Acts20.com

Does 'divorce' disqualify one from being a pastor?I think we all suffer from the Reformed movement, during the Reformation, basically redefining the word 'pastor.' The word actually refers to a shepherd. Traditionally, the clergyman role was called 'elder.' Even 'priest' is derived from the Greek word for elder. England and Germany (the Anglo-Saxons evangelized the Germans and brought them some vocabulary back when they spoke different dialects of the same language), the word 'priest' was used to refer to both clergymen, and those Old Testament descendants of Aaron who offered sacrifices. 'Kohen' is not 'presbuteros.' Descendants of Aaron who offered sacrifices were not (necessarily) elders. So that was a poor translation in the Old Testament.Luther wrote of the 'priesthood of all believers.' But 'priesthood' here is ripped from its etymological moorings, and does not refer to the elders/presbuteros of the New Testament.The Genevan Reformers added a new role of 'elder' from their city government officials. So that confused what an elder was, too, and the Scotts copied the Geneva government into a national church model, adding this extra 'elder' role that isn't in scripture, and renaming the church leader as 'pastor.'When we read the Bible, we should realize that 'pastor' passages deal with people being shepherds. Depending on context, Elder either means someone who is older, or someone who is older who is entrusted to be a leader in the community and to have certain responsibilities. The ones entrusted to oversee are also called 'overseers' or traditionally 'bishops.' So the issue is whether someone can be a bishop if he is divorced, not whether he can be a pastor. Being a pastor and teacher is a gift, not an official position in the church. It is just a gift-set that corresponds nicely with the actual role of bishop. But we should be open to the idea that a novice in the faith could be a gift of pastor and teacher. He could have gifts in him, but not be qualified as a bishop/overseer/'elder of the church' because he is still a novice. Or, someone with the gift might disqualify himself from being appointed to the role by falling into heavy drinking or greed or just by not ruling his house well.When it comes to the type of men Paul said to appoint as overseers, they have to rule their houses well. That is where the issue of whether a divorced man is qualified. If a man who professes to be a brother is actually living in adultery, shouldn't we break off fellowship until he repents, and not just limit access to the overseer role? But if he just hasn't demonstrated ruling his house well, then that is the issue here about a divorced man.But if a man is rightly in fellowship with the church and has a gift of pastor and teacher, he should be allowed to obey scripture by using his gifts to edify others. Romans 12and I Peter 4 command this. The novice with the budding gift of pastor and teacher should be allowed to teach and disciple and grow in his gift. He may mature into an elder. The divorced man living a godly lifestyle should be allowed to do the same

I changed the title to better reflect the topic

As to Bishops/Overseers, you could turn the question around and ask, should an unmarried (never married) man be a Bishop/Overseer?

resolved after many years of discussion and research. We determined that a divorce in and of itself does not disqualify an individual (man or woman - as we ordain both) from becoming a pastor/bishop/overseer. However, that said it is based upon the individual circumstances surrounding the divorce. Was it prior to salvation? Did the other spouse commit adultery? Did the other spouse leave the marriage? And so forth. This issue is decided upon a case by case basis. During the discussion a few years ago a consensus was reached regarding 1 Timothy 3's statements about the husband of 1 wife was probably meant to deal with the issue of polygamy as opposed to divorce. Not all agreed of course but this was the resolution. As a result, the following was inserted into the bylaws regarding marriage for ministers, as follows:Marriage status. We disapprove of any married persons holding ministerialcredentials with the Assemblies of God if either marriage partner has a former spouse living, unless the divorce occurred prior to his or her conversion or for the scriptural causes of a former spouse’s marital unfaithfulness (Matthew 19:9), or the abandonment of the believer by the unbeliever (1 Corinthians 7:10–15), except as hereinafter provided.Ecclesiastical annulments and marriage dissolutions. The ExecutivePresbytery shall have the authority to determine whether an applicant qualifies for an ecclesiastical annulment. In such cases there must be clear and satisfactory evidence of deception, fraud, or other conditions which have a profound impact preventing the creation of a valid marriage union, unknown at the time of marriage by the applicant. The Executive Presbytery shall have the authority to determine whether an applicant qualifies regarding a former marriage when the termination of that marriage is consistent with the scriptural position of the Fellowship relating to the granting or holding of ministerial credentials; or if a former marriage ended prior to conversion. In those cases involving preconversion divorce they shall be decided on an individual basis just as those that deal with ecclesiastical