Elder Qualifications – Just

…but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled…
Titus 1:8 (emphasis mine)

Just can mean righteous or upright. It includes being proper, fair and equitable.

In describing the leader, the term focuses on behavior that is just, fair and inherently honest in dealing with people.1

There is no room for an elder to show favoritism. He must be thoroughly biblical in all his dealings with others. There is always a danger for elders to treat people differently because of their social or economic status. This must always be avoided.

The Lord favors those who deal righteously and he is opposed to those who are evil.

FOR THE EYES OF THE LORD ARE TOWARD THE RIGHTEOUS, AND HIS EARS ATTEND TO THEIR PRAYER, BUT THE FACE OF THE LORD IS AGAINST THOSE WHO DO EVIL.
1 Peter 3:12

When the elder demonstrates righteousness, he gives testimony to the fact that he is a child of God.

If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him.
1 John 2:29

1 Towner, P. H. (2006). The Letters to Timothy and Titus (pp. 689–690). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

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Rocky Wyatt

Rocky Wyatt came to know the Lord as a young teenager and began working in youth ministry when in college. After serving in churches in Utah, California and Colorado, Rocky moved to Texas to serve as Youth Pastor at Countryside Bible Church. He served there for 26 years where he eventually moved from youth ministry to serve as an Associate Pastor.

Over the course of his ministry, Rocky has always had a desire to train men for pastoral ministry in the context of the local church. In 1992 he started XL Ministries, an organization that is committed to helping churches establish intensive internships for pastoral training. In 2020 he left his position at Countryside Bible Church to become the Executive Director of XL Ministries and now works full time assisting churches in training men for ministry.

He is co-author of The Youth Ministry Training Manual, a textbook for training youth pastors, and has also written multiple other resources for use in various local church ministries. He is currently working on a book to encourage churches to take the primary responsibility to train pastors.

Rocky is married to Pamela, has two sons and daughters-in-law, and ten grandchildren. 

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.1 Corinthians 15:58