Titus Lesson #20

Related Articles

Titus

September 21, 2015

Titus Lesson #21

January 23, 2010

Titus Lesson #22

January 23, 2010

RETURN TO SYLLABUS
TITUS 1:1-5
LESSON #20
INTRODUCTION
CHURCH ORGANIZATION: THE MISSION AND THE VISION OF THE CHURCH

MEMORY VERSE: 1CORINTHIANS 14:40

• THIS BOOK IS THE THIRD PART OF OUR SERIES “RUNNING THE CHURCH BY THE WORD OF GOD”. THE SERIES BEGAN WITH 1TIMOTHY, CONTINUED WITH 2TIMOTHY, AND ENDS WITH TITUS.

• HISTORICAL BACKGROUND:
• PAUL HAD LED TITUS TO A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST. HE CONSIDERED TITUS HIS SON IN THE FAITH. BY EXAMINING THE CHARACTER AND FAITH OF TIMOTHY AND TITUS THROUGH WHAT PAUL WRITES TO THESE TWO MEN, WE CAN COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT TITUS WAS THE STRONGER MAN SPIRITUALLY AND PHYSICALLY. TITUS WAS PROBABLY MORE MATURE THAN TIMOTHY.
• TITUS WAS A GENTILE WHILE TIMOTHY WAS A HALF JEW. PAUL HAD TIMOTHY CIRCUMCISED WHEN HE TOOK HIM TO JERUSALEM IN ACTS 16:1-3. HOWEVER, HE WOULD NOT HAVE TITUS CIRCUMCISED IN GAL 2:1-3.
• WHY THE DIFFERENCE?
• TIMOTHY WAS ABOUT TO GO INTO THE JEWISH SYNAGOGUE IN JERUSALEM. PAUL WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT TIMOTHY’S UNCIRCUMCISED STATUS WAS NOT A HINDRANCE TO THE GOSPEL AMONG THE JEWS.
• TITUS’ MINISTRY WAS TO THE GENTILES. CIRCUMCISION WAS OF NO CONSEQUENCE TO THE GENTILES.
• THE PRINCIPLE:
• READ 1COR 9:22
• SPIRITUAL BACKGROUND OF THE ISLAND OF CRETE:

• PAUL AND TITUS HAD BEEN TOGETHER IN MINISTRY ON THE ISLAND OF CRETE. PAUL LEFT TITUS THERE TO BE THE PASTOR OF THAT CHURCH. THE ISLAND OF CRETE WAS A VERY DIFFICULT AREA FOR CHRISTIANITY. IT WAS HEAVILY PAGAN. THERE WERE A LOT OF GREEK TRADITIONS AND PAGAN MYTHOLOGY. THEY BELIEVED IN THE GOD, MINOS, WHO WAS THE SOURCE OF THEIR LAWS.. HOWEVER, THERE WERE CHRISTIAN CHURCHES IN THE 3 MAIN CITIES ON THE ISLAND OF CRETE. THESE CHURCHES WERE ESTABLISHED BY PAUL AND TITUS TOGETHER.
• THE PEOPLE OF CRETE HAD A BAD REPUTATION IN THE ROMAN EMPIRE. THESE PEOPLE WERE CONSIDERED LIARS EVEN AMONG THE GREEK PEOPLES IN THE MEDITERRANEAN AREA, THERE WAS A SAYING THAT A PERSON WAS BAD IF HE SPOKE LIKE A PERSON FROM CRETE.
• WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT TITUS?

