If a man is married to a divorced woman, can he serve in church leadership?

TL;DR:

A man married to a divorced woman is not automatically disqualified from church leadership; what matters is his proven faithfulness, integrity, and spiritual maturity. Churches must prayerfully consider the circumstances of any past divorce and a man’s present character before determining his eligibility to serve in church leadership.

what does the bible say?

The Bible teaches that church leaders must be “the husband of one wife,” meaning a man known for faithfulness and moral integrity rather than simply marital status (1 Timothy 3:2, 12; Titus 1:6). This phrase focuses on character and devotion, not automatically disqualifying a man married to a divorced woman. Because not all divorces are unbiblical and not all remarriages after divorce are adultery, the church must carefully evaluate the heart, history, and present spiritual maturity of a man seeking leadership. If his life reflects faithfulness, self-control, and integrity, he may still potentially serve despite his wife’s or his own past divorce. God can redeem broken pasts, using imperfect families to display His grace and shepherd His people.

from the old testament

Leaders in Israel, such as kings or priests, were expected to live upright lives (Exodus 18:21; Deuteronomy 17:14–20). Their personal character reflected on their ability to lead God’s people.
While Malachi 2:14–16 emphasizes that God hates divorce and calls His people to marital faithfulness, the Old Testament law also recognized exceptions for divorce in cases like adultery or abandonment (Deuteronomy 24:1–4), suggesting that context matters when evaluating marital history.

from the new testament

First Timothy 3:2 and Titus 1:6 teach that an elder or pastor must be known as the husband of one wife, a qualification also mentioned regarding deacons in 1 Timothy 3:12. Because of this requirement, some have asked if a man married to a divorced woman can serve in church leadership.
The overall qualification appears to deal with whether the man who is called to serve as an elder or deacon is known as what the Greek literally calls a “one woman” man (1 Timothy 3:2, 12; Titus 1:6). In other words, the phrase only specifies that a man is known for his faithful relationship to one woman. It is not specific beyond this statement.
Some have also mentioned Matthew 5:32 regarding divorced people: "But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery." If a man marries a divorced woman, he could be considered in an adulterous relationship and unqualified to serve as a church leader. However, it is important to take the context of this passage into consideration before applying it to all situations. The passage in Matthew dealt with a specific Jewish cultural custom common in the time of Jesus. Because premarital and extramarital sexual relationships were condemned, men would divorce a wife and remarry another one right away in order to begin a new relationship, a practice some have called serial monogamy. Jesus condemned this practice, calling it a form of adultery.
In 1 Corinthians 7, Paul mentioned other occasions in which divorce could occur. Paul did not specifically refer to remarriage in these cases as a form of adultery as Jesus did in the Gospels. In one instance he counseled against remarriage and in the others does not mention it overtly.

implications for today

A man married to a divorced woman is not an immediate disqualification from ministry. While it is important to investigate an elder or deacon's character and background in the process of selecting these leaders, a wife with a previous divorce is not necessarily grounds for disqualification. It is the same with a man that has been previously divorced. Not all divorces are unbiblical. The church must take all of the information into account, understand the circumstances regarding the divorce, and determine if the overall character and integrity of the man fits the qualifications presented in Scripture. If so, then the man could serve in church leadership despite past divorce, provided he meets the biblical standards such as being above reproach, faithful to one wife, self-controlled, and spiritually mature (1 Timothy 3:1–7; Titus 1:6–9).

No person is perfect, nor is any marriage. Selecting a church leader requires much care, yet God can use those who have had troubled marriages in the past, including the spouse of an elder or deacon, and use these families to serve and minister to others for the glory of God.

understand

Being married to a divorced woman doesn’t automatically disqualify a man from church leadership.
The church must evaluate a man’s character, faithfulness, and spiritual maturity along with marital history.
God can use leaders and their families despite past marital difficulties to serve His people and display His grace.

reflect

How do you view the importance of a leader’s character versus their marital history in serving God’s people?
In what ways might you be tempted to judge someone’s faithfulness based on their spouse’s past rather than their own integrity and current walk with the Lord?
How can you cultivate a heart that is not quick to judge but quick to understand when evaluating leaders?

engage

How should the church balance biblical standards with compassion and understanding of complex marital situations?
How can God use imperfect families, including leaders with past marital difficulties, to minister effectively to His people?
How do we ensure that the focus on character and faithfulness guides leadership selection rather than cultural or personal biases?