not a novice in order that he is not puffed up, falling into condemnation of the devil (1 Timothy 3:6).
A pastor is not to be new to the faith. While it may seem advantageous to keep a new believer engaged by placing him in a teaching role, doing so is neither loving nor beneficial—for him or for those under his care. A pastor must be thoroughly trained, including in the original languages of Scripture, for the Scriptures were not written in English, and the King James Version is not the inspired Word of God. He must also be given sufficient time to mature, developing his ability to discern between what is proper and what is wrong through the training and exercise of his senses.
Lucifer fell because of pride. A novice pastor is in grave danger of becoming puffed up—striving to appear wiser or more knowledgeable than he truly is, in order to be seen as a leader. This places him at risk of falling under the same judgment that resulted from Lucifer’s prideful actions. Such pride can open the congregation to all manner of deceitful schemes by men who seek to mislead the saints, causing them to be tossed about by every wind of doctrine. A prideful novice will be ill-equipped to oppose wolves, stand against false teachers, or care for the spiritual needs of the assembly.