take much to figure it out. Recuiters look for the conscientious type. Attention to detail oriented.
If you're overweight, it's a no brainer. The military isn't interested in taking someone and make them a "special product." It takes too much time, money, and effort. So the smart recruiter will tell that individual to lose the weight and then return. They could have an excellent ASVAB score but they're overweight. Or they're not fat but they're incapable of passing the physical fitness aspects of the military.
In many recruiting stations, there's a pullup bar. There's all sorts of equipment that the military has that's similar to what's in bootcamp and if you can't do the minimum, they'll tell you to master the basics and then return.
BOOTCAMP TIP: Mastering the basics isn't what the recruiters are looking for. They're looking to see if you could "crush" the basics. In other words, "go beyond the minimum."
How to stand at attention. How to salute. Understanding military courtesy. Memorizing and understanding the General Orders of a Sentry. Dismounted facing movements. Cleanliness and Hygene. Discipline. Obeying direct lawful orders quickly and without, failure, hesitation, or question. Respect your officers and seniors, peers in rank, and never mistreat or abuse your subordinates. Above all, TEAMWORK!.
ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery).
It's a series of tests designed to see what speciality you're competent in. Based on the score, it'll determine the job(s) area that you're qualified for. Because after bootcamp, depending upon what you're qualified for, it will determine the school that you'll go to.
If you score a very low ASVAB score, the likelyhood of being selected for a particular rating is slim to none. But just because you have a low score, it doesn't mean that you won't get in. Chances are, you'll be sent to do the lowest jobs in the military that require little to no additional training.
Then there's the criminal element or the ones that sneak in with an ulterior motive. They check all of the boxes but as soon as they see an opportunity, the crime begins. Depending upon the crime (misdemeanor or felony) if they secure a waiver from a judge, they might get it. But chances are, after the recruiter run a background check on you, if there's any red flags, entrance will be denied.
The military can't be babysitters.
I use this template because there's a lot of people that claim that they're qualified for ministry but they've never been tested.
Before they're in the ministry, they're determined to be "disqualified."
It won't stop them from entering into ministry, but when they attempt to get into small or large places, they must be tested.
Look at the instruction that Paul gave Timothy regarding Deacons.
1 Timothy 3:10 (NKJV)
"But let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, being found blameless."
The word "tested" means "examined.'
It could refer to the test that the apostles of the Lamb gave in Acts chapter 6 that were given to the people to select 7 men.
"Good report, full of the Holy Spirit, and faith."
Sadly, some will slip through the cracks. We're not going to catch everybody unless you do a weekly assessment exam on everyone, including the pastor. Everyone is accountable to everyone to make sure that the name of the Lord isn't blasphemed by the world.
Just because they got a BA, an MA, and a Doctorate, it doesn't mean that they're qualified. Paul's examination had no educational requirement. The Lord selected fishermen, tax collectors, a traitor, and a terrorist. In fact, when the Sanhedrin had the apostles arrested and examined them, they've determined that they were "untrained' men (see Acts 4:13).
Untrained in their schools to become a rabbi.
I’m not frowning upon achieving higher education on the Bible, but many use it to command a high salary when applying for a job to become a pastor.
But higher education is a poor gauge for qualifications for ministry.
There’s a benefit to higher Biblical education in that it helps you to understand the Bible you’re preaching and living from.
1 Peter 5:1-3 (NKJV) "The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock..."
1 Peter 5:5-6 (NKJV) "Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for
“God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time..."
A lot of ministerial scandals could be prevented if they were stopped at the door and if they get in, there's a weekly examination among leaders to discover issues and sin.
1 Timothy 5:17-20 (NKJV) "Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine. For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer is worthy of his wages.” Do not receive an accusation against an elder except from two or three witnesses. Those who are sinning rebuke in the presence of all, that the rest also may fear."
James 5:15-16 (NKJV) "Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much."
It's true that you're not going to catch everything, but the damage could be minimized when you go the extra mile and "crush" it.
Many of the ministerial scandals that occur today is because we've failed to do a complete examination of ourselves in the presence of unbiased, humble servants of the Lord. We don't submit to be accountable to the Lord and to each other. We don't ask the tough questions.
HAVE YOU WATCHED PORN ANYTIME IN THE LAST WEEK?
ARE YOU SEEING SOMEONE OTHER THAN YOUR WIFE?
ARE YOU PRACTICING HOMOSEXUALITY?
ARE YOU HAVING PROBLEMS FINANCIALLY?
ARE YOU STRUGGLING ON THE JOB?
ARE YOUR CHILDREN DISOBEYING YOU?
DO YOU HAVE A DRUG OR ALCOHOL PROBLEM?
Then everyone reads 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus chapters 1 and 2 and examines themselves each and every week among the leaders without fail.
The smaller the problem, the easier it could be dealt with. A small fire is easier to deal with than a house engulfed in flames.
Tough questions like that and other questions because if you don't know how to take care of your own house, how could you take care of the church?
It's clear that if you're divorced, you're disqualified before you get into the door because if you're not the husband of one wife, and you decide to marry another woman, that's a violation of Matthew 19;4-9 and Romans 7:1-3.
You’re no longer “the husband of one wife.”
When you’re divorced, you can return to your first wife or husband. Not to say women are qualified for ministry but just sharing from 1 Corinthians 7:10.
Submission to leaders that isn't looking to be overbearing or to rule other leaders in a harsh manner. But in love, serving one another.
Being very mindful that we all could stumble and fall at anytime.
We're well aware that people could lead secret lives but eventually, what's done in the dark will come to the light (see Luke 12:2).
When you can't put your finger on it when you see someone stumbling around, or something has changed in the way that they behave, it's a good time to see if something is wrong. And if nothing is there, just leave it alone and pray for one another.
We shouldn't fly off the handle to disqualify everything that may not be normal or usual, but the obvious signs must be addressed as soon as it's noticed. At the same time, we need the mindset of the recruiter.
Screen them before they become a major problem in the military. Disqualify them before they get into the door because once they're in, you will spend a lot of time, money, and effort dealing with the aftermath.
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