It’s tempting to elevate competence—skill, experience, and efficiency—as the ultimate standard for leadership, especially in high-stakes environments. We seek out the sharpest minds, the most dynamic speakers, and the proven, consistent performers. However, the Apostle Paul’s instruction to Timothy on qualifications for church leadership offers a profound counter-cultural perspective: character matters more than competence.
In 1 Timothy 3:1-13, Paul lays out the essential characteristics for those aspiring to be overseers (bishops) and deacons. The list is overwhelmingly focused on moral integrity, relational health, and spiritual maturity. An elder must be “above reproach,” the “husband of one wife,” temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, and able to teach. Crucially, he must manage his own household well, as this is a tangible test of his ability to lead God’s household.
Notice the stark absence of metrics for professional success or natural talent. While the ability to teach is mentioned, the emphasis is on who the leader is, not solely what they can do. A leader who is brilliant but arrogant, highly skilled but greedy, or a visionary but morally compromised will inevitably damage the organization and those they lead.
At it’s core, the text teaches us that foundational godly character—humility, discipline, integrity—provides the necessary stability and moral authority for effective, sustainable leadership. Competence can be acquired; character must be cultivated. When choosing leaders, we must follow Paul’s lead: look first to the heart, for a well-formed character will always be the best vehicle for lasting contribution and true influence.