When the apostles instructed the church to select men “full of the Spirit and wisdom” (Acts 6:3, BSB), they were not giving a vague or mystical requirement. The fullness of the Spirit was something visible, something real—displayed in character, discernment, and faithfulness. The believers were not left to guess who these men might be. They could recognize them because the evidence of the Spirit’s work was already apparent in their lives.
Filled with the Spirit
First, they would have sought men whose character bore the marks of the Holy Spirit’s transforming work. Paul later described the fruit of the Spirit: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23, BSB). A man filled with the Spirit would not have been quarrelsome, selfish, or greedy but steady, humble, and Christlike in word and action.
Second, they would have looked for a deep dependence on God in prayer and faith. A person full of the Spirit is not self-reliant but God-reliant. Jesus promised, “Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said: ‘Streams of living water will flow from within him’” (John 7:38, BSB). These men would have been known for their devotion to God, not merely in public acts of worship but in the substance of their daily lives.
Third, the community would have seen spiritual discernment at work in them. They were to be “full of the Spirit and wisdom,” meaning they did not simply possess human intellect but the ability to see and act according to God’s will. True wisdom comes from above (James 3:17), and a Spirit-filled person applies God’s truth with humility and grace.
Finally, they would have been faithful in service even before this official appointment. Stephen and Philip, two of the seven chosen, later emerged as bold witnesses of Christ (Acts 7 and Acts 8). It is likely that before their selection, they were already engaged in serving the church in ways that revealed their heart for God and His people.
The Same Standard for Elders
The selection of elders in the church, as outlined in Paul’s letters to Timothy and Titus, follows the same principles as the appointment of deacons in Acts 6. Just as the early believers sought men who were full of the Spirit and wisdom, Paul instructed that elders must be men whose lives display the unmistakable work of God’s grace and truth. The standard was not wealth, status, or natural ability, but spiritual maturity and integrity.
Paul wrote to Timothy, “An overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not dependent on wine, not violent but gentle, peaceable, and free of the love of money” (1 Timothy 3:2-3, BSB). Likewise, he told Titus, “Since an overseer is entrusted with God’s work, he must be blameless—not self-willed, not easily angered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not greedy for money. Instead, he must be hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it was taught, so that he can encourage others by sound teaching and refute those who contradict it” (Titus 1:7-9, BSB).
In both cases, the qualifications are not centered on worldly credentials but on evidence of a life governed by the Spirit. An elder, like a deacon, must be a man whose character reflects Christ, whose wisdom is rooted in God’s truth, and whose faithfulness in service is already evident before he is appointed. Paul does not emphasize dynamic personality, impressive speaking skills, or business success, but rather a life marked by humility, self-control, and devotion to God.
A Resume is Not Enough
It is tempting to evaluate leadership through a worldly lens. Many today rely on resumes, accomplishments, or charisma to determine who should lead in the church. But such external markers can never replace the affirmation of the Holy Spirit. A man may have a history of leadership, a degree in theology, and the ability to speak well, but if his life does not bear the unmistakable evidence of the Spirit’s work, he is not fit for the role.
This is why the early church did not conduct interviews or review credentials. They sought those whose lives already demonstrated God’s hand upon them. The Spirit’s work cannot be fabricated, nor can true spiritual leadership be manufactured through human effort. “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the LORD of Hosts” (Zechariah 4:6, BSB).
God’s Standard for Leadership Remains the Same
The parallel between Acts 6 and these pastoral letters is clear: God’s church is led by those whom the Spirit has already filled and shaped into men of godly character. The congregation did not need to guess who these men were; their lives bore testimony to God’s work in them. They were already shepherding, teaching, serving, and living above reproach. Their appointment was a recognition of the Spirit’s work, not a promotion based on human ambition.
The standard for leadership in God’s church has never been about power or position but about spiritual maturity and servanthood. Whether deacons in Acts, elders in Timothy and Titus, or leaders in today’s church, the pattern remains unchanged: men whose lives reveal the fullness of the Spirit and the wisdom of Christ.
As Paul warned, “We are not peddlers of God’s word for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as men sent from God” (2 Corinthians 2:17, BSB). The church does not need professionals—it needs Spirit-filled men who walk in humility, lead by example, and serve with unwavering faithfulness.
May we be faithful to seek and affirm such leaders today.
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