The Church - Structured for Impact

A couple of weeks back we started a series on the church that we entitled, “Designed for impact.” While there is a theological understanding of the church that we must grasp, there is a very practical side to the existence of the local church that we need to give attention to.

As a church we want to believe that structure should enable the church to achieve it’s purpose. The primary goals are the worship of God, making disciples, and the making God known.

Over the years I had people come and say to be that they have been reading a book on leadership and organizational structuring and feel the church should be structured like that. But the church isn’t that. The church is not an organisation that needs control, but an organism that needs health.

There are, in fact, 2 pictures in the Bible that give a bit of understanding to how the church.

The church is a family

The church is a body

Both have clear structures that enable them to be healthy and achieve their designed purpose.

There is structure in every healthy thing. Structure is like the skeleton. The Bible says that church is the body of the Christ and every body has to have a skeleton. Every church has a structure behind it. Some of them prevent growth, some of them cause growth. Some of them are good, some of them are bad.

God has called us to structure the church for impact. Our structure matters!

Today, I want to take you to one of the Apostle Paul’s pastoral letter - his letter to Titus. It was probably wrtten by Paul in early 60AD which makes it one of the Apostle Paul’s later letters. Somewhere along the way a young man comes to faith in Christ under Paul’s ministry and is discipled by Paul and grows in his faith. He starts to get called Paul’s ministry partner and co-worker 2 Cor 8:23. Eventually Paul goes to Crete, probably after being in prison in Rome. Here a church is established and Titus is left there with the responsibility of structuring the church.

Titus 1:5 CSB

5 The reason I left you in Crete was to set right what was left undone and, as I directed you, to appoint elders in every town.

We find that structure in the church is vital for the church’s effectiveness in Kingdom advance.

1. Good structure serves a good purpose/God’s purpose

1.1. Guards our health as a church

1.1.1. Theological health

Paul says to Timothy, “Preach the Word!” He says the same thing to Titus in Titus 2:1.

Titus 2:1 CSB

1 But you are to proclaim things consistent with sound teaching.

There is a great deal of responsibility that comes with the handling of God’s Word.

James 3:1 CSB

1 Not many should become teachers, my brothers, because you know that we will receive a stricter judgment.

It is God’s Word

There is a great deal of benefit that comes from the faithful handling of God’s Word.

Preaching keeps us under the ultimate authority - God! When we submit to Him,

We see clearer

We stand stronger - we stand on truth

We have an anchor that keeps the soul Steadfast and sure while the billows roll Fastened to the Rock which cannot move Grounded firm and deep in the Savior's love

Keeps us grounded on the main thing

Keeps us focused on the right things

1.1.2. Structural health

Recognising the important of health structure

Pattern of progressive development in the Bible

Paul has established a church and now the structure needs to be built

You can see this with Moses

Moses and his father-in-law (Jethro) saying that he should appointing others to share the load because the way he was doing it is unsustainable.

Moses being told to appoint 72 to share the load. Numbers 11

Peter and the apostles selecting people to serve the practical needs of the church in Acts 6

Jesus Himself had structure in His disciple crew. We know that Judas was the treasurer.

Where do we find out how to build?

God’s Word set’s up God ordained authority structure for the church

We first recognise His headship

Elders are to be appointed to lead the church - we will reflect on this more next week

Not anyone can be an elder or should be an elder.

Clarity on who is to lead

Clarity on who is to follow

Hebrews 13:17 CSB

17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, since they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account, so that they can do this with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.

1.2. Good structure serves to protect the purity of the church v15-16

Titus 1:15–16 CSB

15 To the pure, everything is pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; in fact, both their mind and conscience are defiled. 16 They claim to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good work.

GODLY leaders are needed to lead the church

We are often so tempted to look for the successful when God wants us to choose the spiritual. They are walking where God is taking us.

The church is the object of God’s affection and the enemies attention

Warning to the Ephesian Elders - Acts 20:28-30

Acts 20:28–30 CSB

28 Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as overseers, to shepherd the church of God, which he purchased with his own blood. 29 I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Men will rise up even from your own number and distort the truth to lure the disciples into following them.

Let’s not forget that God is looking for a holy bride. Not a busy bride. Not a social bride. Not a corrupted bride. We need leaders who will protect the bride and lead them in holiness.

1.3. Good structure empowers disciples in the church to be the church

This is what chapter 2 shows us. There is design for everything.

For Titus

Proclaim things consistent with sound teaching - that measures back to God’s revealed truth.

Titus 2:1 CSB

1 But you are to proclaim things consistent with sound teaching.

Older men

Titus 2:2 CSB

2 Older men are to be self-controlled, worthy of respect, sensible, and sound in faith, love, and endurance.

Self-controlled

Worthy of respect - an exemplary reputation

Sensible sound in faith, love and endurance.

Titus 2:3 CSB

3 In the same way, older women are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not slaves to excessive drinking. They are to teach what is good,

Older women

Reverent in behaviour - godly

Not slanderers

Not slaves to excessive drinking

Investing in younger women - that involves setting an example

Titus 2:4–5 CSB

4 so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands and to love their children, 5 to be self-controlled, pure, workers at home, kind, and in submission to their husbands, so that God’s word will not be slandered.

Younger women are being encouraged - that’s invested in by the older women

to love their husbands

to love their children

to be self-controlled

pure

workers at home

kind

in submission to their husbands

GOAL - so that God’s word will not be slandered

Young men

Titus 2:6–7 CSB

6 In the same way, encourage the young men to be self-controlled 7 in everything.

Be self-controlled

Titus again

Titus 2:7–8 CSB

7 in everything. Make yourself an example of good works with integrity and dignity in your teaching. 8 Your message is to be sound beyond reproach, so that any opponent will be ashamed, because he doesn’t have anything bad to say about us.

Make yourself an example

Make your message sound beyond reproach - no hypocrisy

So that any opponent will be ashamed.

Slaves

Titus 2:9–10 CSB

9 Slaves are to submit to their masters in everything, and to be well-pleasing, not talking back 10 or stealing, but demonstrating utter faithfulness, so that they may adorn the teaching of God our Savior in everything.

Submit to your masters

Be well pleasing

Adorn the teaching of God in everything

We all have the opportunity to walk with others. Perhaps our lack of discipleship this is why there are so many challenges within homes. Let’s change that!

1.4. Good structure helps keep the focus on our purpose and mission v 11-14

Titus 2:11–14 CSB

11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 instructing us to deny godlessness and worldly lusts and to live in a sensible, righteous, and godly way in the present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. 14 He gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for himself a people for his own possession, eager to do good works.

Because it keeps the Gospel central

it put the right people in place to keep the church aligned with it’s mission and values.

Everyone did what was right in their own eyes. It stops everyone from doing their own thing.

2. Good structure should point us and the world to Jesus

2.1. It points away from ourselves

He is the true satisfier of our soul!

He is the forgiver of our sin!

He is the hope of eternal life!

You are not trusting the church to be your Saviour. You are not trusting your leaders to be your mediator. We are not powerful and wise in ourselves. You go to the author of life. But when you want to stop along the way and smell the roses, when you want church to just be about fellowship, a good structure encourages you to walk with others but to keep going and making Jesus known.

2.2. It enables Gospel advance

This is the example of Acts! When people fought against it, the Gospel’s forward movement was hindered.

Good structure is going to advance and not hinder the advance of God’s kingdom in our world.