Fatherhood in the Faith: What Paul and Othniel Teach Today's Elders About Teaching and Shepherding
American churches seeking faithful elders need models from Scripture that shape teaching, character, and spiritual fatherhood. Paul and Othniel offer complementary portraits: one from apostolic instruction, the other from a humble leader raised up in the Judges era. This article looks at how their examples inform elders' teaching roles today—especially in local congregations across the United States—and points readers to further reflection in Not Many Fathers by Robert J. Cottle.
The call to be an elder is primarily a call to teach and shepherd. In Titus 1 and 1 Timothy 3, Paul sketches the character and teaching qualifications for elders: sober-minded, hospitable, able to teach, not a lover of money, self-controlled (Titus 1:7–9; 1 Tim. 3:1–7). For American congregations wondering what “able to teach” looks like in practice, Paul's epistles remind us that teaching is rooted in the truth of the gospel, shaped by pastoral patience, and proven by life. An elder who can teach must first be a learner of Scripture, humble enough to submit to correction (2 Tim. 3:16–17) and patient enough to disciple others through repeated counsel and example (2 Tim. 2:2).
Paul’s ministry also teaches elders the importance of generational investment. He did not merely instruct; he invested himself in Timothy, Titus, and others—training leaders who could carry on faithful teaching when he was gone (2 Tim. 2:2). In a modern U.S. context this means elders must prioritize mentoring and apprenticeship: sermons are crucial, but private discipleship, home-centered ministry, and equipping younger leaders multiply teaching influence. Spiritual fatherhood, as modeled by Paul, resists celebrity Christianity and cultivates steady, reproducible faithfulness in households and small groups (Phil. 2:19–22).
Turning to the Old Testament, Othniel’s story in Judges offers a different angle on elderly leadership: God raises up deliverers who lead by faithfulness, courage, and dependence on the Lord (Judges 3:9–11). Othniel was the first of several judges who brought respite to Israel through obedience and humble service. While judges are not elders in the New Testament sense, Othniel’s life highlights that godly leadership often begins in the margins—in ordinary families, local communities, and among those who respond to God’s calling rather than their own ambition. This is a timely reminder for American churches: elders should not be chosen primarily for charisma or social prominence but for proven faithfulness and willingness to serve sacrificially (1 Peter 5:2–3).
Bringing these threads together, the elder as spiritual father combines Paul’s mentoring and doctrinal fidelity with Othniel’s humble, deliverer-like courage. Elders who teach must have deep roots in Scripture and the gospel, but they must also pastor with the courage to lead people out of spiritual bondage—whether that bondage looks like legalism, fear, consumerism, or indifference to discipleship. Practical markers of such teaching elders include patience in correcting error with gentleness (Gal. 6:1), commitment to household discipleship (Deut. 6:6–7), and a willingness to labor without seeking applause (1 Thess. 2:7–8).
If you’re an elder, elder-in-training, or a congregant helping your church discern elders, consider these humble steps: prioritize regular, Scripture-saturated teaching; make mentoring a regular rhythm; evaluate candidates by how they love and serve their household and neighbors; and look for leaders who endure trials with faith rather than self-advancement. For further meditation on spiritual fatherhood and how a man like Othniel became a model for later leaders, see Not Many Fathers by Robert J. Cottle. The book explores what it looks like to father spiritually in a way that multiplies faith in households and churches. You can learn more at www.robertjcottle.com or find the book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Not-Many-Fathers-Othniel-became/dp/1738615030. May our churches raise up elders who teach not for power or applause but to shepherd God’s flock with humility, sound doctrine, and the courage of faith.