If Paul didn’t pastor the churches, then we know he worked to raised up people to pastor the churches (such as Timothy). He also taught regarding the gifts of the Spirit in the body of Christ indicating that no one person has all gifts. If a pastor is single and a married couple needs to be counseled, generally there is a godly couple in the church who could do it. The pastor is not to do EVERYTHING, but to lead his people to join him in ministry. Paul didn’t do EVERYTHING, but ministered alongside people as many came to active faith and as many went ahead of him in the faith. This is the case for all such as church planters, ministers, administrators, teachers and prophets.

When my husband is seeking God’s face in regards to a step He may be calling us to take, he hears from the Lord AND I hear from the Lord. There is great assurance and affirmation in that. We never move forward until we are both in agreement that God is saying ‘go’. A single person doesn’t have that additional ‘support’ of a spouse. There are also added responsibilities, though, put on my husband as a married man. Each step we take affects him, affects me, and affects our children. That’s a heavy load to bear, BUT with a family of four affirming that God is leading us, there is strength in that unity.

A single person doesn’t have the benefit of an affirming partner. While there is more freedom in not being distracted by the needs or responsibilities to a family, there is also not the benefit of a natural team unity in discerning God’s will.

So, I believe that while it is possible and not prohibited for a single, never married person to be a church planter or pastor, it is wiser to do so as part of a team. Ecclesiastes 4:12 pictures this. “And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”

Last night in presenting 2 Timothy 2, a very interesting thing comes out. As it does whenever Paul speaks of the ministry, Paul is sure to emphasize the soldoutness that is required of a man “drafted into service.

One of the things that I mentioned was that a soldier going off to war does not expect to return. He kisses his life goodbye. A man who is not ready to lay down his life for a friend is not the man you want covering you. And Paul tells Timothy that all this is for one purpose, the edification of the elect. Paul invites Timothy to join him in this sufferance. It is a life that requires one to kiss his life, goodbye.

There is no problem for a single man to enter ministry if this is his attitude, instead, it is far harder for a married person. But, this is the requirement for both: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.”

If a person can live as if they were dead to their life and live soley for the benefit of the elect as Christ did, this person is one who is approved of God.

1. Some apostles (or church planters) were married; some were not.
2. The Bible does not prohibit single church planters.
3. It was the preference/conviction of some church planters to remain single for the sake of the mission.
4. Since Paul addresses the issues of marriage and family, it is assumed that elders would have them; however, those qualifications do not de facto disqualify someone who is not married nor has children.
5. Scripture encourages planting/pastoring in plurality, in particular with cases of singleness.
6. Jesus’ piercing words regarding family is not intended to undermine the institution of marriage or family but heighten the significance and preeminence of the mission.
7. There are advantages and disadvantages both in being single or married.
8. In both cases, godly wisdom and biblical counsel is an absolute necessity.
9. We should encourage those in their singleness to fulfill God’s call in their lives with undivided devotion to the mission.
10. We should encourage those in their marriage to fulfill God’s call in their families by shepherding their families before ministry while passionately pursuing the mission.

Thoughts? Agree or disagree?

But seriously, I agree that there is no prohibition even some circumstances where being single is preferred – like planting/leading churches in dangerous or physically difficult areas of the world. I’ve always thought it was more reasonable to assume that the disciples were probably married just because it was the cultural norm and not worth making a note of it. Clearly God did not think it important to let us know for sure one way or the other.

I think, as you said, that it is really an issue of stewardship and vocation. We must all make the best use of the different seasons and circumstances God give us, serving where He has called us to serve, and trusting Him to take care of the things we can’t.

Jesus says there are eunuchs who have made themselves that for the sake of the kingdom of Heaven. I think he and Paul and others fit that bill – their lifestyles rendering certain organs superfluous so that they could be free to spread the gospel. That’s precisely what Paul is advocating in 1 Cor. 7. I think we’re missing the point if we think one has to be married or single in order to plant a church. The point is that both are to be doing it.

“In other words, believing the elder qualifications of being married and ruling your family well is essential,” – I do not believe it is essential.

The Epistles address the issue of marriage and pastors, so we’re left with the narratives, Acts in particular, to examine concerning the role of marriage/singleness in leading the church/planting. Here we need wisdom since we don’t have much info. So I think the conversation is very valuable.

I don’t find it odd that there is little info in Acts. Luke’s account is mostly about two men, and he isn’t giving details of their lives as much as he’s showing the progress of the gospel into the known world.

I think what you are saying is that we should affirm what the Scripture says positively but be careful what is does not say, especially when we bring assumptions to the table. Because the qualifications of elders include being a husband of one wife, that does not mean that all elders were husbands, does it?

Joe,

It may be that some where married, but is it not a peculiar thing that we have so little description of it? In other words, believing the elder qualifications of being married and ruling your family well is essential, why does Scripture bear any evidence of that in any of the lives of church planters in the Bible? If such weight can be placed on necessity of being married to be a church planter, then where do we find examples of that in Scripture? That is what has me perplexed. We have numerous examples of single church planters and how they conducted their lives, but where are the married church planters in Acts 1-28 (apart from Aquilla and Priscilla)?