“An overseer, therefore, must be… sober-minded.” (1 Timothy 3:2)
What does this mean?
Negatively, it means being not rash, unthinking, impulsive, or imbalanced.
Positively, it means being level-headed, balanced, circumspect, and responsive without being reactive.
It is being able to make judgments without being affected by emotions and feelings.
Being sober-minded is to be true of all believers (see 1 Peter 5:8). It is especially to be true for elders.
Why?
Because there are two dangers that comes from the world, the flesh, and the devil, which elders face as they shepherd the flock and direct the affairs of the church.
There are lots of complex situations that elders have to navigate.
Pastoral situations. Elders are called to shepherd a flock where there will inevitably be sheep whose lives are messy and where sin is present.
Practical situations. Elders are called to make ministry decisions such as what to do, when to do it, how best to use the resource God has given to the church.
It is important that they respond wisely especially when the situation is emotionally charged or pressurised. They need to be able to focus on what is important and not be distracted.
[An older pastor I knew, when asked about why it was right to retire when he did, said that it wasn’t because he found the preaching too much, but that he could feel his response to pastoral issues becoming a potential issue].
Elder, how do you respond to situations that occur in the life of the church? Are you becoming overly emotional in your response? Is your thinking clear?
There are always new ideas or fads which tempt elders to change an area of church life.
This can be theological. A new teaching which changes or reinterprets what God’s Word said and ignores what the church has always believed. For example, women can also be qualified to be elders or same-sex marriage is not against what the Bible teaches.
This can be practical. The next silver bullet in evangelism or another area of ministry. For example Alpha, Purpose Driven, Multi-site church.
It is important that elders assess before adopting. They are patience and not in a rush. They to wait and see what the quality of the fruit which comes from it is. They must not bounce from one idea to the next, but think clearly.