The title “man of God” is widely abused in the African context. Much like the misuse of other titles—such as spiritual father and prayer warrior—this has led to suspicious and even outright rejection of the title. Make no mistake, much damage has been done by pastors who are supposedly men of God. Only, I don’t think this warrants abandoning the title. This is what I’ll argue below.
Africa’s Men of God
Before we look at one of the Bible’s descriptions of the man of God, let’s consider the kind of men of God that are popping up around our continent.
Very simply, they are usually Christian leaders, heading up a church or larger ministry. But they are also usually treated more like God than mere men. Furthermore, they are accountable to no one, possessing incontrovertible authority.
Linked with this authority is the idea that the man of God holds the solutions to all of life’s problems. Naturally, then, their ministries are built around breakthroughs—so long as you’re willing to “plant a seed” or “sow” into the man of God’s ministry. Whatever struggles you’re going through, the man of God claims to have the power to make them go away, for a fee, of course.
Many pastors parading about as men of God are grossly immoral and ungodly.
It’s also been well-documented—perhaps most famously in the case of T. B. Joshua—that many pastors parading about as men of God are also grossly immoral and ungodly. Here, I’m not referring to the fact that all of us wrestle with sin and temptation (1 John 1:8). Without exception, we are sinful. But some men of God seem to have made an attempt to outdo Paul in becoming the foremost of sinners (1 Timothy 1:5). They commit adultery, abuse their congregants, love money, and I could go on.
So many men of God fail to live up to the standard of the gospel.
Those Same Men in Scripture
Only, as I’ve said, just because the title is abused, I don’t think we should abandon it. For starters, the phrase man of God is found almost 80 times throughout the Bible. It’s applied to as many as 13 individuals (Deuteronomy 33:1; Joshua 14:6; Psalm 90:1; Ezra 3:2; 1 Chronicles 23:14; 2 Chronicles 30:16). But before we conclude the title is reserved for a select few—such as Moses or Joshua, or the prophets inspired by God (1 Peter 1:12)—we should also note how the title is deployed in the New Testament. Look at 2 Timothy 3:16-17, for example. Paul uses the term in a generic way, referring to anyone who lives by the word of God.
Just because the title is abused, I don’t think we should abandon it.
Then, in 1 Timothy 6:11-14, Paul describes the man of God further. Again, he isn’t referring to the spectacular few and mighty leaders, but ordinary pastors like Timothy, who take their faith seriously. Strikingly, in the context of that passage, Paul is contrasting men of God with false teachers (1 Timothy 6:3-11). This leads to his exhortation for pastors to behave like men of God, which also helps us define the title and assess pastors who claim it for themselves.
Your Pastor Is a Man of God If He:
1. Isn’t Committed to Personal Gain
“The love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs” (1 Timothy 6:10). Note that money isn’t necessarily the problem, but the love of it. So Paul exhorts Timothy to be different, content rather than greedy.
False teachers treat their ministry as a means of gain.
False teachers, by contrast, treat their ministry as a means of gain (1 Timothy 6:5)—sadly, examples of this abound across Africa. Again, riches aren’t the problem exactly; it’s the “desire to be rich” that leads to all sorts of compromise (1 Timothy 6:9). The man of God, quite simply, according to Paul, isn’t materialistic. He flees greed and selfish gain (1 Timothy 6:11a).
2. Pursues Godliness and Virtue
While fleeing materialism, the man of God is marked by a very different ambition. “Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness” (1 Timothy 6:11b).
The man of God will reflect God’s word rather than the world.
“Righteousness” is closely related with doing what is just or fair, in relation to both God and man. “Godliness” refers to one’s reverence for God in all of life (see 1 Timothy 2:2). “Faith” is trust in God. “Love” is being selflessly devoted to the needs of others, imitating Christ. “Steadfastness” describes perseverance or fidelity to God, despite adversity, discouragements and difficulty. Rather than aspiring to be wealthy, the man of God makes character his ambition. His hope isn’t set on “the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy” (1 Timothy 6:17). “Gentleness” is tender kindness toward others.
Unsurprisingly, our present age doesn’t value such things. But God does. And the man of God will reflect God’s word rather than the world. Nowhere in scripture is the man of God recognised by his wealth or power. He is marked by character.
3. Fights for the Faith
Lastly, Paul writes: “Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses” (1 Timothy 6:12).
The word translated as “fight” conveys strenuous effort, discipline, and intense struggle. It is a term used often in both military and athletic contexts. So we shouldn’t conclude that the man of God is combative or argumentative. In fact, it’s the false teachers who have “an unhealthy craving for controversy and quarrels” (1 Timothy 6:4). Rather, it means that the man of God is intentional and marked by endurance. He is vigilant and unshakable in his commitment to the truth of the gospel.
God’s Mighty Men
The title or position doesn’t define a man of God. Rather, you’ll know that your pastor is a man of God by his character and convictions that flow from the gospel. The man of God has an eternal perspective, and therefore keeps money in its place, practising contentment. Instead of greedily pursuing financial gain and material possessions, he makes personal integrity his goal. He is passionate about what God prizes: contentment, character and communicating the gospel.
The man of God is passionate about what God prizes: contentment and character.
Like Timothy, may we be faithful in our own generation—not according to the standards of the world, but according to the measure of God’s word. Let us not only aspire to be leaders, but biblical leaders—shaped by what we flee from, what we pursue, and what we are willing to fight for. And may our lives echo Paul’s final words: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7).
