1 Timothy 3:1
“This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.”
There used to be a day when homes and churches made an emphasis for
young men to grow up and desire serving the LORD in the ministry. The
programs of youth departments were geared towards sending young people
off to become full-time servants of the LORD. Parents would often make
it clear to their children that they wanted them to become full-time
servants. Pastors would make calls for full-time service in their
services. The result was that many young people surrendered to serve the
LORD full-time, went off to get training and eventually became
full-time servants of God.
Times have changed! Parents are now discouraging their children
from serving the LORD full-time. Youth departments are praising the
youth who go into secular work more than they lift up the call of God on
one’s life. Pastors have reworded the call of God upon ones life so
much that youth don't know that God accepts volunteers. The result is
that we are coming to a point where we don't have enough men to fill our
pulpits, and churches are struggling to find people who can be hired to
fill their staff positions.
God says, “…If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.” The key word in this verse is “desire.” God did not say that if a man is called to the office of a bishop, but if a man “desire the office of a bishop.”
God is making it clear that He accepts volunteers in His service. In
fact, Romans 12:1 clearly shows that God is looking for volunteers to
serve Him full-time. If a nation is ever going to be saved, then we need
to create an atmosphere where people desire to serve the LORD
full-time. Let me show you a couple of things you can do to create that
atmosphere.
First, encourage youth to serve the LORD full-time. The greatest
thing one can do in life is serve the LORD full-time. Be careful that
you don't belittle those who have volunteered to serve the LORD
full-time. Parents need to encourage their children to serve the LORD
full-time. One of the greatest desires anyone can have is to serve the
LORD full-time.
Second, create an atmosphere where youth can qualify to serve the
LORD full-time. 1 Timothy 3 gives the qualifications for someone to be a
pastor. Make sure your home is such that your children can grow up
where these qualifications are a way of life. When someone is already
living these requirements, then answering the call of God or
volunteering becomes a natural step for the youth.
Third, pray that your children will serve the LORD full-time. Pray
that God would place the desire in the heart of your children to serve
Him full-time. You can create the atmosphere in your home where youth
see the greatness of serving the LORD full-time, but only God can place
that desire in their heart.
Are you encouraging or discouraging your children’s desire to serve
the LORD full-time? Remember that your children are not your’s, but
God’s. When they express the desire to serve the LORD full-time, praise
them for that desire and be sure to live your life in such a way that
you would not lead your children to live a life that would disqualify
them from serving God full-time.