Titus 1:5-6

Crete had many cities. Homer, the Greek poet, described the island as “Crete of the hundred cities.” The apostle Paul was clearly concerned that each community of Christian believers should have leadership, and he trusted his friend Titus to get on with the job of appointing elders. He describes these elders in many ways but, above all, it was their character that mattered. They needed to be blameless.

That doesn’t mean he was looking for absolute perfection, but he was keen that they should live exemplary lives which would set a high standard for the churches as they encountered continual challenges. A key part of this was the way in which the elder looked after his own family. How could someone possibly lead God’s household if he couldn’t take care of his own?

When we appoint leaders, it is easy to be unduly impressed by their qualifications. Academic degrees are great, but they cannot take the place of character. Someone with a string of degrees and good communication skills would not make a good Christian leader if they were arrogant, uncaring or ill-disciplined. Different church streams have a wide range of ways of making appointments but they all need our prayers and support as they try to find appropriate people.

Paul made it clear at the beginning of this, and all of his letters, that he was appointed by God. Being a Christian leader wasn’t his own bright idea but God’s, and he is clearly urging Titus to make appointments on the same basis. He needed to seek out those who God had already called, setting them aside for the awesome privilege of leading the Church. Nothing has changed. That is still our responsibility today.

QUESTION
What do you think are the most important character traits for a Christian leader?

PRAYER
Loving God, thank you for those who are responsible for selecting Christian leaders. Please fill them with your Holy Spirit and enable them to make decisions that will build your Church. Amen

Released on 8 Jul 2023