Updated November 1, 2005 (first published August 25, 2000) (David Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org; for instructions about subscribing and unsubscribing or changing addresses, see the information paragraph at the end of the article) -

The following tests are from the Bible and can help a man determine if God is calling him to be a pastor. By these tests churches also can examine men who might express interest in being pastors.

THE TEST OF DESIRE

“This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work”
(1 Timothy 3:1).

The verse speaks of a strong, compelling desire, a compulsion. Paul speaks of such compulsion in 1 Corinthians 9:16 when he says, “... for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!”

Those in Israel who did the work of building the tabernacle were men “whose hearts stirred them up, to come unto the work to do it” (Exodus 36:2). Even so, the men who are to lead the churches must be men whose hearts have been divinely stirred for this great task.

This desire will not be just a passing interest; it will be a passion, a powerful, divine summons to the ministry. It has been said, and rightly so, that if a man can refrain easily from preaching and being a church leader or missionary, he should. Why? Because God’s call to such ministry is attended by a powerful, unmistakable summons. You see this in God’s call to the prophets (consider Jeremiah chapter one, for example) and in His call to the Apostles (consider Acts chapter nine). And since it is the same God who gives pastors to the churches, we can expect Him to call in just this same positive, clear way.

A man might say no to God’s call, as Jonah did (temporarily!), but he will not mistake the call or ignore it lightly. As a boy I often went fishing with my father and grandfather. Sometimes we would “troll,” meaning we would use the outboard motor to move the boat slowly through the water while our fishing lines were dragged behind the boat. Before I caught my first fish while “trolling” I would reel my bait line in repeatedly, thinking that the tug on the line caused by the movement of the boat through the water was a fish. My grandfather would always say, “Don’t be hasty, son. You will know for sure when a fish strikes your line.” He was right! The real fish bite was unmistakable. The same is true for God’s call to special ministry such as the pastorate or missionary work.

C.H. Spurgeon, in addressing his men in the Pastor’s College warned, “If any student in this room could be content to be a newspaper editor, or a grocer, or a farmer, or a doctor, or a lawyer, or a senator, or a king, in the name of heaven and earth let him go his way... If on the other hand, you can say that for all the wealth of both the Indies you could not and dare not espouse any other calling so as to be put aside from preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, then, depend upon it, if other things be equally satisfactory, you have the signs of this apostleship.”

One of the great problems in churches today is leaders who have not been called of God! Alas, there are many who have been called by churches, or by organizations, or by relatives, or called by their own self-interest--but who have not been called by the Lord of the Harvest. This is a very serious matter, for the Bible warns, “My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.” (James 3:1) In spite of this warning, great numbers of men who lack evidence of a divine gift and call continue to usurp the positions of leadership in churches and Christian organizations.

Men who are not called of God lack the spiritual unction and discernment necessary for this solemn work, and often become the worst enemies of those who truly are called of God. They lack clear understanding of the doctrinal teaching of the Word of God; they care little or nothing for defending the faith or protecting the people of God from heresy; they cannot understand the fire which burns in a man’s bones when he is truly called to preach the Bible. And not infrequently they end up branding the God-called man as a troublemaker in the church of God rather than discerning his divine unction. Woe unto such usurpers at God’s judgment bar!

THE TEST OF LIFE

“A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; one that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity. ... Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil” (1 Timothy 3:2-7; also Titus 1:6-8).

Desire is important, but in itself is not enough. The individual’s life must also meet New Testament requirements for church leadership. Some people who desire to be pastors, deacons, or missionaries are deceived about God’s call. They feel God is calling them to that particular work, but it is obvious that He is not. God would not give detailed standards for elders and deacons, then ignore His own standards by calling an unqualified person!

If a woman, for example, feels God is calling her to be a pastor or deacon, she is wrong. The Bible says plainly this is a man’s work. Likewise if a man has a poor reputation in his community, or is given to wine, or has a mean spirit, or loves money, or does not have faithful children and a good home life, or has more than one wife, etc., he can be certain that God does not want him in church leadership work until the problem is corrected.

Let me emphasize here that THE CALL TO PREACH IS NOT NECESSARILY THE SAME AS THE CALL TO THE PASTORATE. A man can preach in many ways--in the highways and byways, in jails and nursing homes, on the street corners and from house to house, in a bus ministry, etc.--without being a pastor. Men who are not qualified to be a pastor can still preach the Word of God in many ways if they are faithful to Jesus Christ.

THE TEST OF ABILITY

“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” (Titus 1:9; see also 1 Timothy 3:5 and 1 Peter 5:2).

When God calls, He equips. He will never call someone to do something without giving that person the ability to do it. When the Lord wanted the tabernacle built in the time of Moses, He prepared men for this work. “See, I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship”  (Exodus 31:2-3).

We see here the main aspects of God’s call for special service. First, it was an individual call. God called Bezaleel, the son of Uri, the son of Hur. Secondly, it was to a particular, definite work. Thirdly, God’s call was accompanied by the ability to perform that call.

