May a Divorced Remarried Man Be a Preacher?

A brother has been divorced and remarried 10 years ago. Does the reason for his divorce effect whether he is allowed to preach and participate with his new wife at the Lord’s Supper? Are there any restrictions on his ministry?

The sole permission in the New Testament for divorce and remarriage is Matthew 19:9, where our Lord taught that only for the reason of adultery may the innocent party divorce and remarry. Jesus clearly stated that every other divorce and remarriage is adultery, irrespective of whether the law of the land sanctions such a marriage. If a man’s divorce and remarriage are scriptural, there is no biblical reason for prohibiting him from serving in any capacity for which he may be qualified in the Lord’s church, including preaching. However, as it is with elders, in order to serve effectively, a man must be held in esteem by fellow Christians and to some extent by community members (1 Timothy 3:7). Congregations choose for themselves their own preachers who instruct them in God’s Word, and they have the discretion, as long as biblical doctrine is not violated, to decide who will serve in that capacity.