Journey Through The Bible
     Old Testament Reading: Ecclesiastes 1:1-6
     New Testament Reading: Titus 1

To Titus, my true son in our common faith. Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior. 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 (Titus 1:4-5).

Paul and Titus ministered side-by-side until the apostle dispatched his young disciple for a difficult task in a difficult place. Knowing that Titus had nobody to bolster his faith when he felt low or to encourage him when he faced criticism. Paul wrote a short but significant letter to meet that need. Though they were separated by many miles, both men shared the same cause.

Crete is one of the largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea and the society there had a despicable reputation. Paul had briefly visited the island on his voyage to Rome (Acts 27:7–9, 12, 13, 21). He returned there for ministry and later left Titus to continue the work, just as he left Timothy at Ephesus, while he went on to Macedonia. He most likely wrote to Titus in response to a letter from Titus or a report from Crete.

Like Paul’s two letters to Timothy, the apostle gives personal encouragement and counsel to a young pastor who, though well-trained and faithful, faced continuing opposition from ungodly men within the churches where he ministered. Titus was to pass on that encouragement and counsel to the leaders he was to appoint in the Cretan churches.

While Timothy had a shepherd’s heart and a tendency toward timidity, Titus was the man to call upon when a church had a problem. The apostle Paul sent Titus to both Corinth and Crete to organize the chaos and establish leaders. Paul trusted him more than anyone else to solve problems and make peace among the people.

Paul sent Titus to set right what was left undone. Since Paul had definite ideas about what still needed to be done, we are given definite principles of a healthy church. Strong leadership is the first item. Titus is instructed to select elders and to do so carefully.

The greatest need facing the church in every age is good leadership. In Paul’s day, the young Christian church was especially in need of teaching on issues of leadership so that it could establish a firm foundation that would last through the ages. Paul wrote to Titus to instruct him to set up appropriate church governance so that the church could grow and spread the gospel.

God’s standards for all believers are high; His requirement for church leaders is to set that standard and model it. Such leaders are not qualified based on natural ability, intelligence, or education, but based on moral and spiritual character and the ability to teach with skills as the Spirit has equipped them.