Leadership: Honoring, Supporting, and Holding Church Leaders Accountable (1 Timothy 5:17–23)

Introduction

Are you willing to let God shape how you view, and how you respond to, the leaders He places in your church? A trustworthy church is not run like a democracy or a dictatorship, but as a theocracy: God rules His people, and He often mediates His rule through godly leadership under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. As we walk through 1 Timothy 5:17–23, I want to disciple you toward a healthy, biblical posture: honoring leaders, handling sin carefully, appointing leaders wisely, and caring for leaders as whole people. This isn’t about flattering pastors or “protecting the system.” It’s about trusting God’s design for His church.

Main Points

Are you willing to let God shape how you view, and how you respond to, the leaders He places in your church? A trustworthy church is not run like a democracy or a dictatorship, but as a theocracy: God rules His people, and He often mediates His rule through godly leadership under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

As we walk through 1 Timothy 5:17–23, I want to disciple you toward a healthy, biblical posture: honoring leaders, handling sin carefully, appointing leaders wisely, and caring for leaders as whole people. This isn’t about flattering pastors or “protecting the system.” It’s about trusting God’s design for His church.

God Rules Through Godly Leadership

Before we even touch the details, we need the right framework: the church belongs to God. He governs it, and He calls leaders to serve under His authority. That’s why leadership in the church must never look like:

• A democracy (where preference rules),
• A dictatorship (where power rules),

but a theocracy (where God rules through His Word).

This keeps us from two common errors: blindly following leaders simply because they have a title, or refusing leadership because we think church should run on popular opinion. God appoints leaders, and He also holds them accountable to Him.

Give Double Honor With Gratitude

Paul begins plainly:

“Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine” (1 Timothy 5:17).

This “double honor” has a clear shape:

1. Respect and gratitude for those who lead well, especially those who labor in teaching and doctrine.
2. Practical support, including financial support.

Paul grounds this in Scripture:

• Deuteronomy 25:4 , “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain.”
• “The laborer is worthy of his wages” (1 Timothy 5:18).

The picture of the ox matters: the pagan impulse is to squeeze maximum output while giving nothing back, muzzle the ox, keep the profit. God’s people are different. If someone is spending their life threshing grain for the church, praying, counseling, teaching, shepherding, walking with families through weddings and funerals, then honoring them includes enabling them to keep doing that labor without being crushed.

So I want you to grow into this: when you honor faithful leaders, you’re not merely being nice to them, you are ultimately showing gratitude to God, who established leadership for the good of His church.

Understand the Weight Leaders Carry

It’s easy to assume pastors “work on Sundays,” but shepherding is constant, and it’s emotionally and spiritually weighty. Let me disciple you into empathy for the burdens leaders carry, because honoring well requires understanding.

Some burdens pastors commonly bear include:

• The weight of people’s burdens (hospital visits, broken marriages, death, crises), and the need to constantly cast those burdens on Jesus.
• Loneliness and isolation, being recognized, yet still feeling unknown.
• Criticism and discouragement, every “yes” creates a disappointed “no,” and even helpful feedback can accumulate like a heavy load.
• Balancing family and ministry, belonging to two families, both needing attention, neither keeping office hours.
• The tension of being paid for gospel labor, not wanting even an inch of greed, yet Scripture affirming that laborers should be supported.

Knowing this doesn’t make leaders untouchable. It just helps you treat them like real people and encourages you to pray for them with sincerity instead of evaluating them like consumers.

Judge Accusations Carefully And Correct Openly

Next Paul turns to accountability:

“Do not receive an accusation against an elder except from two or three witnesses” (1 Timothy 5:19; cf. Deuteronomy 19).

I want you to hear both sides of this:

• Don’t be quick to believe accusations, especially unsupported ones.
• Don’t dismiss sin either.

Biblically, justice requires confirmation. That protects leaders from reckless, preference-driven complaints and from anonymous shots that can poison a church. But when confirmed sin is present, Paul says:

“Those who are sinning rebuke in the presence of all, that the rest also may fear” (1 Timothy 5:20).

That’s sobering, and it’s meant to be. Public rebuke isn’t about humiliation; it’s about clarity, protection, and holy fear, so that the church learns that leaders are not above Christ’s authority.

