Titus 1

⁵ This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you—⁶ if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination.⁷ For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain,⁸ but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined.⁹ He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.

What It Takes To Be An Elder

Paul lists the following qualifications:

• above reproach
• the husband of one wife
• his children are believers
• not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination
• not arrogant
• not quick-tempered
• not a drunkard
• not violent
• not greedy for gain
• hospitable
• lover of good
• self-controlled
• upright
• holy
• disciplined
• able to give instruction in sound doctrine
• able to rebuke those who contradict sound doctrine

These are some pretty high standards, but they all make sense. But just because these are elder qualifications doesn't mean the rest of us can be excused from them, for the elder's job is to rebuke us if we stray from sound doctrine.