• WE KNOW HE WAS A GREEK GENTILE CONVERTED TO CHRIST BY PAUL. PAUL USED TITUS FOR MANY JOBS THAT REQUIRED RESPONSIBLE LEADERSHIP AND DISCRETION. TITUS WAS PAUL’S PERSONAL AMBASSADOR TO THE CHURCH IN CORINTH. HE WAS IN CHARGE OF COLLECTING MONEY FOR THE POOR IN JERUSALEM. LATER PAUL SENT HIM AS FAR AWAY AS DALMATIA (YUGOSLAVIA).
• WRITTEN BY:

• THE LITTLE BOOK OF TITUS WAS WRITTEN BY PAUL AS A LETTER TO TITUS ON THE ISLAND OF CRETE.
• DATE:

• THE DATE FOR THIS BOOK IS SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 65 AND 67 AD. IT WAS WRITTEN ABOUT THE SAME TIME AS THE BOOK OF 1TIMOTHY.
• THE THEME FOR THE BOOK:

• 1 AND 2 TIMOTHY EMPHASIZED SOUND DOCTRINE AS THE BASIS FOR THE IDEAL NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH. THE BOOK OF TITUS DOES TALK ABOUT SOUND DOCTRINE, BUT THE EMPHASIS OF THE BOOK OF TITUS IS: GOD’S DIVINE ORDER IN THE CHURCH.
• THE THEME FOR OUR STUDY:

• IN OUR STUDY OF 1 & 2 TIMOTHY AND TITUS, WE ARE USING THESE THREE PASTORAL LETTERS AS A GUIDE TO ESTABLISHING ORDER IN THE CHURCH. IN OTHER WORDS, HOW SHOULD WE OPERATE A NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH?
• IN THESE 3 LITTLE BOOKS, WE SEE EMERGING A 3 PART SCHEME FOR OPERATING A CHURCH. IT IS LIKE A 3-LEGGED STOOL. FOR A SUCCESSFUL CHURCH YOU NEED ALL THREE LEGS OPERATING WITH EQUAL EMPHASIS.
• WHAT ARE THE THREE LEGS?
• SOUND DOCTRINE (1TIMOTHY, 2TIMOTHY, TITUS)
• AN ORDERLY ORGANIZATION (1TIMOTHY, TITUS)
• A HOLY LIFE THAT LEADS TO GOOD WORKS (TITUS)
• OUTLINE:
• I. THE CHURCH IS AN ORGANIZATION (CHAPTER 1)
• A. INTRODUCTION (1:1-4)
• B. AN ORDERLY CHURCH WITH ELDERS (1:5–9)
• C. THE BAD REPUTATION OF THE CRETANS (1:10-16)
• II. THE CHURCH MUST TEACH AND PREACH THE WORD OF GOD (CHAPTER 2)
• A. TEACH SOUND DOCTRINE (2:1-10)
• B. PREACH THE GRACE OF GOD (2:11-15)
• III. THE CHURCH MUST DO GOOD WORKS (CHAPTER 3)
• A. GOOD WORKS ARE THE EVIDENCE OF SALVATION (3:1-7)
• B. GOOD WORKS ARE PROFITABLE FOR THE PRESENT AND FUTURE (3:8-15)

