Setting the Church in Order, Part 1

If you have your Bible (and I hope you do), please turn with me to the book of Titus. If you are able and willing, please stand for the reading of God’s Word:

Titus 1:5–9 NIV

5 The reason I left you in Crete was that you might put in order what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you. 6 An elder must be blameless, faithful to his wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. 7 Since an overseer manages God’s household, he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. 8 Rather, he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. 9 He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.

May the Lord add His blessing to the reading of His Word!

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Paul left Titus on the island of Crete for a reason; Titus 1:5 makes this clear.

From this verse, we can safely assume that Paul and Titus had (at some point prior to this) ministered and spread the gospel on the island of Crete.

In the book of Acts, we know there were Cretans in Jerusalem during Pentecost; they were there for the pouring-out of the Holy Spirit. They would have heard Peter’s sermon.

We read this report:

Acts 2:5–12 (NIV)

5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”

No doubt some of the Cretans there in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost were saved by the God of all grace, transformed by the Resurrected Savior.

And after the day of Pentecost, they would go back home to the island of Crete where they would share the Good News about Jesus with their fellow Cretans.

But, as I mentioned last week, there was a lot working against those who would preach the gospel on the island of Crete.

Many Cretans worshipped Zeus, some worshipped the emperor; like us today, people then and there found something/someone to worship. Everyone worships something, someone.

It’s really hard to turn away from our own idols, isn’t it? It’s even more difficult to tell people to turn away from their idols.

This is where Paul and Titus ministered. And now Titus alone has to minister here on the island.

Paul left Titus on the island for a reason. Verse 5 tells us why:

Titus 1:5 NIV

5 The reason I left you in Crete was that you might put in order what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you.

Appointing new leaders was Titus’ task here. The church(es) there on Crete needed leaders—elders who were different from the Cretan culture around them.

Do you remember what the Cretans were known for?

Titus 1:12 (NIV)

12 One of Crete’s own prophets has said it: “Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons.”

Paul tells Titus to look for men who are, in character and commitment, different from the Cretan culture. These leaders, these elders, need to be marked by integrity, self-control, and generosity—in their families and in their communities.

The men Titus would appoint/ordain would teach the Good News and replace the corrupt leaders currently in the church.

In Crete 2000 years ago, and here today in Rich Hill, there’s a need for elders/overseers [see diagram]. This isn’t just Paul’s opinion. It’s not just a pretty decent idea that Paul had, might as well give it a try.

As an apostle, Paul’s message and ministry and methodology is from above. The Lord intends for His Church to be served by elders/overseers/shepherds.

Acts 20, 1 Timothy 3, Titus 1, and 1 Peter 5 all detail what an elder is and what an elder is meant to do. Way back in Exodus, Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, suggested Moses appoint elders to handle some of the disputes among the wandering Israelites.

It’s not just good advice; it’s God’s Word that directs a few men to serve Him by leading the local church in the role of elder.

The elder and the overseer are the same person. What’s more, God intended each church to have a team of elders/overseers. It’s never supposed to be a one-man show; it’s a team.

The one man band (the guy with the drumset on his back, accordion in his hands, harmonica in his mouth and cymbals strapped to his knees) is not the best way to make music. The one-man pastorate is not the New Testament model of the local church.

It should be a team of men with different gifts, different specialties, different strengths working together for the good of the church.

The Reason for Elders

Paul states the reason for leaving Titus in Crete is to appoint elders who would “put in order” what was left unfinished.

“To put in order” can also be translated “to straighten out” like an orthodontist putting braces on crooked teeth; this is the work of the elder.

I’ve had this picture in my mind for the last few weeks when I think about this word.

It’s from a great movie entitled “Big Fish”. Of course, it’s completely fantastical, a giant pushing one end of a dilapidated house back to level.

But it’s not a bad picture of straightening out, correcting that which started to lean off-level and move off course.

Elders there in Crete were tasked with “putting in order” that which was left unfinished and straightening that which was crooked.

The reason is fairly pronounced on the island of Crete. There’s a lot going on that needs taking care of. The elders have a job ahead of them. The churches there needed to be put in order.

The reason for elders is the same today. Each local church has its share of issues, from both within and outside the body, that requires the attention of a group of god-fearing men. A church without a plurality of elders is likely setting themselves up for trouble.

The church that doesn’t have a plurality of elders is setting itself up for a fall. When the church is operated by worldly methods or on a business model or by some sort of committee, Roberts Rules of Order, it’s saying our preferred way of doing things makes more sense than God’s way of doing things.

