10/02/18 - 1Tim 5

Oct 2, 2018

Do not be hasty empowering new leaders, and do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure. 1Tim 5:22 

Purity is never found in speed or volume, but in patience and selectivity.

Nothing creates more pressure than a vacuum.

When starting a new company or church, you tend to lack just about everything.   You work to raise funds, attract visitors, obtain needed resources, cast vision, and find leaders.  Because it is so early in the process, every new person is a “key leader” in every ministry.  Whether they are qualified or not, a warm body tends to be the top requirements.

Inevitably, it’s not long before one of those “key leaders” is not really leading properly.  They may be misplaced, unequipped, or incapable – and the planter is stuck trying to figure out how to change the role.  Sometimes that happens naturally as they move into different roles, and other times it is a difficult (even painful) change.  Every new startup deals with this issue – usually by making compromises to create progress.  Sadly, it’s these compromises that lead to greater problems later (even damaging problems).

Paul tells Timothy and the church to be slow about these decisions.  In your efforts to move the group forward, be cautious about compromise.  Especially in an organization like the church, which is built on moral reputation, trying to advance with a misplaced leader can actually damage all areas of the ministry.  And compromises that lead to participation in sin can damage the credibility of the leader.

Paul, like all leaders, had learned this principle the hard way.  Paul had taken a young guy named John Mark with him on the first missionary journey, and it didn’t work out so well.  Maybe Paul was a bit naïve, or Mark was misplaced, but the failure hurt their efforts.  Paul learned to be more careful the next time, choosing and grooming leaders over time before adding them to the team.  He gave people time to learn, opportunities to serve, and chances to grow.  Paul learned to value purity over speed. 

Listen to the wise counsel of Paul – and of every leader who has started something.  Be patient & selective, because purity is never found in speed, but in careful examination.