TITUS 1:1-5

CHURCH ORGANIZATION: THE MISSION AND THE VISION OF THE CHURCH

• READ TITUS 1:1-5 INTRODUCTION TO ORDER
• THE AUTHORITY OF THE APOSTLE, PAUL (1)
• PAUL BEGINS THIS LETTER IN THE SAME WAY HE DID WITH HIS LETTERS TO TIMOTHY. HIS INSTRUCTIONS ARE FROM GOD AND BEAR THE AUTHORITY PAUL HAS AS AN APOSTLE.
• “…ACCORDING TO THE FAITH OF GOD’S ELECT…” (1)
• HIS INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE CHURCH ARE BASED ON GOD’S STANDARD OF FAITH.
• REMEMBER THAT THE DEFINITION OF SOUND DOCTRINE IS DOCTRINE ESTABLISHED BY GOD AND TAUGHT BY THE APOSTLES.
• “…THE ACKNOWLEDGING OF THE TRUTH WHICH IS AFTER GODLINESS.” (1)
• THE TRUTH OF GOD SHOULD LEAD TO GODLINESS (HOLINESS OR A PURE LIFE).
• IF YOUR FAITH DOES NOT LEAD TO GODLINESS, THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH WHAT YOU BELIEVE, BECAUSE YOUR FAITH IS NOT BASED ON THE TRUTH OF GOD TAUGHT BY THE APOSTLES.
• GOD IS A GOD OF ORDER: (3)
• “…IN DUE TIMES…”
• ACCORDING TO GOD’S PERFECT TIMING, HE SENT HIS SON JESUS CHRIST TO THIS EARTH TO BE OUR LORD AND SAVIOR.
• ACCORDING TO GOD’S PERFECT TIMING, HE SENT HIS WORD TO BE PREACHED BY PAUL AND THE APOSTLES SO THAT PEOPLE WOULD BE SAVED.
• ALL OF CREATION WAS ESTABLISHED AND NOW OPERATES ACCORDING TO GOD’S PERFECT ORDER.
• GOD IS NOT A GOD OF RANDOM CHAOS. HE WORKS IN VERY PRECISE, PRESCRIBED ORDER.
• “…THOU SHOULDEST SET IN ORDER THE THINGS THAT ARE WANTING…”(5)
• THIS VERSE IS OUR KEY VERSE FOR THIS BOOK. GOD IS A GOD OF ORDER AND SO WE SHOULD BE ORDERLY.
• “SET IN ORDER” = A MEDICAL TERM LIKE SETTING A BROKEN LEG.
• “…ORDAIN ELDERS IN EVERY CITY.” (5)
• THESE CHURCHES IN CRETE WERE NOT ORGANIZED. THEY HAD PEOPLE IN LEADERSHIP WHO WERE ACTING LIKE LEADERS AND ELDERS BUT WHO HAD NOT BEEN “ORDAINED”.
• HOW DO YOU ORDAIN AN ELDER?
• FROM OUR STUDY OF 1 & 2 TIMOTHY, ELDERS SHOULD BE CHOSEN ACCORDING TO BIBLICAL REQUIREMENTS. AFTER THEY ARE CHOSEN, THEY ARE TO STAND BEFORE THE CONGREGATION. WE SAW IN 2 TIMOTHY THAT THE CONGREGATION NEEDS TO KNOW WHO ARE THEIR LEADERS. THE PASTOR IS TO LAY HANDS ON THEM AND PRAY FOR THEM. THIS IS THE CEREMONY OF ORDINATION.
• PERHAPS YOU ARE THINKING THAT THIS IS JUST A FORMAL CEREMONY. WHAT VALUE IS THAT? FORMAL ORDINATION DOES 2 THINGS:
• IT IMPRESSES UPON THE PERSON AND THE CONGREGATION THAT THIS PERSON IS ACCOUNTABLE TO GOD AND TO THE PEOPLE FOR THE JOB HE DOES.
• IT CONVEYS PUBLICALLY AN AUTHORITY ESTABLISHED BY GOD AND THE PASTOR. THIS PERSON NOW HAS THE AUTHORITY TO PERFORM HIS JOB.

• PRINCIPLE #50
  A CHURCH SHOULD PERFORM A PUBLIC ORDINATION CEREMONY OF ELDERS

• PRACTICAL APPLICATION:
• PAUL SAYS, “SET IN ORDER THE THINGS THAT ARE WANTING…” (5)

• PRINCIPLE #51
  A CHURCH SHOULD BE ORGANIZED AROUND THE “MISSION” STATEMENT OF MAR 16:15-16.