Titus was to appoint elders in every town there was a church—a plurality of elders in each place; men who met the question of eligibility.

The Requirements of Elders

No one I know just waltzes in to the office of elder. Every single elder I’ve ever known takes the role willingly, but with much trepidation. With questions about their qualifications, with concerns about their ability to do what is required, every single man I’ve served alongside is initially hesitant because the requirements are high.

In verse 6 and again in verse 7, the call is for blamelessness.

Titus 1:6 (NIV)

6 An elder must be blameless

Titus 1:7 (NIV)

7 Since an overseer manages God’s household, he must be blameless—

That’s enough to stop any man in their tracks. I’ve heard every single elder here and in every church clarify for the masses: “I’m not perfect, that’s for sure.”

Of course, blameless can’t mean sinless or flawless or faultless. If blameless meant perfect, we’d all be disqualified.

The Greek word is very specific. It’s not the word for “unblemished” (amomos); that word is only used in eschatological texts—those passages in the Bible that refer to the end times and look forward to our final perfection when Jesus comes again and sets the world at rights.

This word in verses 6 & 7 doesn’t mean “unblemished”, but rather “unaccused”. It’s not perfection; it’s integrity and character.

Paul’s emphasis when he talks about church leadership is “identifying good disciples who will make good disciples”.

An elder is someone who has proved themselves as a disciple of Jesus and someone who wants to spend their time making more disciples.

It’s not about skill, it’s about character. It’s about heart. It’s about the inner life of the disciple.

Requirement #1: Blameless in the home

“Faithful to his wife” means what it says. A man who is faithful to his wife. If Paul wanted to say something about “divorce” he would have said it. He knew the word for divorce, and this is not it.

This does not exclude single men from leadership in the church, nor does it necessarily exclude a divorced man (that should be determined on a case-by-case basis).

Paul tells Titus to look for men who are committed to their wife, who care for their wife.

“A man whose children believe” is the next qualification. The word for children denotes small children. Most children in their early years believe what their parents believe. So the beliefs of a young child reflect their home life.

As kids grow up, they might start to question those beliefs, but in their early years, in the elder’s home, kids’ belief should echo the faith of their parents.

Young children won’t be perfect. And older kids may take their own path and reject the faith.

The key issue is that the elder is leading their home well. Why? Because an elder/overseer/pastor “manages God’s household” and a man who doesn’t take responsibility at home won’t bother with the responsibility of serving/leading in the church.

What goes on in the home of the elder is an important question to ask.

Requirement #2: Blameless in character

Elders are to be blameless in character. Paul lists 5 negative characteristics to avoid, and 6 positive characteristics which should be evident.

Titus 1:7–8 (NIV)

not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain.

8 Rather, he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined.

We often look for people with the best skills. Far more important than skill is character.

Great speakers, charismatic personalities, strategic thinkers are not qualities listed here. Rather, it’s character that matters.

As for the negatives—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain—they relate to ares of strong temptation: pride, temper, drink, power, and money.

The elder is not to be overbearing, that is stubborn and arrogant. A man who would lord his position over another is overbearing.

Elders are often obligated to minister to difficult and demanding people. If the temptation is to become irritable and impatient, quick-tempered isn’t going to help anyone.

Moderation, temperance where alcoholic drink is concerned is important. Paul doesn’t call for the elder to abstain from drink, but to drink moderately—not given to drunkenness. It’s a matter of self-control.

In 1 Timothy, Paul adds the counterpart gentle to Titus’ not violent. To be an elder is not to be forceful. It’s a different kind of leadership. Elders/pastors who have learned their leadership style from Jesus will never ride rough-shod over other people’s sensitivities.

The last warning is that elders should not pursue dishonest gain. The issue here is greed. It’s right for pastors/elders to be supported by those they teach, but it’s wrong to exploit the people. Elders should be motivated by service, not salary; by giving, not greed.

If you ever think, “Boy, he shouldn’t be an elder”, I’d encourage you to do two things: (1) examine your own heart, remove the plank from your own eye, and then (2) go and speak to that man you believe shouldn’t be an elder, sit down and have a conversation with him.

Because I promise you, they’ve wrestled with those same thoughts. We know we aren’t perfect. There’s always something for us to work on.

The Lord is working on me in a number of ways, my temper in specific. I’ve felt the conviction of the Holy Spirit in this area.

