The Leadership of the Church - The Messenger is the Message - Titus 1:1-16
THE LEADERSHIP OF THE CHURCH
“The Messenger is the Message” (Titus 1:1-16)
Introduction: Mount Vesuvius, Pompey, and Herculaneum
Salutation and Greeting (1:1-4)
EXPOSITION
For this reason I left you in Crete,
that you would set in order what remains
and appoint elders in every city as I directed you (1:5 ) NASB
Pastoral: Appointing Elders in the Church (1:5-16)
• Charge: Set things in order (1:5).
• Character: Qualifications for Elders (1:6-9).
• Need: False Teachers must be rebuked (1:10-16).
- Influence: They Lead Whole Families Astray (1:11).
- Character: They Reject the Truth (1:12-14a).
- Errors: Their Deeds do not Match their Doctrine (1:4b-16).
APPLICATION
They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him.
They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for doing anything good. (1:16 ) NIV
Relevance: Practical Points in Reverse Order (1:5-16)
• Problem: Rebellious people in the world and in the church (1:11-16).
• Solution: Rebellious people must be taught the gospel truth (1:6-9).
• Method: The Message is often in the Messenger (1:5-9).
God designed the church to be led by qualified spiritual leaders
who are able to refute false teaching with sound doctrine
and limit its impact in the lives of the community.
Home Church Questions
Paul sets a very high standard for Church Leadership (1:5-9).
• Why is an elder’s character tied so closely to his teaching (vv. 6–9)?
• How might this principle apply to every believer who represents Christ in daily life?
Paul warns that false teachers were “upsetting whole families” (v. 11).
• What examples can you think of where unhealthy teaching has divided your family or churches where you have been involved?
• How should we respond in both truth and love?
Paul emphasizes that often the “messenger is the message” (vv. 5–9).
• When were you inEluenced more by someone’s life than by their words? • Tell a story about someone who had impact on your spiritual journey.
False teachers “profess to know God, but deny Him by their works”.
• What are some subtle ways this danger might creep into our own lives?
• How can we help one another stay authentic and live our lives as a “winsome witness before a watching world.”
Pray for the Unreached: The Wolof of Senegal
They are the largest people group in Senegal, known for their rich culture, Islamic heritage, and historic resistance to French colonial rule. Many now live in cities and work in education or trade. Most still farm peanuts as a key cash crop. Despite access to Christian resources, few follow Christ. Pray for culturally sensitive believers to share the gospel and for Wolof hearts to be open to Jesus.