When we appoint officers – are they qualified according to these standards? Are they humble? Not like this disastrous individual, not like Diotrephes. Have they had a spell serving within the church? Not as number one in any sense, to prove themselves. ‘Demetrius hath good report of all men, and of the truth itself.’ It is vital that they are not ‘yes men’, men of the Word. If the pastor takes a wrong direction, they can check him and help him if that is necessary. Normally they would try to follow his lead but you can trust them as a company of men to hold the church on the scriptural line. Are they approved? May it be plain to all who know us that we are genuine, not self-seeking people. May we be approved by the truth so that others can say, It is pretty obvious that he follows the truth.
In these days of the internet there are all sorts of people who in effect appoint themselves to be ministers. They say, ‘I will have my own platform, my own site, social media site, and I will minister to people, and I will have people follow me.’ Some people have large numbers following them. And I will constantly make my remarks and comments and get a following, but they have never been approved. It is all an ego-trip, it is all pride, and it is contrary to the Word of God. A lot of them are women. The Scriptures says, no, not women. But they are; they have appointed themselves. Their church has never said, ‘Sir, Madam, we want you to do this, we appoint you do to do this. We feel you are fitted to do this.’ In fact some of them are the last people their church would ever appoint.