Disqualified by Whom?

Many people in today’s church hold an erroneous view, that “anyone who has ever experienced divorce is forever disqualified from consideration for a church leadership role.”

This myth goes hand-in-hand with other unbiblical church myths related to divorce. If we (erroneously) assume that divorce is sin, that divorce is always the fault of both parties, that a person who has experienced divorce has missed God’s best plan for their life and is forever labeled “divorced,” and that a second marriage is an invalid adulterous relationship, then it is very easy to conclude that such a person should never hold a position of leadership in the church.

The biblical reference used to defend this disqualification myth comes from the Apostle Paul’s letters to the church, starting with 1 Timothy 3:2, “An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach…” and similar passages from other epistles written by Paul…

I am guest-blogging, today, at A Cry for Justice, where we are discussing whether individuals who have divorced should be considered ineligible for church leadership positions.  Won’t you join the discussion, there?

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