Elder Qualifications – Loving What Is Good

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

Love is such a defining characteristic of the Christian life. The greatest of all the commandments are focused on love.

“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And He said to him, “‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”
Matthew 22:36–40

The elder is to demonstrate a love for God that results in a love for people. In addition to loving God and people, the faithful elder is to love all things that are good.

Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good.
Romans 12:9

Elders who demonstrate biblical love for God, people, and all good things will also demonstrate a lack of love for the things of this world.

Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.
1 John 2:15–16

As with most of the elder qualifications, this requirement is not solely for those in positions of spiritual leadership. All true Christians will love what is good. Since elders are to be examples to the flock (1 Peter 5:3), it is absolutely essential that they set a pattern others can follow when it comes to who and what the believer loves and what they choose not to love.

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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