The Florida-Bahamas Synod of the ELCA is meeting today through Saturday in Orlando. The biggest task will be the election of a new bishop.

The Synod Constitution spells out the duties of a bishop, but the people in the synod have their own ideas of what a bishop should do. Often these expectations are unspoken and sometimes contradictory. The job of a bishop, like that of any pastor, is difficult.

I find it striking that the Scriptures concentrate on personal qualities of a bishop. “For a bishop, as God’s steward, must be blameless; he must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or addicted to wine or violent or greedy for gain; but he must be hospitable, a lover of goodness, prudent, upright, devout, and self-controlled.” (Titus 1:7-9) To put it briefly, a bishop must be virtuous, a person of good habits.

Maybe people assume virtue as a given for any person being considered for a bishop. We have been fortunate in choosing people of character as our bishops, but I will be interested in seeing the sorts of questions asked of the candidates. Will we be seeking a person who will merely produce the results we want, or will we seek a person who has the qualities that Scripture calls for?

The subject of virtue isn’t raised in most discussions among Christians, and I believe we are spiritually poorer as a result. I’ll write more about virtue next time. For now, keep the Synod in your prayers.

Read 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and remember: God loves YOU unconditionally.

Wayne