The American dream tells us that anyone can do anything. We love the stories of people with apparently nothing, in a material sense, who develop into some one who seems to be on top of the world. Part of the American spirit is to celebrate with whoever the winner is, but always pull for the underdog. This makes us thing leadership is open to all people. This is true while at the same time it is not.
Leadership in the church is open to all people, as long as they are will to shape their lives after the calling of God. Timothy is just starting out his journey as a pastor and Paul offers the standards by which leaders in the church are to live. Many would call these standards judgmental. Our American dream would call them archaic and too limiting. Paul would tell us they are crucial to conducting the business of God in the Body of Christ.
Essentially it matters how you live and what you do with the gift of life God has given. If one is to lead in the church, they must be able to lead their own life and family. They must be able to live a life which honors God above all other things. All people can work to this end, in fact should, yet it seems only a few live it.
Just because a person shows progress on their journey does not mean they are called to church leadership. They must be called by God. If you are called, you should go. You should also conform you life to the call of God in all aspects, especially how you live.
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