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Pastor Scott L. Harris
Grace Bible Church, NY
July 12, 2026
* The Call, Qualifications & Responsibility of Ministry
Selected Scriptures
*Introduction
I have been looking forward to this day for many years. Ed Colón, Jonathan Harris and Sam Ramac will be formally ordained as Elders of Grace Bible Church after this sermon. All three of these men have been doing the work of Elders and have demonstrated the character requirements of Elders for many years. All three have now completed all of the formal requirements of our church constitution to be recognized as Elders including affirmation by the church members two weeks ago.
*Our term ordination traces to a Latin term (ordinare) which means to “put in order” or “to appoint” as in an official capacity, and the practice in the church of this meaning of “invest officially with ministerial authority” *goes back to Acts 13:2 when the Holy Spirit instructed the church at Antioch, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” The church obeyed the Holy Spirit and verse 3 records, “Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.” That launched the first missionary journey by Paul and Barnabas. Since that time the church has practiced ordination by laying hands on those the Holy Spirit sets aside for similar ministry. Here at Grace Bible Church we follow that practice for those that will serve the Lord as missionaries from this church as well as Elders, Deacons and Deaconesses that will serve the Lord within this church.
*I want to stress from the beginning of this sermon that we are only officially recognizing what the Holy Spirit has already done. For that reason we only ordain those that have already demonstrated the Holy Spirit using them in these capacities. So in a real sense, the authority to minister in these positions is coming from the Holy Spirit and not the church. The church is only recognizing what the Holy Spirit has already done. That brings up the first of three points that will be covered in this sermon.
I will be preach the first two parts on The Call to Ministry and The Qualifications for Ministry. Pastor Chris Pandolfi who was ordained in this church about 28 years ago and began pastoring Calvary Bible Church in Medford, NY soon after will then cover the third part of this sermon on The Responsibilities of Ministry. This will be followed by the formal ordination of two ladies that will become official Deaconesses on our Women’s Servant Council, Madie Ramac and Nancy Savas, and then the formal ordination of Ed Colón, Jonathan Harris and Sam Ramac to be Elders of Grace Bible Church.
*The Call to Ministry
The call of the Holy Spirit upon someone to become a minister in some formal capacity has a mystical element since it is a spiritual call. In some traditions of Christianity this can be very mystical. * Exodus 3 records the call of God upon Moses which occurred as God talked to Moses from a bush that was burning but was not consumed. That was a very dramatic and visual supernatural call. *Acts 9 records the call of God upon Saul of Tarsus as he was traveling on the road to Damascus to persecute the Christians in that city. Instead, he was blinded by a sudden light from heaven that caused him to fall to the ground. Then he heard the voice of Jesus though he could no longer see anything. Jesus rebuked Saul for persecuting Him. Saul was then led to Damascus where the Lord instructed him through Ananias about the ministry to which Saul was now called. This was another very dramatic visual and audible call to ministry. Several years later after Saul was ordained by the church at Antioch as a missionary, he became known as Paul the apostle.
These examples have led some to look for some dramatic sign or vision by which they then claim God has called them to ministry. That is enough in some Christian sects to result in being ordained. However, there also has to be some wisdom applied to check the claim against the qualifications set forth in the Scriptures. An example of that is in this old story of which there are several versions. It seems there was a young man that had a vision one day as he gazed up at the sky in which the clouds he was watching formed into three giant letters: G.P.C. He came to his pastor very excited about his vision and recounted the story and gave his interpretation of the meaning of G.P.C – Go Preach Christ. Now that pastor knew this young man well as someone active and faithful in church, but also known to be a bit lazy, and lets just say, not the brightest light on the string. The pastor affirmed the young man’s vision, then wisely directed him by saying he had a slight misinterpretation of the meaning of the clouds forming G.P.C. It did not mean Go Preach Christ, it meant Go Pick Corn.
*The mystical element may show up in an inner sense of desire to serve the Lord in a greater capacity. It may also show up as an inner sense of responsibility to serve the Lord in such a capacity even though the thought of it may be quite troubling if not frightening as it was for Jeremiah. *He was weary of preaching to people who would not listen and so he no longer wanted to give the Lord’s messages. Jeremiah 20:9 records, But if I say, “I will not remember Him Or speak anymore in His name,” Then in my heart it becomes like a burning fire Shut up in my bones; And I am weary of holding it in, And I cannot endure it.” Lamentations 1:13 adds, “From on high He sent fire into my bones, And it prevailed over me.”
*This mystical element in the Holy Spirit’s call whether it is a inner desire or a sense of responsibility or a combination of the two can be very important because when ministry gets difficult and you want to quit as did Jeremiah, there has to be a firm conviction that you are doing what the Lord has called you to do despite the difficulties. The pastor who has not experienced a time or times when he has been so frustrated and discouraged in ministry that he has wanted to quit and go do something else – anything else – is rare. That is why it is common to advise young men that if they can do something other than pastor and be content, then go do it otherwise at some point they will find themselves quitting the pastorate to go do something else. I emphasize the contentment aspect because a Christian who is walking with the Lord is never content to sit on the sidelines. *1 Timothy 3:1 points out that the first qualification for the office of an Overseer is the strong desire to do that work of ministry. The believer wants to serve the Lord to the best of his ability however the Lord has gifted him, and as you discover the spiritual gifts the Holy Spirit has given you, the greater your desire to serve the Lord in those areas. That is my next sub-point.