It is true that God loves to use the weak things of this world for His service. Because in this way Jesus Christ receives the glory, God often calls men to preach who seem unlikely candidates by man’s natural standards. He will not, though, call a man to be a pastor who cannot do the work of a pastor. For instance, a man must be able to teach the Bible and protect Christians from false teachers. He must, therefore, be able to read and study well enough to do this work. He must have special doctrinal knowledge and discernment as well as a shepherd’s heart for protecting and watching over the church.

No man without such abilities is qualified to be a pastor, even if he has a strong desire and a good Christian life and testimony. Such a man should heed Romans 12:3 -- “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.”

NECESSARY ABILITIES OF A PASTOR

1. He must be able to teach the Word of God and shepherd the church (1 Peter 5:2; Jeremiah 3:15).

2. He must be able to protect the Christians from false teachers (Titus 1:9-11; Acts 20:28-32).

3. He must be able to take oversight of the church; he must have the ability to lead and supervise all areas of church life and ministry (Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:2; Hebrews 13:17).

“The main difference between a minister and a private Christian seems to consist in those ministerial gifts, which are imparted to him, not for his own sake, but for the edification of others. But then I say these are to appear in due season; they are not to be expected instantaneously, but gradually, in the use of proper means. They are necessary for the discharge of the ministry, but not necessary as prerequisites to warrant our desires after it.” (John Newton as quoted in Spurgeon’s Lectures to My Students)

THE TEST OF RECOGNITION AND SUPPORT OF THE LOCAL CHURCH

“Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.”

“And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away” (Acts 13:1-3; also Acts 16:1-3).

When God called Paul and Barnabas to a particular missionary work, their local church readily recognized that call. The same was true when Timothy was called to accompany Paul on his journeys. This is one of the most important tests. It is true that there will be occasions when a church is  controlled by unsaved or carnal men and that church’s judgment will be wrong. There have been instances when God called a man or woman to a certain work, but the local church involved refused to recognize the call or support the ministry. In fact, there are examples of this in the Bible.

Jesus was rejected by His own people (John 1:11).

Paul was rejected by the Galatians and by some in the Corinthian church (Galatians 4:15-17; 1 Corinthians 9:11; 2 Corinthians 6:11-12; 3:1).

John and other men of God were rejected by the proud church leader, Diotrophes (3 John 9-10).

The normal Bible pattern, though, is for an individual’s call and burden to be recognized and supported by the church or churches which know him best.

“Considerable weight is to be given to the judgment of men and women who live near to God, and in most instances their verdict will not be a mistaken one. Yet this appeal is not final nor infallible, and is only to be estimated in proportion to the intelligence and piety of those consulted. I remember well how earnestly I was dissuaded from preaching by as godly a Christian matron [lady] as ever breathed; the value of her opinion I endeavoured to estimate with candour and patience--but it was outweighed by the judgment of persons of wider experience. ... I have noted ... that you, gentlemen, students, as a body, in your judgment of one another, are seldom if ever wrong. There has hardly ever been an instance, take the whole house through, where the general opinion of the entire college concerning a brother has been erroneous. ... Meeting as you do in class, in prayer-meeting, in conversation, and in various religious engagements, you gauge each other; and a wise man will be slow to set aside the verdict of the house.” (C.H. Spurgeon, Lectures to My Students)

THE TEST OF PROVING HIS FAITHFULNESS IN GOD’S WORK

“Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil” (1 Timothy 3:6).

“And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office...”
(1 Timothy 3:10).

“And we have sent with them our brother, whom we have oftentimes proved diligent in many things...” (2 Corinthians 8:22).

The Scriptures show that churches must be careful in ordination. Men should demonstrate their zeal and faithfulness BEFORE being ordained for special service, not BY the ordination. The Apostle Paul warned Timothy, “Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins. Keep yourself pure” (1 Timothy 5:20). In other words, Timothy was warned to be very cautious about ordaining men to positions of leadership. The entire context of 1 Timothy 5:17-26 concerns leaders in the church. If a congregation fails to prove men before ordination, it becomes partaker of the evil deeds of the unqualified leaders. By laying on of hands, those performing the ordination are testifying publicly that they are convinced  God has called the person being ordained. They are identifying themselves with that person. If the church makes a mistake because of hastiness and failure to prove the person by God’s standards, they become partakers of the sins of the man wrongly ordained.

It is no light thing to take the position of a leader in God’s church. A Scripture already quoted warns, “My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation” (James 3:1). Greater responsibility means greater judgment. The leader must answer to God, not only for his own life and family, but for his entire congregation or sphere of ministry, whatever it might involve. Even the unbelievers in the community observe church leaders’ lives closely and judge Christ and the Bible by these men. Have you ever heard someone say, “What is so special about the church and Christianity? Even the pastors are hypocrites”?

Individuals and churches must be cautious and not exercise haste in these matters. Let a man prove himself faithful in the church as a servant of God and manifest an unmistakable divine call to the ministry before being ordained.