So here’s a discipling takeaway for you: if you ever face a concern about leadership, don’t spread it as gossip and don’t suppress it as fear. Bring it forward in a biblical way, carefully, truthfully, and with proper witnesses.

Appoint Leaders Slowly With No Partiality

Paul then intensifies the charge:

“I charge you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels…” (1 Timothy 5:21).

That kind of language tells us this isn’t casual. Then he commands:

• “Observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing with partiality” (v. 21).
• “Do not lay hands on anyone hastily” (v. 22).
• “Nor share in other people’s sins. Keep yourself pure” (v. 22).

Here’s what I want you to learn: leadership recognition must be slow, serious, and based on character. When we install leaders quickly because they are impressive, connected, or charismatic, we invite future heartache, for the church and for the leader.

A phrase worth remembering is this: character, not charisma, builds long-term trust. We look for humility, proven faithfulness, and visible fruit over time.

And notice the warning: if we appoint leaders carelessly, we may “share” in the damage their sin brings, because we helped place them there.

Care For Leaders As Whole People

Paul closes this section with a surprisingly personal instruction:

“No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for your stomach’s sake and your frequent infirmities” (1 Timothy 5:23).

This is not permission for drunkenness, Scripture forbids that. It’s a pastoral, fatherly word: “Timothy, take care of your body.” In that day, a little wine could be medicinal, and Timothy apparently had stomach issues and frequent ailments, possibly intensified by stress and ministry burdens.

The discipleship lesson is bigger than the beverage: God cares about leaders holistically, body and soul. Ministry doesn’t excuse neglect. And church members should not subtly demand that their leaders be superhuman.

So I want you to practice this kind of care:

• Pray for your leaders’ spiritual strength and physical health.
• Encourage rhythms of rest.
• Give honor that is expressed not only in words, but also in tangible support.
• Refuse a culture of constant suspicion and complaint.

Conclusion

A trustworthy church treats leadership the way God commands, not with blind loyalty, and not with cynical distrust. From 1 Timothy 5:17–23, we learn to:

• Honor faithful elders with respect and support,
• Handle accusations with due process and sober accountability,
• Appoint leaders slowly, without favoritism, based on proven character,
• Care for leaders as whole people who bear real burdens.

If we embrace God’s design, the church becomes a safer place: safer for the congregation, safer for leaders, and more faithful to Christ, the Chief Shepherd (cf. 1 Peter 5).

Heavenly Father, we come humbly before You, asking Your Holy Spirit to shape our hearts by Your Word. Teach us to trust Your design for the church and to honor the leaders You appoint with gratitude, respect, and practical support. Give our pastors and elders strength to shepherd willingly, humbly, and faithfully, never lording authority over others, never chasing selfish gain, but setting an example as they follow Christ. Give us wisdom and integrity as a church to handle accusations carefully, to correct sin rightly, and to appoint leaders without partiality or haste. And Lord, care for our leaders in body and soul, help them carry burdens by casting them on Jesus. Make us a trustworthy church for Your glory. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Conclusion

A trustworthy church treats leadership the way God commands, not with blind loyalty, and not with cynical distrust. From 1 Timothy 5:17–23, we learn to:

• Honor faithful elders with respect and support,
• Handle accusations with due process and sober accountability,
• Appoint leaders slowly, without favoritism, based on proven character,
• Care for leaders as whole people who bear real burdens.

If we embrace God’s design, the church becomes a safer place: safer for the congregation, safer for leaders, and more faithful to Christ, the Chief Shepherd (cf. 1 Peter 5).

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father, we come humbly before You, asking Your Holy Spirit to shape our hearts by Your Word. Teach us to trust Your design for the church and to honor the leaders You appoint with gratitude, respect, and practical support. Give our pastors and elders strength to shepherd willingly, humbly, and faithfully, never lording authority over others, never chasing selfish gain, but setting an example as they follow Christ. Give us wisdom and integrity as a church to handle accusations carefully, to correct sin rightly, and to appoint leaders without partiality or haste. And Lord, care for our leaders in body and soul, help them carry burdens by casting them on Jesus. Make us a trustworthy church for Your glory. In Jesus’ name, amen.