We continue our study on the requirements of eldership with the phrase “of good behaviour”. Elders should have good behaviour!
The Greek word translated good behaviour is kosmios, which means well ordered. An elder should have a well ordered life. I’m not talking about a showroom house, but if you are opening your house to people you are ministering to and loving, it should look tidy. You should be on time for meetings – that’s a really good part of being well ordered. Someone who is always late is not living a well ordered life. You should have systems in your life for paying your bills, getting things done. Your life should be orderly not chaotic.
One of the biggest lies that the charismatic church has fallen for hook, line and sinker is that spirituality and spiritual maturity has nothing to do with reliability. The more flaky someone is, the more mature we think they are. We defend these people with comments such as “well, you never know what God is going to do”, “don’t try and understand the intercessor”, “these people are so deep”.
No – spiritual maturity is grounded in reliability. There are too many shooting stars in the body of Christ – you watch the fireworks, you watch the display and then you watch them crash into the ground. We need the plodders! Listen to me pastor – promote the plodders. Those who seem to shoot up will be those who crash down. We need the people who are kind to their children, the people who are romantic to their wife, the people who turn up on time week after week, who pick things up after themselves, whose financial affairs are in order, who are life long learners, who are stable and solid.
Spiritual maturity is NOT like sand. It’s not moving all over the place. It’s like a ROCK – it’s stable. It’s well-ordered. And a well-ordered person has a well-ordered life.
Elders should have good behaviour. Selah!
Inspiring and Challenging Dreamers 
This is true. Keep preaching the good news. Lives will be changed for the glory of God.