• EVERY TRUE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST HAS AN ESTABLISHED “MISSION” GIVEN TO US BY GOD.
• READ MARK 16:15-16
• PREACHING THE GOSPEL
• BRINGING PEOPLE TO FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST
• BAPTIZING THEM AND MAKING THEM DISCIPLES OF JESUS CHRIST.
• EQUIPPING CHRISTIANS TO SERVE CHRIST AND MAKE NEW CONVERTS.
• THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS MISSION:
• THIS IS THE STATEMENT OF THE PURPOSE OF WHY THE CHURCH EXISTS.
• A CHURCH SHOULD NEVER BECOME “IN-GROWN” SO THAT IT FAILS TO REACH OUT TO THE UNSAVED.
• THIS MISSION FOR THE CHURCH WILL NEVER BE COMPLETED UNTIL CHRIST COMES BACK AT THE RAPTURE.

• PRINCIPLE #52
  A CHURCH SHOULD HAVE A SPECIFIC “VISION” THAT SUPPORTS THE “MISSION” STATEMENT

• EVERY CHRISTIAN CHURCH SHOULD HAVE A CHURCH “VISION”:
• WHAT IS “A VISION”?
• A CHURCH VISION IS A PLAN OF HOW WE ARE GOING TO ACHIEVE THE MISSION. IT WILL VARY FROM ONE CHURCH TO ANOTHER. IT IS A MENTAL PICTURE OF A PREFERABLE FUTURE COMMUNICATED BY GOD AND ACHIEVED BY FAITH AND HARD WORK.
• READ ACTS 1:8
• THIS VISION TAKES IN THE UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE PARTICULAR CHURCH, THE ABILITIES OF THE PEOPLE INVOLVED, AND THE LOCAL CIRCUMSTANCES.
• SOME TRUTHS ABOUT “A VISION”:
• MANY CHURCHES DON’T HAVE ONE AND THEREFORE THEY FAIL TO MAKE PROGRESS IN THEIR MINISTRY FROM ONE YEAR TO THE NEXT.
• A VISION SHOULD BE REALISTIC.
• IT SHOULD NOT BE BEYOND THE ABILITIES OF A CHURCH TO PERFORM IT.

• IT SHOULD NOT BE SO LOW THAT THE CHURCH IS NOT CHALLENGED TO GREATER HEIGHTS OF MINISTRY.

• A CHURCH SHOULD ESTABLISH “BASIC VALUES” BEFORE IT ESTABLISHES A VISION.
• EVERY CHRISTIAN CHURCH SHOULD HAVE A BASE OF 5 BASIC VALUES UNDER WHICH ALL MINISTRIES ARE ORGANIZED.
• WHAT ARE BASIC VALUES?
• THESE ARE ACTIVITIES OF MINISTRY THAT ARE REPETITIVE, ON-GOING, AND ARE CONSIDERED VERY IMPORTANT TO THE LOCAL CHURCH.
• A CHURCH FULFILLS 5 BASIC AREAS OF MINISTRY ON WHICH THE CHURCH PLACES VALUE.
• 1. THE VALUE OF ENCOURAGING:

FOR EXAMPLE: SOME CHURCHES HAVE AN ON-GOING MINISTRY OF VISITATION TO THE SICK, OR SOCIAL FELLOWSHIP GATHERINGS.

• 2. THE VALUE OF EXTENDING

FOR EXAMPLE: SOME CHURCHES HAVE AN ON-GOING SUPPORT OF MISSIONARIES, OR PLANNED COMMUNITY EVANGELISTIC MEETINGS.

• 3. THE VALUE OF EQUIPPING

FOR EXAMPLE: BIBLE STUDIES AND TEACHER TRAINING SEMINARS.

• 4. THE VALUE OF ENLIGHTENING

FOR EXAMPLE: PREACHING THE WORD AND SUNDAY SCHOOL.

• 5. THE VALUE OF EXALTING

FOR EXAMPLE: THE WORSHIP SERVICE, MUSIC MINISTRY, ETC.

