Titus Chapter 1 Verses 6 – 9

 Paul gives Titus roughly 15 things to look for, to be observant of, in

terms of appointing elders over the work of the ministry. Notice I

didn’t say appointing elders over the people of the ministry. It’s over

the work of the ministry…

 Jesus said in Matthew 20:25-28, “You know that the rulers of the

Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority

over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to

become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever

desires to be first among you, let him be your slave, just as the Son of

Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a

ransom for many.”

 For the true elder in the faith, this is the highest honor. Not to be

recognized as the authority or the gifted amongst all, worthy to be

respected and obeyed, but to take your place at the side of Jesus

Himself. To do as He did and to be as He is… Elders, pastors,

bishops, overseers, don’t be concerned with leading the church, be

concerned with leading the ministry. If you do that, God will lead the

church. It’s His anyway…

 That’s sort of the best part of it all practically. Because people are

tough. Sheep are obstinate. Dirty. Not too smart… Always getting

wrapped up in some mud. Startle easily, super reactive, on and on…

Just minister. Leave the lording to the Lord. The love is your aim, the

care is your aim, the protection is your aim, the feeding is your aim,

and the lording, all that’s His problem! Or make the lording your

problem, and don’t love them your choice…

 So, these qualifications. First, it starts with a man being blameless.

Not perfect. Totally different word. But nothing sticks. Why? Yes

there is a goodness and righteousness there, but mostly because he’s

repentant. Repentance is the Teflon armor against guilt, shame, regret

and demotion. Doesn’t feel that way. That’s not very intuitive. But if

you find someone who takes accountability for what they do that is

wrong, doesn’t hide it but faces it in humility, you have yourself a

champion. Because they will never stop progressing. They will never

stop maturing in wisdom and character.

 The blameless man is not the man that doesn’t make mistakes. It’s the

man that has the courage to deal with his mistakes in a Godly way

such that the blame can’t stick around. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess

our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us

from all unrighteousness.” Jesus said in Luke 7:47, and He was

talking about a woman known for her sin, after she came to Jesus in

humility, “Her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much.

But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”

 The blameless man deals with his own sin in courage, truth,

accountability and faith in the grace and gospel of God, and therefore

the blameless man is filled with love, because he has received it in

spades.

 If a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, so not a polygamist,

having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination.

If a man cannot manage his own home, how is it that he could manage

the house of the Lord? (I have made this mistake in the past)

 He must be a steward of God. Faithful. 1 Corinthians 4:2, “It is

required in stewards that one be found faithful.” Faithful in his

seeking and living unto the Lord, yes, but also faithful in taking what

the Lord provides and turning it into profit for the kingdom. Bringing

glory unto the Lord!

 Jesus gave a lesson one day in Matthew 25 on talents. And those that

took their talents given to them by the Lord and doubled them, to them

He gave high accolade saying in Matthew 25:23, “Well done, good

and faithful servant, you have been faithful…” But to the person that

just used what was given to him for his own purpose, Jesus says to

him in Matthew 25:26, “You wicked and lazy servant…, what was

given to you should be taken away.”

 So, the elder of the ministry, Titus, make sure they are not just using

their talent but multiplying it. How do you do that by the way? Totally

given to us in scripture. What did the young man do with the five

loaves and two fishes? He brought it to Jesus and put in His hands.

Then it exploded with profit! The elder in the ministry is to make

massive profit in terms of talents, finding how much more they can

personally be and do by loving and serving the Lord with all their

heart, soul, mind and strength.

 Not self-willed, but God willed…, God’s will more powerful and

present and pervasive and presented than his own will, not quick-

tempered…, I love that one. Doesn’t say not tempered! Doesn’t say

not severely tempered! Just says not quick! HA! Someone who is not

defaulting to anger when attacked…, but loves peace and pursues it.

Not given to wine, can’t be a drunkard, not violent, in the Greek, not a

striker…, you don’t beat the sheep, you lead them… Beating wolves,

maybe, HA!

 Not greedy for money but sees money as a means to a ministry, but

hospitable. Someone who is skilled at taking care of others because of

a deep seeded desire to do so…

 I had someone in my office the other day asking me about brand. He

asked me how could he be blunt and direct while still building a strong

brand of partnership, humility and collaboration? I answered, it’s all

about the source. Where is the blunt and direct communication

coming from? A place of frustration or a place of concern for mutual

success? (This is why it’s so important to deal with the HEART) If it’s

coming from the right heart-space, you can say almost anything and it

will come across well… It’s not what you say, it’s where its coming

from within you that matters.

 Just like this concept of hospitality. Anyone can do something for

someone else. But there are some people who take care of others

because they understand how God has so taken care of them, forgiven

them of their sin and embraced them wholistically! That’s the gift of

hospitality and what we MUST have in our spiritual leaders.

 Lovers of what is good, sober-minded, not carried away easily by the

moment, personal desires, winds of the day but grounded mentally

and mission-minded, just, holy and self-controlled.

 And then Paul sets the anchor for all of this. That the leadership in the

church, not this church only but THE church, leadership in the Body

of Christ, leadership in the Heaven Embassy on this earth must hold

fast to the Word of God.

 To the faithful church in the Book of Revelation, Jesus had this

commendation. That they, and this is Revelation Chapter 3:8, “You

have a little strength, you have kept My word, and have not denied My

name!”

Titus Chapter 1 Verses 10 – 11

 Now that we have the qualifications, here are some red flags.

Insubordination. Definition of this word is willful, intentional refusal

to obey a reasonable order from someone in authority. Red flag. Not

because they don’t have an opinion or their own thoughts or whatever.

But because it simply disrupts unity and sidelines the work of the

gospel.

 Being easy is a big part of fellowship and a bigger part of the work of

the ministry. Preaching the gospel, sparking flames and light in a

world filled with hearts that have none, that’s tough sledding! Every

part of ministry takes work! Think about an event like VBS!

 There’s enough difficulty and pushing already concerning the plow of

the ministry field. If someone adds friction, not good for ministry and

it’s as simple as that. Christians and especially leaders in the work of

Christ must be folks you rest upon. Not folks that take away from your

rest! We are sabbath dwellers and sabbath providers. Therefore, we

ought to be the presence of sabbath in the lives of others, especially

those in the work of the ministry. Are YOU!?

 Idle talkers and deceivers. Idle talking means wasting mental cycles

with empty, useless or unprofitable words. Ephesians 4:29 says, “Let

no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for

necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.” Don’t

put someone in leadership in the ministry that all they talk about is

secondary issues or doubtful doctrine. And certainly, if you find

someone to be untruthful, sheesh…

 And Paul calls out those especially of the circumcision not to single

out Jews but to shine a spotlight on legalists… Those that haven’t yet

grasped grace for themselves…

 Paul says their mouths must be stopped. Love that! If not, they can

pull whole families and households, which at that time were churches,

down… And he knows that in the end, those folks aren’t trying to set

anyone free but to bring them into their ego feeding club.

 We are to set in order the things that are lacking – and appoint elders

that do the same. And these are the clear qualifications and

disqualifications. God give us strength to walk in them!