The Pastoral Epistles set forth in detail the marks of an effective Christian leader. Please evaluate yourself on these marks by asking the following questions. Write out your thoughts in the margin. Above all, be honest.
1 Timothy 3
“Are you above reproach? Blameless in every area of life? Do you have a good reputation with those inside and outside the church? (vv. 2, 7)
Yes No
- Are you a one-woman man? Do you have a single-minded devotion to your wife? Are you overcoming problems of lust and moral impurity? (v. 2)
Yes No
- Are you temperate, sober, and serious-minded about the things of God? Are you vigilant and watchful about your personal life? (v. 2)
Yes No
- Are you prudent and sensible? Do you exhibit common sense regarding the basic issues of your life and ministry? (v. 2)
Yes No
- Are you respectable? Do you handle yourself in an orderly and well-behaved manner, rather than being childish, ill-mannered, and immature? (v. 2)
Yes No
- Are you given to hospitality? Are you willing to open your heart, home, and material resources to others? Do you serve and minister to the needs of others on a regular basis? (v. 2)
Yes No
- Are you able to teach the Word to others? Do you look for and take advantage of opportunities to communicate biblical truth to those around you? (v. 2)
Yes No
- Do you exhibit self-control in matters of food and drink or in practices that could cause others to stumble? (v. 3)
Yes No
- Are you peaceable and non-combative rather than quick-tempered and argumentative? Are you able to deal with those who contradict you in a gentle, reasonable way? (v. 3)
Yes No
- Are you free from a contentious spirit? Are you “slow to anger” rather than quarrelsome? Do you seek to avoid strife? (v. 3)
Yes No
- Are you free from the love of money, covetousness, and greedy gain? Have you avoided undue entanglement in secular money affairs and over-interest in money, retirement, the things of the world? (v. 3)
Yes No
- Do you manage your own household well? Are your children faithful rather than rebellious toward God? Do you handle your children with dignity and in a respectable, commendable way that is an example to others? (v. 4)
Yes No
- Are you an established believer? Are you mature in the faith rather than a new convert? (v. 6)
Yes No
Titus 1
- Are you selfless rather than self-willed? Are you willing to yield your rights rather than insisting on getting your own way? (v. 7)
Yes No
- Are you a lover of that which is good (i.e. good men, good things, good values, etc.)? (v. 8).
Yes No
- Are you just and fair in all your dealings? Do you have a genuine desire to that which is right and honorable in the sight of others? (v. 8)
Yes No
- Are you devout? Are you wholly devoted to Christ and willing to be set apart unto Him? (v. 8)
Yes No
- Are you self-controlled? Are you letting Christ rule and reign over your life? Are you able to discipline yourself, apart from externally-imposed disciplines? (v. 8)
Yes No
1 Timothy 4
- Are you an example of godliness in your speech? (v. 12)
Yes No
- Are you an example of godliness in your conduct? (v. 12)
Yes No
- Are you an example of godliness in your love? (v. 12)
Yes No
- Are you an example of godliness in your faith? (v. 12)
Yes No
- Are you an example of godliness in your purity? (v. 12)
Yes No
- Are you taking pains with, absorbed in, persevering and making evident progress in the development of godly character? (v. 15ff)
Yes No
- Are you taking pains with, absorbed in, persevering and making evident progress in the development of your teaching? (v. 15)
Yes No
1 Timothy 5
- Do you treat others with respect rather than reproving them sharply? (v. 1,2)
Yes No
- Do you take care of the material and spiritual needs of your own household? (v. 8)
Yes No
- 1 Timothy 6
Are you content with what God has provided? Do you see what God has provided as enough? (v. 6-10)
Yes No
- 2 Timothy 1
- Do you maintain a clear conscience? Are you consistently right before God and man? (v. 3; 1 Timothy 1:19)
Yes No
- Have you overcome a spirit of timidity or a man-fearing spirit? Are you unashamed of the Lord and the Lord’s servants? (v. 7,8)
Yes No
2 Timothy 2
- Are you personally involved in teaching faithful men who in turn can teach others? Do you exhibit a lifestyle of personal discipleship? (v. 2)
Yes No
- Are you willing to suffer hardship? Are you willing to do the will of God regardless of the cost? (v. 3)
Yes No
- Are you preoccupied with Christ rather than the things and interests of this world? Are your priorities aligned with those taught in God’s Word? Do you have an eternal perspective? (v. 4)
Yes No
- Do you “compete according to the rules”? Do you order your life according to biblical principles? (v. 5)
Yes No
- Are you hard-working and diligent? Are you willing to aggressively tackle any responsibility regardless of its difficulty? (v. 6)
Yes No
- Do you study the Word of God diligently and handle it accurately? (v. 15)
Yes No
- Do you avoid worldly and empty chatter? (v. 16)
Yes No
- Do you consistently cleanse yourself of any impurity of life? Do you flee youthful lusts, and are you pursuing righteousness, purity, and holiness? (v. 21,22)
Yes No
- Do you refuse foolish and ignorant speculations that produce quarrels? (v. 23)
Yes No
- Are you kind to all? (v. 24)
Yes No
- Are you patient when wronged? (v. 24)
Yes No
- Do you gently correct those who are in opposition to the truth? (v. 25)
Yes No
2 Timothy 3
- Do you have a godly perspective on the wickedness of the day in which we live? Do you see clearly the enemies that oppose the things of God? (v. 1-9)
Yes No
- Are you teachable? Do you follow the example of godly men? (v. 10)
Yes No
- Are you faithful in the study and application of the Word of God to equip yourself as a man of God? (v. 14-16)
Yes No
2 Timothy 4
- Do you proclaim consistently and faithfully the whole counsel of the Word? (v. 2)
Yes No
- Are you ready to serve God in season and out of season (i.e. at all times, regardless of the circumstances)?
Yes No
- Are you willing to reprove and rebuke men? Are you unafraid to confront others who stand in opposition? Are you more interested in pleasing God than pleasing men? (v. 2)
Yes No
- Do you minister to others with great patience and biblical instruction? (v. 2)
Yes No
- Are you fulfilling faithfully the ministry that God has given you right where you are? (v. 4-8)
Yes No
Obviously every man God uses contends with sin and weakness daily. Yet no man can willfully and consistently rebel against God and be the leader God wants him to be. Leadership without spirituality usually ends in a mere show of faked piety – disaster for the minister and his people. Such leadership is not just neutral but damaging to the Body of Christ as it cools flames of passion for the Lord in other believers.
Has God shown you something about yourself you wish were not there? For rebellion and pretense there is only one course of action: repentance. Humble yourself and reject the sin, despising it for the evil that it is. If you have sinned against others, confess your sin to as many as your sin or its effect has touched. And where you found weakness, renew spiritual disciplines. But in every consideration apply faith in God the Sanctifier. It is God who makes you holy and effective.
Memorize verses applicable to your need. Let God’s Word search you daily. Ask for help from others who can hold you accountable and give you counsel. Aggressively cooperate with the Holy Spirit, the agent of change in your life. Trust God to broaden your leadership according to a growing foundation of true spirituality. And plead with God to keep you from ever being surface, vain, and useless as a leader. Ask God to make you a vessel fit for the Master’s use.”[1]
[1] Bill Elliff, “Fifty Marks of a Man of God”, Little Rock, Arkansas, The Summit Church, 1992