Of all the elders I’ve served with in my 20 years of ministry, I’ve known exactly one who believed he was the ideal elder. Good ol’ boy had a bit of a Messiah complex.

With that one exception, all the men who serve in this role are painfully self-aware of where they fall short, and have (through prayer and reflection) agreed to serve. Your elders love you, love the church, and love the Lord above themselves.

The positive requirements are largely self-explanatory.

Hospitable: literally lover of strangers (philoxenia). They love and welcome all people, church members, visitors, neighbors, strangers.

Loves what is good: As opposed to the man who loves alcohol and self-gain.

Self-Controlled: A fruit of the Spirit, sensible judgment, a disciplined lifestyle.

Upright: fair and honest in dealing with people.

Holy: they have an obligation to God, set apart for Him in their whole person.

Disciplined: Restraint of emotions and passions. It’s a little like self-control, but has more to do with the body and the appetite, as opposed to thought life. It’s significant that both self-control and discipline are mentioned.

A self-controlled, disciplined life based on the knowledge of God’s will is required of the elder/overseer/pastor.

These are some incredible requirements, both the “no-nos” and the “do these”.

A Christian leader’s example demonstrates to others that the gospel and its power are real.

As ministers of the gospel, we want to proclaim, in word and in deed that Jesus has, by His death and resurrection, saved us and justified us, made us right with God the Father through His sacrifice.

For the Cretans, men in the position of elder would need to show that the gospel had really, genuinely, deeply transformed their life and freed them from the bondage to sin the rest of the world experiences.

Paul doesn’t want elders (then or now) to portray themselves as perfect or free from all struggle; Paul doesn’t portray himself this way. But the godly example of the elder demonstrates that He who is in us is more powerful than He who is in the world (1 John 4:4).

The requirements of eldership could be summed up this way: “the patterns and practices of obvious worldliness should not dominate the life of those who are church leaders.”

In other words: the behavior of an elder should be markedly different from the behavior of those who don’t know Jesus.

There’s a “so that” in verse 9 that clarifies the reason for these requirements. It seems like a long, nearly-impossible list and we might start to wonder why all the dos and don’ts, what’s all of this for?

An elder isn’t supposed to be this or that or that, they need to do this and this and this…for what?

The requirements for elder lead to the task of the elder.

The Elders’ Task

The elder’s first task is to hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught.

The elder must keep the word, concern himself with the message, hold fast to what has been taught.

This is the key way in which elders manage God’s household, by holding fast to the trustworthy message. We are people of the Word and the elders of the church lead the way in this commitment. We preach and teach and lead via God’s Word.

This commitment to the message—the sufficient, dependable, trustworthy Word—is crucial.

Elders must hold firmly to it SO THAT they can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.

An elder has two tasks:

Encourage others by sound doctrine

Refute those who oppose it.

All these requirements are in place so that the elder can encourage sound teaching and refute the opposition.

Herein is the basic job description of the elder. Encourage and refute. Sounds fun, doesn’t it? Part of it is fun. A good portion of it is quite difficult.

Right now we, the elders of Rich Hill Christian Church, are in the process of refuting some who oppose sound teaching. It comes at a cost. Relationships may be strained or lost. Feelings might be hurt. A long-standing cooperation will likely come to an end.

Our task, in part, is to refute theological error. We will not stand for the truth to be ignored and for false teaching to take hold.

I’m so thankful to be part of a group of faithful, godly, imperfect group of elders. I’m not alone in ways other preachers are. We are on the same page. We support one another. Most importantly, we hold fast to the trustworthy message.

>Paul gives Titus these instructions so that he can appoint/ordain elders throughout the 150-mile long island of Crete. Paul wants to preach the gospel and plant churches and then to see those churches operate properly. It begins with elders, good disciples who will make good disciples.

RHCC is an elder-led church. We have no ecclesiastical organization above us. There’s no district or regional office checking up on us or dictating what we must do or how we must do it.

We are an elder-led church, meaning the elders of Rich Hill Christian Church endeavor to teach the Word and lead the people by the Word. We strive to tend the flock as under-shepherds of the Good Shepherd. A shepherd, at times, also has to fight off the wolves.

We encourage sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it, because we love the Lord God, and because we love you.

Our great joy is getting to preach and teach the Word, to share the Good News about Jesus who came to die for sinners, to make us right with our heavenly Father.

We want to lead you in doing the same. This is God’s plan for His people!