Can A Divorced Man Be A Pastor?

Although divorce is never God’s will for a marriage it, like all sin, is forgivable and recoverable from. Why then do so many church leaders venomously teach that a divorced man can not be a pastor? Back in the middle of the last century churches were faced with the problem of rapidly rising divorce rates. Instead of taking the Word of God at face value church leaders began to do what they have done so many times in the past, twist the Word to fit their particular set of values. In doing so they made divorce the “unpardonable” sin.
Most of the controversy stems from I Timothy 3:2 that states a pastor (Bishop) must be the “husband of one wife”. Although this verse has nothing to do with divorce many use this as the only basis to exclude God called men from the pulpit. This verse is clearly speaking of polygamy and the faithfulness of a man to his wife. Consider the following points;

1. Since God will never call a man to something that contradicts His Word, the fact that many divorced men are called by God to pastor is proof of the error of the interpretation that divorce excludes a man from the pastorate.
2. Those who fail to properly interpret the Word are at odds with II Timothy 2:15
3. The process of divorce, as described by Christ, ends the marriage thus making the woman no longer the wife. Those that say that an ex-wife is still a wife to be counted in regards to I Timothy 3:2 deny Jesus’ power and authority over marriage and the dissolution of such.
4. Polygamy was at the time of the writing as it is still is today a problem in our own country as well as other parts of the world.
5. Most that teach this hateful doctrine use it as a way to elevate their own standing, by making themselves look better in contrast to others who are beneath them. That some how they are better or more pure than everyone else and that is why God has called them to be pastors. Yet God says he uses the foolish and weak, not the high and mighty.
6. And most importantly those who claim this divorce exclusion doctrine deny Jesus’ ability to forgive and forget our sins. They claim that Jesus can forgive murder (Paul, David, Moses) but not divorce. That a man that kills his wife is eligible for the pulpit but not one that divorces. This lacks the common sense of the scripture and limits God’s ability to restore the sinner. Limiting God’s power is blasphemy.

The God I serve is a loving God that will use any who truly repent and turn their lives over to Him, regardless of past sin.