*As has been explained from this pulpit many times in the past and will be explained again in detail in the near future, God equips, enables and empowers the followers of Jesus Christ to serve Him in a myriad of diverse ways. According to 1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12:1-8 and Ephesians 4:11-16, every Christian is called to ministry, but the particular spiritual gifts, ministries and empowerment in those ministries will vary from believer to believer. *The individual ministry of each Christian is used by God to build up the entire church body so that every Christian becomes more mature as well as the entire body. *There are particular gifts given to those who will serve in pastoral roles so that they can equip the rest of the saints for the work of ministry as pointed out in Ephesians 4:11-12. This includes the ability to teach the Scriptures to others so that they will grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ, and to protect the flock by the Scriptures from the false doctrines that are ever arising and blow across the land. Ed, Jonathan and Sam have each demonstrated those gifts and abilities as well as the desire to faithfully exercise them in serving the Lord and His people. That is the evidence that God has called each of them to pastoral ministry. This brings me to the next section of this sermon. (See: Being Spiritual; Being Unified in the Body; God Gave Gifts to His Church; and Equipping the Saints for Ministry)
*The Qualifications of Ministry – 1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9
Elders. When it comes to the qualifications of elders, the first thing to point out is that the same man can go by three different titles. *The first is “elder” which comes from the Greek presbuvteroV / Presbuteros. It was used for those who were older in age and for those who held the office of an “elder.” It is also translated as Presbyter. The Presbyterian church gets its name from this word. *The second term is ejpivskopoV / episkopos which can be translated as “Bishop or Overseer.” It is used interchangeably with elder in Titus 1:5-7 and Acts 20:17-20. Elder is the position and overseer is the responsibility. *The third term is term is poimhvn /Poiman which is translated as pastor or shepherd which points to the work he is to do. The verb form is often translated as “feed.” This is what elders are to do as Peter charges them in 1 Peter 5:1-2 to shepherd, feed the flock of God entrusted to them as their overseers. Those who have the position of Elder oversee the flock given by God to their charge by pastoring / shepherding them.
*Paul’s list of qualifications for Elders given in Titus 1:6–9 are: “if any man is above reproach, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, not accused of dissipation or rebellion. 7 For the overseer must be above reproach as God’s steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain, 8 but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled, 9 holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.”
*Paul’s list of qualifications in 1 Timothy 3:1-6 are very similar. “1 It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do. 2 An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money. 4 He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity 5 (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?), 6 and not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil. 7 And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.”
*To this could be added the charge in 1 Peter 5:2–3 about their attitude in carrying out their responsibilities, 2 “shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; 3 nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock.”
*The requirements to be “able to teach” and “be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict,” will require the elder to have the spiritual gift of teaching, but these are also skills to develop. It is extremely important to note that all the other qualifications are character qualities that demonstrate that the man is a mature Christian. *There are six desirable personal traits: Above reproach, Temperate, Self-controlled, Prudent, Respectable, and Gentle. *There are six undesirable personal traits that are avoided: Not given to wine, Not pugnacious, Without affection for money, Not contentious, Not quick tempered, Not self-willed. *There are four social qualifications: Devoted to only one woman, Manages own household well, Having faithful children not accused of dissipation or rebellion, Hospitable, Having a good reputation outside the church. *There are six spiritual qualifications: Aspires to the work of an overseer, A lover of what is good, Not a new convert, Just, Devout, Holding fast the faithful word.
