Can a 30 year old man who is married but doesn't have children be an elder in a church?

[SIC]

Titus 1 says :

⁵ This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you— ⁶ if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife,^[d] and his children are believers^[e] and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination.

Given this, Can a 30 year old man married man (godly man with a good reputation) but doesn't have children be an elder in a church?

[Workman]

I would say yes, otherwise it would say "...the husband of one wife, with children, and his children are believers..."

Just occurred to me that it doesn't say that the wife has to be a believer, but I'm guessing it is assumed that both husband and wife are believers.

I wouldn't be surprised though that some churches would require the couple to prove that they can procreate.

Insubordination eh?  That would leave me out, I've told off a pastor or two in my time.

Question - Why did you include the man's age?  That's not a requirement as far as I can tell.

Edited September 23, 2021 by Workman

[appy]

There is nothing in Titus 1 that requires a man to have children before he is chosen to be an elder.  What the verses are alluding to is the elder's overall character.  If a man's children are unruly, what does it say about him?  Unruly children are a reflection of the parents.  As the saying goes "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree". Or "like father, like son".

Verse 7 (NIV) says, Since an overseer manages God’s household, he must be blameless.  We can concur that the whole chapter is touching on our character, ambassadorship, and witness in regard to the gospel message, and our relationship with God.  Our character is a reflection of our relationship with Christ.

When a person fails to show a wholesome life.  It makes for a bad witness that drives people away from the gospel message. 

[Baltika]

2 hours ago, SIC said:

Titus 1 says :

⁵ This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you— ⁶ if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife,^[d] and his children are believers^[e] and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination.

Given this, Can a 30 year old man married man (godly man with a good reputation) but doesn't have children be an elder in a church?

Odd question.

Some people can't have children. If he is a Godly married man and follows God's commandments I shouldn't see why not. Right? Best 

Baltika

[SIC]

6 minutes ago, Baltika said:

Odd question.

Some people can't have children. If he is a Godly married man and follows God's commandments I shouldn't see why not. Right? Best 

Baltika

 

2 hours ago, Workman said:

I would say yes, otherwise it would say "...the husband of one wife, with children, and his children are believers..."

Just occurred to me that it doesn't say that the wife has to be a believer, but I'm guessing it is assumed that both husband and wife are believers.

I wouldn't be surprised though that some churches would require the couple to prove that they can procreate.

Insubordination eh?  That would leave me out, I've told off a pastor or two in my time.

Question - Why did you include the man's age?  That's not a requirement as far as I can tell.

With age comes maturity. At 30 I doubt if I a man has the maturity to be an elder. I know I cannot.

[Baltika]

1 minute ago, SIC said:

 

With age comes maturity. At 30 I doubt if I a man has the maturity to be an elder. I know I cannot.

Well I see what you mean. An elder would b more like 60 ish or older

[SIC]

8 minutes ago, Baltika said:

Well I see what you mean. An elder would b more like 60 ish or older

I feel like the lead pastor is deliberately appointing younger inexperienced men to avoid being accountable to older more wiser men.

[Baltika]

1 minute ago, SIC said:

I feel like the lead pastor is deliberately appointing younger inexperienced men to avoid being accountable to older more wiser men.

I see. Wow I am sorry about that SIC

I'll be praying

Baltika

[Michael37]

42 minutes ago, SIC said:

I feel like the lead pastor is deliberately appointing younger inexperienced men to avoid being accountable to older more wiser men.

Church Politics. Hate it.

[appy]

No church is perfect. Every church will have their high and low points that we agree with or disagree with. But it seems to me that since you are finding this pastor as unsatisfactory, as well as the church as a whole, that it would be best to move on to another church group that is more in line with your views.