• SOME TRUTHS ABOUT BASIC VALUES:
• AS YOU DIVIDE ALL THE CHURCH MINISTRIES INTO THESE 5 AREAS, YOU WILL NOTICE:
• MINISTRIES THAT NO LONGER FILL A NEED AND CAN BE ABOLISHED.
• BASIC AREAS OF MINISTRY THAT ARE NEGLECTED AND NEED MORE SUPPORT.
• A WELL-BALANCED CHURCH WILL HAVE MINISTRIES BALANCED IN ALL 5 AREAS ORGANIZED ACCORDING TO PRIORITY.
• ESTABLISHING “A VISION” AND “BASIC VALUES”:
• BEFORE A CHURCH CAN ESTABLISH A “VISION”, THEY MUST FIRST ESTABLISH PRIORITIES FOR THE 5 “BASIC VALUES”.
• IN ORDER TO REALISTICALLY EVALUATE CHURCH MINISTRIES AND ACTIVITIES, CHURCH LEADERS NEED TO ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:
• WHAT MAKES OUR CHURCH UNIQUELY DIFFERENT FROM ANY OTHER CHURCH IN OUR CITY?
• WHAT UNIQUE GIFTS, TALENTS, AND ABILITIES DO WE HAVE IN THE CHURCH? (PEOPLE)
• WHAT PHYSICAL RESOURCES DO WE HAVE? (BUILDINGS AND EQUIPMENT)
• WHAT LEVEL OF PRIORITY DOES EACH OF THE 5 AREAS HAVE?

• PRINCIPLE #53
  EVERY CHURCH MINISTRY SHOULD ESTABLISH ITS OWN “VISION” TO CORRESPOND TO THE OVERALL CHURCH “VISION”

• EVERY AREA OF MINISTRY NEEDS 3 THINGS:
• 1. A VISION FOR THAT MINISTRY THAT COINCIDES AND ENHANCES THE OVERALL VISION OF THE CHURCH.
• 2. AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW YOUR MINISTRY FITS IN WITH THE BASIC VALUES OF THE CHURCH IN REGARD TO PRIORITIES.
• ASK YOURSELF THESE QUESTIONS:
• WHAT IS THE PURPOSE FOR MY MINISTRY?
• UNDER WHICH “BASIC VALUE” DOES MY MINISTRY FIT?
• WHAT PRIORITY DOES THE CHURCH PLACE ON THAT “BASIC VALUE” UNDER WHICH I WORK?
• 3. A LIST OF “STRATEGIES” THAT YOU CAN MEASURE FOR ACHIEVING THE VISION FOR YOUR MINISTRY.
• YOU SHOULD ASK YOURSELF THESE QUESTIONS:
• WHAT RESOURCES DO I HAVE AT MY DISPOSAL TO USE FOR MY MINISTRY? (PEOPLE, BUILDINGS, AND EQUIPMENT)
• WHAT ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS NEED PLANNING FOR THE NEXT 6 MONTHS? FOR THE NEXT YEAR?
• SHORT TERM GOALS (6 MONTHS TO 1 YR.)
• LONG TERM GOALS (OVER 1 YR)

HOMEWORK

TITUS 1:6-16

THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.

• APPLICATION OF TITUS 1:1-5
• IF YOU ARE CHURCH LEADER, DEFINE IN MORE DETAIL YOUR MINISTRY “VISION” AND WHERE IT FITS INTO THE “BASIC VALUES” OF THE CHURCH.
• IF YOU ARE A CHURCH LEADER, DEFINE YOUR “STRATEGIES” FOR THE NEXT 6 MONTHS….THEN THE NEXT YEAR.
• AS A CHRISTIAN, HOW ORGANIZED IS YOUR LIFE?
• WHICH AREAS OF YOUR LIFE NEED BETTER ORGANIZATION?
• HOW WILL YOU ACCOMPLISH THAT?
• PREPARATION FOR TITUS 1:6-16
• READ TITUS 1:6-16
• MAKE A LIST OF THE NEGATIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PEOPLE OF CRETE.
• WHO ARE THE CIRCUMCISION? (1:10)

MEMORY VERSE: JAMES 3:8