First Baptist Church, Mount Pleasant, Michigan

Devotional: Titus 1:5-9

Today’s passage: Titus 1:5-9

Helpful thoughts:

  • Titus was given to serve churches in Crete, in part, through setting up leaders in every local church.  That leadership started with elders (pastors).
    • Notice, there were to be elders (plural) in every church.
    • The necessity we see through the New Testament was that a church first needed elders, then deacons came later when the need arose.
  • The use of the word “overseer” in verse 7 is not naming a separate office, but one of the functions/responsibilities of the elders.
  • A couple notes from verse 6:
    • “The husband of one wife” could be translate “the man of one woman” or a one-woman man.
      • This does indicate (Among other passages) that elders must be men.
      • This doesn’t necessarily forbid any man who has ever been divorced from being an elder.  More information would be needed (Such as the time, cause, response, attempts at reconciliation, to name a few).
    • The word “believers” could also be translated as “faithful.”  No man can guarantee his children are converted.  That is God’s work.  However, a faithful husband and father (Whether a pastor or not) should lead his family to know the Word of God, understand the gospel, and be involved in the church as long as they remain in the household.

Questions to consider:

  1. How many of these qualifications are good for all Christians to pursue?  How many for all Christian men, husbands, etc.?  What qualifications would be specific for the role of an elder?  What does this tell us about the ministry of an elder?  Is it only a teaching (Public speaking) position?
  2. If these churches were small and newly planted, what must we infer concerning the calling of at least 2 elders in every church?  Were they all scholars?  Were they all paid full-time salary?  Did they come from some seminary or other church far away?  How does 1 Timothy 5:17-18 add to our understanding here?
  3. How can this passage help you to pray for your pastor(s)/elder(s)?  How could the whole church’s pursuit of many of these areas of growth in character and conduct benefit the elders and everyone else?