Modeling the Message

Modeling the Message

In a world that often prizes power, position, and profit, the church’s leadership model stands in stark contrast. Our go-get-it culture frequently values leadership traits that clash with God’s design for shepherding His people. Paul’s instructions in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 outline what authentic spiritual leadership embodies. Unlike worldly leadership, the qualifications focus less on charisma or administrative skill than on character formed by the gospel. These traits—being above reproach, faithful, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, and able to teach—reveal something profound: church leaders must incarnate the message they proclaim. What strikes me is how these qualifications sketch not merely a “nice person” but someone whose life has been fundamentally transformed. The prohibited traits—drunkenness, violence, quarrelsomeness, greed—point to a life increasingly freed from self-destructive patterns. The communal traits—managing one’s household well, spiritual maturity, and maintaining a good reputation with outsiders—show how gospel-shaped character ripples outward. This different way of being human flows from the heart of the gospel itself: “There is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people” (1 Timothy 2:5-6). The mediator became flesh; now he asks leaders to embody his message. When leaders embody this truth, the church becomes a living testament to Christ’s redemptive work. Their lives become signposts pointing toward the Kingdom — places where we glimpse what we’re all becoming. Through their stumbling faithfulness, Christ is seen in the local, inviting us all into the transforming company of Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. 

–Caleb McCaughan, Preaching Minister

Dinner Table Conversations: 

Adult & Teen Table Talk: 

• Timothy 3:1 mentions “desiring to be a shepherd” as a noble goal. What healthy and unhealthy motivations might someone have for seeking church leadership? 
• Which of the leadership characteristics mentioned seems most important to you? Which one surprises you the most? 
• What qualities do you look for in people you choose to follow or learn from? How do those compare with Paul’s list in 1 Timothy 3? 

Little Learners’ Table Talk: 

• Leaders need to know the Bible and be able to teach it. What’s your favorite Bible story that someone has taught you? 
• Jesus wants leaders in the church to be kind and loving. Who is someone kind in your life that you look up to? What makes them special? 

Foundations of Faith: Modeling the Message