You have no doubt heard the advice or maybe you've even said it yourself.

You as I say, not as I do. It's often given by someone who's trying to protect others

from the bad habits they are unwilling or unable to give up themselves.

When this is practiced in the church, this hypocritical approach results in spiritual malnourishment

for both the congregation and the pastor. Today on Truth for Life, Alistair Begg explains

why.

Leadership is crucial in any organization. And as true as that principle is in the realm

of education and business, etc. it is no less true within the framework of the church.

And that is why the Bible has so much to say about the nature of leadership within the

company of God's people. And the New Testament is full of references to it. And the pastor

of the Pistols, namely first and second Timothy and Titus, are replete with calls to a

consideration as to the nature of godly leadership within the church. Now it is within this framework

that Paul gives guidance to Timothy here in this first letter, not simply in relationship

to what is to be true concerning the church in general and concerning the leadership

of elders and deacons in particular, but also as a priority in relationship to Timothy himself

as an individual. If he is going to be a good minister of Jesus Christ, which is the phrase

that he uses here in verse 6, then it is important that certain things are true of Timothy.

And what is to be true of Timothy in that first century context is then to be true of all who

follow in that line of succession in the privileged responsibility of pastoral leadership amongst

the people of God. Now the immediate context of Paul's instruction is that of false teachers

and their false teaching, ascetic notions, abstaining from marriage, abstaining from certain

kinds of food and possibly drink. The idea that by a long list of externals, you will be able to

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