1Timothy 3:1-7 RULE WELL - TAKE CARE In any group of people with a defined purpose to fulfill, everything rises or falls with leadership. Any living thing has inbuilt in it an ordered design by the great Designer of the universe, the All-wise, All-knowing God. The church is an organism, but if an organism is disorganized, it will die. Leadership is part of a spiritual organization. Spiritual leadership is needed to give clear direction that is concise, reasonable, and easily understood. These leaders are people raised up by the Holy Spirit to lead God's people in assemblies. There are qualifications that are to be expected, which are taught in the Bible. There were would-be leaders who caused problems that Timothy had to deal with. It was therefore necessary to identify leaders of the right kind who would do the work of bishops. Timothy was given the responsibility to state what qualifications were needed in chapter 3 and the obligation of those under their leadership to be subject to them in chapter
5. In a similar way to the elders of Israel who were to make decisions on behalf of the people in the Old
Testament, elders were raised up to rule and care for the flock of God in New Testament assemblies.