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.