Pastoral Epistles: 1 Timothy 3:3 - Teaching with Self-Control

Rather than being pugnacious, the church’s leader must be “gentle, peaceable . . .” A gentle person is considerate, genial, forbearing, and gracious. He is quick to forgive and remembers good, not evil. He is not a ledger person in that he doesn’t keep a list of wrongs committed against him. We all know of people who maintain all wrongs ever committed against them who like to resurrect them at the most opportune and hurtful times. The leader of the local church cannot be that kind of person.