They are to be vigilant in their war against sin and unholiness. There are at least three things that a leader should practice to preserve their hearts from sin. These are not, however, only practices for leaders. They are for all those who would be useful in Christ s cause in the world. Luther used to say, There are three things that make a minister, prayer, meditation, and temptation.
Prayer is the highest and noblest exercise of the soul.
It is communion with one that is higher than us and who has the capacity to elevate our souls. Reading God s Word. There ought to be, in the leaders of the church, a familiarity with the Bible. Leaders ought to know their Bibles well and be reading them regularly. A leader should never have difficulty finding a particular verse when asked to look it up because they can t find the book of Ruth, or so on.