Shepherds and Self-Control: Why Gluttony Disqualifies Pastors

Shepherds and Self-Control: Why Gluttony Disqualifies Pastors

A Hard but Needed Conversation

Churches rightly expect pastors to be above reproach in doctrine and character. Yet one sin—gluttony—often hides in plain sight. Scripture calls for leaders who are “self-controlled & disciplined” (Titus 1:8 NASB) and “temperate” (1 Timothy 3:2 NASB), yet overindulgence in food is frequently ignored. Gluttony is not about body shape; it is about surrendering to appetite instead of the Spirit. For pastors, this is no small matter.

The Biblical Standard for Church Leaders

Paul’s qualifications for elders and overseers are explicit:

• “For the overseer must be above reproach as God’s steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not overindulging in wine, not pugnacious, but hospitable, loving what is good, self-controlled, righteous, holy, disciplined” (Titus 1:7–8 NASB).

• “An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach… not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money” (1 Timothy 3:2–3 NASB).

Gluttony is the quiet cousin of drunkenness—both are sins of unrestrained appetite. A pastor who habitually overindulges demonstrates the opposite of the Spirit’s fruit: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22–23 NASB).

Paul’s Own Example of Self-Denial

Paul lived what he preached. In 1 Corinthians 9:25–27 (NASB) he writes: “Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things… I strictly discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.”

These words come in the context of chapters 8–10, where Paul discusses abstaining from food sacrificed to idols and even forgoing financial support for the sake of the gospel. He willingly did without—food, pay, personal rights—to keep his body and ministry under Christ’s rule.

When Appetite Rules the Shepherd

A pastor who is mastered by food undermines the gospel he proclaims. Habitual overeating is more than an unhealthy lifestyle; it is a public contradiction of the Spirit’s work of self-control. Over time it damages credibility, clouds discernment, and can literally shorten years of fruitful service.

Physical and Medical Realities

There are rare metabolic or endocrine disorders that can contribute to weight gain apart from gluttony. These deserve medical care and compassion. Still, even in such cases, a stressful pastorate can worsen health and foster addictive patterns. If a debilitating condition makes self-control impossible or pastoral duties dangerous, stepping back for treatment or reassignment may be the most faithful choice for both pastor and church.

Why This Matters for the Church

Leadership is not a right but a stewardship. To ignore gluttony in a pastor is to neglect a biblical qualification. The church that tolerates it risks dulling its witness. As Paul warned the Philippians, “Their end is destruction, their god is their appetite [belly]” (Philippians 3:19 NASB). Shepherds must model a better way, proving by example that “whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all things for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31 NASB).

Christ-Centered Call

This is not about shame but about holiness. Christ calls pastors to freedom—freedom from every master but Him. The good news is that the Spirit who raised Jesus empowers every believer to live with discipline and joy. For leaders of Christ’s flock, this is not optional. It is essential.