3) Those gifts which come to expression in a proven ability to oversee, guide, and govern the people of God with sanctified leadership
a) The biblical basis for asserting the necessity for such gifts of sanctified leadership
i) The explicit testimony of the Word of God
— The unequivocal requirement of 1 Tim. 3:4-5
— The unambiguous testimony that special gifts of rule and government are given to men
Rom. 12:3 with vv. 6-8
1 Cor. 12:28
John Owen, The Work of the Spirit, vol. 4 ofThe Works of John Owen(Edinburgh: Banner of Truth Trust, 1967), pp. 514–516.
ii) The implicit testimony of the Word of God
— The titles used for the office
Overseer
Elder
Shepherd or Pastor
— The tasks associated with the office
To shepherd – Acts 20:28
To lead or manage – 1 Thess. 5:12
To lead or rule – Heb. 13:7, 17, 24
To oversee or care for – 1 Pet. 5:2
To take care of – 1 Tim. 3:5
b) The fundamental components of the gifts essential for sanctified leadership
i) A more than ordinary degree of spiritual discernment
ii) A more than ordinary measure of spiritual wisdom
1 Kings 3:7-12
Is. 50:4
Is. 11:1-2
iii) A more than ordinary degree of spiritual courage
iv) A more than ordinary degree of the spiritual disposition consistent with the unique nature of rule in Christ’s Church
Mt. 20:25-28
1 Pet. 5:3
John Owen, The Work of the Spirit, vol. 4 of The Works of John Owen (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth Trust, 1967), pp. 514-515.
v) A more than ordinary degree of spiritual force of character
— An unmistakably masculine demeanor
— Soundness of judgment and resoluteness of purpose
— Seriousness of demeanor
1 Cor 13:11
1 Cor 16:13
Robert L. Dabney, “What is a Call to the Ministry?” inDiscussions: Evangelical and Theological, vol. 2 (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth Trust, 1967), p. 31 & 35.
c) Some qualifying cautions and directives
i) These things need not all be evident before a man begins to aspire to the office.
ii) These things must all be evident to some discernable degree before any man assumes the office.
iii) These things will not necessarily be evident in equal proportions in any man.
iv) All men in the pastoral office ought consciously and continually to seek to cultivate all these gifts and graces.
v) A man having some gifts of utterance but totally lacking gifts of wise government may serve as a recognized teacher or preacher under the oversight of qualified pastors.
See also John Owen, The Church and the Bible, vol. 16, ofThe Works of John Owen, pp. 97-106.