While it is difficult to meet all the qualifications of an Elder because it takes both humility and diligence to develop them, these are not requirements of perfection otherwise no man could qualify. These are the qualities Christian maturity that are to mark the character of those that would be Elders / Overseers / Pastors. *This is an office, a responsibility and work to which the godly man should aspire, and if so gifted by God to be able to teach the Scriptures, to fulfill. (For a detailed explanation of the qualifications to be an elder and the process used at GBC to develop men into elders, see Biblical Qualifications for Church Leaders and GBC Elder Policy)
*Deacons. The qualifications of a deacon listed in 1 Timothy 3:8-10, 12 are very similar. 8 “Deacons likewise must be men of dignity, not double-tongued, or addicted to much wine or fond of sordid gain, 9 but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 These men must also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons if they are beyond reproach . . . 12 “Deacons must be husbands of only one wife, and good managers of their children and their own households.” *These are nearly the same qualifications as for Elders except for being able to have more wine than an Elder and not having to be able to teach, exhort and refute. All Christian men who serious about becoming spiritually mature should be able to eventually meet these requirements. (See: GBC Deacon Policy)
*Deaconesses. 1 Timothy 3:11 inserts into the flow of qualifications of the men that would serve as deacons these qualifications for females, 11 “Women must likewise be dignified, not malicious gossips, but temperate, faithful in all things.” Titles given to these women vary from church to church. Here at Grace Bible Church we refer to them as Deaconesses and they form a Women’s Servant Council in order to serve the church in various areas at the request and direction of the Elders. They must demonstrate these four character qualities. *Dignified describes her solemn character. She is someone that is serious minded, steady and behaves in an honorable manner. *She is not a malicious gossip for she controls her tongue to build up instead of tear down and slander others (Ephesians 4:29, etc.). *Temperate describes her character to be sober in judgment, self-controlled and steady in her thinking. *Faithful in all things points to her being someone that is trustworthy in their walk with the Lord and who will carry out her commitments. (See: Deaconess Policy)
We have two women, Madie Ramac and Nancy Savas, that have demonstrated these characteristics and have completed all the requirements to serve on our Women’s Servant Council as Deaconesses. They, like the Deacons, will assist the Elders in ministering to the congregation, and especially the females in the church. We will be officially recognizing them and praying for them just prior to do in the same for the Elders, but first Pastor Chris Pandolfi will conclude this morning’s sermon by pointing out the ministry responsibilities of Elders.
*The Responsibilities of Ministry
I do not have Pastor Pandolfi’s notes. These are links to material on the responsibilities of Elders, Deacons and Deaconesses
Elders: POST MATERIAL AND THEN LINK
Deacons: Deacon Responsibilities at Grace Bible Church
Deaconesses: Deaconess Responsibilities at Grace Bible Church
Sermon Notes – July 12, 2026
The Call, Qualifications & Responsibilities of Ministry – Selected Scriptures
Introduction
The Call to Ministry
Mystical / Dramatic
Inner Desire, Sense of Responsibility or Both
The Call to All Believers
The Qualifications of Ministry – 1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9
ELDERS – 1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9, 1 Peter 5:2-3
presbuvteroV / Presbuteros – Elder
ejpivskopoV / episkopos – Overseer / Bishop
poimhvn /Poiman – Pastor / Shepherd
Titus 1:6–9
1 Timothy 3:1-6
1 Peter 5:2–3
Spiritual gift of Teaching and ability to exhort in sound doctrine and refute those who contradict
6 Desirable personal traits: Above reproach, Temperate, Self-controlled, Prudent, Respectable, and Gentle
6 Undesirable personal traits to be avoided: Not given to wine, Not pugnacious, Without affection for money, Not contentious, Not quick tempered, Not self-willed.
4 social qualifications: Devoted to only one woman; Manages own household well, Having faithful children not accused of dissipation or rebellion; Hospitable; Good reputation outside the church
6 spiritual qualifications: Aspires to the work of an overseer, A lover of what is good, Not a new convert, Just, Devout, Holding fast the faithful word
This is an office, a responsibility and a work to which the godly man should aspire, and if so gifted by God to be able to teach the Scriptures, to fulfill
DEACONS – 1 Timothy 3:8-10, 12
These are nearly the same as qualifications for Elders except for teaching ability & can have more wine
DEACONESSES – 1 Timothy 3:11
Dignified: A solemn character, serious minded, steady and behaves in an honorable manner
Not a malicious gossip – she controls her tongue to build up instead of tear down and slander others
Temperate – sober in judgment, self-controlled and steady in her thinking
Faithful in all things – trustworthy in her walk with the Lord and who will carry out her commitments
The Responsibilities of Ministry
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KIDS KORNER
Parents, you are responsible to apply God’s Word to your children’s lives. Here is some help. Young Children – draw a picture about something you hear during the sermon. Explain your picture(s) to your parents at lunch. Older Children – Do one or more of the following: 1) Count how many times the word “elder” is mentioned. 2) Discuss with your parents the importance of church leaders to meet the Biblical qualifications
THINK ABOUT IT!
Questions to consider in discussing the sermon with others. What does the term “ordination” signify in the church, and when did the practice begin? Describe some of the dramatic calls of God upon a person to ministry. Does the call of God require a dramatic sign or vision? Why or why not? What is the importance of having an inner sense of desire or responsibility to ministry? What is the emphasis in each of the three terms used for a church leader: Overseer / Bishop, Elder, Pastor / Shepherd? What spiritual gift must he have? Summarize the character qualities required for a Overseer / Elder / Pastor? How do the requirements for a Deacon differ from those for an Elder? What are the requirements for a Deaconess? What are the general Scriptural ministry responsibilities for an Overseer / Elder / Pastor? What additional responsibilities might be set for the man in a church constitution? How are the ministry responsibilities for Deaconesses and Deaconesses determined? What would you need to change in your life to attain to one of these positions of ministry? What is your plan to make those changes and serve the Lord in a greater capacity?
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