A Christian politician was ridiculed as a ‘vote thief,’ for which the Supreme Court of that nation reprimanded him. Yet, he was treated like a celebrity in the local church, given a place of honor, and elected as the Chief Elder. In fact, he was more esteemed by the congregation than even the pastor. Paul gives a list of qualities of an elder. Two things stand out: the person must be above reproach and must be well thought of by outsiders. (I Timothy 3:1-7)
Above Reproach:
It means to be a person of integrity, transparency, and honesty. No one should be able to blame. Such a person can also be termed as righteous, and upright. A person does what is always right in the sight of God, even when no one is noticing or watching him/her. The world values just skills or abilities and resources, not the morality or righteousness in a person. Without Fear of God, there is no motivation to hate evil, pride, and arrogance. (Proverbs 8:13)
Reputation:
A person should lead a life that is blameless in the local community, workplaces, and places of influence. Without such a reputation, that person is no right choice for leadership in the church. Sadly, the local church elected a person as a leader who was condemned by the highest court of the country. That means they neither know the bible, nor the office of an Elder in the local church.
Choice of people:
People should choose the right kind of leaders. It is more important in the context of local congregation. Some people were beneficiaries of petty perks he gave through political influence, some wanted favor in the future, and some received bribes to elect him. Corrupt people cannot choose an upright leader.
City on the hill:
Christians, the church, and the community are supposed to be like the city on the hill; shining, guiding, and influencing the world for good. (Matthew 5:14-16) Instead of being light, the darkness of the world overwhelms such local churches.
Do I lead a righteous life and approve only righteous people for leadership?