The Book of Titus: A Sound Church

Article 3: God’s Leaders – Part 2

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We belong to God’s family – the household of God

There’s something really important I want to talk about here, something we can take away and apply in our lives. It’s a bit of theology – the trinitarian work of god. And here’s the point: Through the sonship of Jesus we become part of God’s family. We have God the Father and He has a Son. Just as Jesus calls God Father, we come and share in his sonship by calling God Father. And then there’s the Spirit. This subtle, quiet Spirit that Paul talks about confirms this truth to us. He speaks to our hearts and testifies that we’re really God’s children. So it’s through His Spirit that we can call God our Father, through the sonship of Jesus Christ.

Remember, Jesus once said, “My Father and your Father”. And in John 14, Jesus says, ” In My Father’s house are many mansions.”

Back to the idea: we all belong to the household of God. We’re a family connected by the same special bloodline—the bloodline of the Risen Lord Jesus Christ. So, we’re like one big family. We shouldn’t forget that.

And it matters for our relationships. I’ll talk more about our value “Redemptive relationships”, we are known by our love for one another. It’s because we’re like a family.

That’s why we care for each other, forgive each other, and support each other. We carry each other’s challenges and problems because, well, we’re all in this together. I think about this, especially during these times of Corona.

We face unique difficulties during these days, right? But here’s the thing: We are called to help each other. I can’t say exactly how well we’re doing, but we’re trying. If one person is having a hard time, we all feel it. And when someone is happy, it’s like we’re all happy. We’re all in this together.

A steward of God

Now, let’s focus on what’s emphasized here initially—the overseer, the Elder, is a steward. A steward is someone who takes care of something that isn’t his. In simple terms, these leaders that God places don’t own the church.  They might take ownership of their responsibilities, but the church belongs to one person. And of course the Sunday School answer is the right one! It’s Jesus! We belong to Christ, he is our head. It’s important to watch out for a misstep: when someone in a leadership position starts thinking, “This is mine.” But it’s not theirs! Those people, that responsibility, they don’t belong to them. They never will.

Sadly, it’s a trap some may fall into. They might begin to feel like the church is theirs, the people are theirs, and they start feeling entitled. But no, Paul’s message to Titus is clear: these men are stewards. Why? Because the church belongs to Jesus—only Jesus, always Jesus.

Hence, these men are to take their role seriously. They’re entrusted to faithfully guide the church for a while and then prepare others to continue the journey. This is how the kingdom works.

Paul stresses that they’re stewards above all else. Then he delves into their character, presenting these qualities in pairs, as he does in Timothy.

Not self-willed

Firstly, they must not be self-willed. We could describe this as being arrogant, overbearing, or stubborn. It might also mean they’re forceful, always demanding their way. But such a guy isn’t what you want. He’s a steward, not allowed to be self-willed. Such a kind of person would become unapproachable, always insisting on their own way—be it in meetings or within the broader church. They’re focused on their agenda alone. Paul tells us, that’s not healthy in a church. This kind of person won’t work well in a team.

Interestingly, this also describes the false teachers mentioned later in this book. Quite a surprise, isn’t it? Paul goes on to explain that this mindset is a recipe for disunity, disorder, dysfunction, and ultimately disaster. It’s not going to work.

It’s important that even when there’s a team leader, he works as part of the team. I’m grateful to be able to lead alongside a group of men who really work well as a team, and I’m right there with them.

Go to next page: God’s Leaders – Not quick-tempered