Qualified to lead?
Steve Smith responds to a common criticism of church-planting movements (CPMs) that fairly new believers become leaders of churches.
This seems to contradict what Paul says about the qualifications of overseers:
He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil (1 Tim 3:6).
Steve writes, this is not Paul’s only list of qualifications for overseers. We must apply biblical expectations for leaders appropriate to their stage of responsibility and development. The prohibition about new converts above is very important – for the right setting.
Paul actually gives two lists of qualifications for church leaders in his epistles – Titus 1:5-9 and 1 Timothy 3:1-7. Both lists are important, but are appropriate for completely different contexts.
