TITUS SERIES: SETTING THE CHURCH IN ORDER – WEEK 2: LOOKING FOR A FEW GOOD MEN

• Key Truth
  • Healthy churches rise on the foundation of healthy leaders; without healthy leaders the ministry suffers
  • Titus 1: 5-9 (NLT) 5 I left you on the island of Crete so you could complete our work there and appoint elders in each town as I instructed you. 6 An elder must live a blameless life. He must be faithful to his wife, and his children must be believers who don’t have a reputation for being wild or rebellious. 7 A church leader is a manager of God’s household, so he must live a blameless life. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered; he must not be a heavy drinker, violent, or dishonest with money. 8 Rather, he must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must love what is good. He must live wisely and be just. He must live a devout and disciplined life. 9 He must have a strong belief in the trustworthy message he was taught; then he will be able to encourage others with wholesome teaching and show those who oppose it where they are wrong.

I. The Church Must Be Set in Order

• Titus 1:5 I left you on the island of Crete so you could complete our work there and appoint elders in each town as I instructed you. 
• Key Principles
• • God is a God of order.
  • Healthy churches do not happen by accident.
  • Leadership is the foundation of a healthy church.
  • Biblical order protects the church from error.
• Remember:
• • Structure without character collapses.
  • Programs without godliness fail.
  • Talent without integrity destroys.

“These qualifications represent God’s standards that no man or organization has the right to change. Christian leaders must be qualified according to God’s Criteria.” Alexander Strauch. Book: An Urgent Call to Restore Biblical Church Leadership

II. God’s Standard for Leadership

• Titus 1:6 An elder must live a blameless life. He must be faithful to his wife, and his children must be believers who don’t have a reputation for being wild or rebellious.
• • Paul’s repeated emphasis: “An elder must…”
• Biblical Character
• • Blameless
  • Faithful to his wife
• John MacArthur explicitly interprets Titus 1:6 (“the husband of one wife”) as referring to a man’s moral and sexual faithfulness, not merely to his marital status. MacArthur argues that the emphasis is on being “a one-woman man”—a man whose life is marked by purity and exclusive devotion to his wife.
• Leads his family well
• Key Principle: Character always matters more than charisma.

III. What an Elder Must Not Be

• Titus 1:7 A church leader is a manager of God’s household, so he must live a blameless life. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered; he must not be a heavy drinker, violent, or dishonest with money.
• A godly leader must not be:
• • Self-willed
  • Quick-tempered
  • Given to drunkenness
  • Violent
  • Greedy

IV. What an Elder Must Be

• Titus 1:8 Rather, he must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must love what is good. He must live wisely and be just. He must live a devout and disciplined life.
• A godly leader must be:
• • Hospitable
  • A lover of what is good
  • Self-controlled
  • Just
  • Devout
  • Disciplined

V. Hold Firmly to the Truth

• Titus 1:9 He must have a strong belief in the trustworthy message he was taught; then he will be able to encourage others with wholesome teaching and show those who oppose it where they are wrong.
• Every spiritual leader is called to:
• • Know the truth
  • Live the truth
  • Teach the truth
  • Defend the truth

• Two Primary Responsibilities
• • Encourage others with sound doctrine.
  • Refute those who oppose the truth.

• While every leader falls short… Jesus Christ never failed.
• He perfectly:
• • Loved His Father
  • Shepherded His people
  • Resisted temptation
  • Spoke God’s truth
  • Laid down His life for His sheep
• The qualifications of Titus 1 ultimately reflect the perfect character of Christ, our Chief Shepherd.

• Ask yourself this week:
• • Is my life marked by integrity?
  • Am I leading well in my home?
  • What controls me—God’s Spirit or my own impulses?
  • Do I love God’s truth enough to live it and defend it?
  • Am I becoming more like Christ each day?

Weekly Challenge

• Spend time daily in God’s Word.
• Psalm 1:2–3 “They delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season…”

Takeaway

• “The question isn’t, ‘Am I impressive?’ The question is, ‘Am I faithful?’”
• “In God’s kingdom, character always matters more than charisma.”

Heavenly Father, I come before You today recognizing that I need You. I confess that I am a sinner and that I cannot save myself. Thank You for loving me and for sending Jesus Christ to die on the cross for my sins and to rise again so that I could have new life. Today, I place my faith in Jesus alone. I turn away from my sin and surrender my life to You. Be my Savior and my Lord. Change my heart, renew my mind, and help me to live a life that honors You. Thank You for Your grace that I do not deserve and for the promise of eternal life. From this day forward, I choose to follow You. In Jesus’ name.

Amen