The reason I left you in Crete was that you might put in order what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you. An elder must be blameless, faithful to his wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. Since an overseer manages God’s household, he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. Rather, he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.

--Parallel verses:
‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭3‬:‭1‬-‭7‬
Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task. Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full respect. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?) He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap.

I think this is an interesting description of elder qualifications and the calling of an elder.

The qualifications are: 1) Blameless and above reproach, 2) Faithful to his wife, 3) Manages his household with discipline, love, and faith, with children who are obedient and well-trained, 4) Respectable, temperate, and self-controlled, 5) Known for integrity and a good reputation.

Here are the activities an elder should not be partaking in: 1) Wild or reckless behavior, 2) Disobedience to the gospel, 3) Drunkenness, 4) Quarrelsomeness, 5) Violence, 6) Greed. He must also not be a recent convert.

And finally here is what an elder should be about: 1) Showing hospitality, 2) Loving what is good, 3) Practicing self-control, 4) Living uprightly, 5) Pursuing holiness, 6) Remaining disciplined, 7) Holding firmly to the gospel, 8) Teaching with understanding, 9) Encouraging sound doctrine, and 10) Correcting those who oppose the truth.

As I look at this list, it is full of important qualifications. And it is also full of important ministry charges.

Some churches seem to pick only mild-mannered individuals, who are introverts, to serve on the elder board alongside pastors. This seems to be, in part, because they are agreeable and think before they speak, and for these reasons they may be good choices. However, they are also called to defend the faith and be active in the body of Christ. They should be passionate about living out the gospel, as well. And they must refute false teachings and be able to teach.

Maybe these leaders are picked because they will go along with the leadership desires of the lead pastor and not put up challenges or road blocks?

However, while it is important to work together, elders are to also be full of the Holy Spirit and conviction. Being easy going, fun, and always agreeable are not leadership qualities. These are more follower qualities.

Elders should be curious and stand strong on the truth and the movement of the Spirit of God. They need to be engaged in ministry and accountable to others. A passion for their faith should be evident and visible.

I advocate for strong leaders who can challenge each other. This includes the above, and typically a diversity of personality types and gifts on an elder board. In looking at building boards of directors in the corporate world, these are some of the guidelines we find and they help an organization remain healthy.

The main goal is that the leaders should model being humble servants of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Lord, thank you for these elder qualifications. I will seek to aspire to these. Help me refine my heart and seek out your truth. May my passion be for your Word and to serve faithfully those in my care.