1. Verse 1 tells us to “promote” the kind of living that reflects right teaching: Easy enough!
Why then do churches and pastors rely on guilt, manipulation, and force to bring about the kind of living that reflects right teaching? Does it make sense to believe that if you present God’s message in the way He intended it to be presented and lead people in the way that he set as an example, people’s lives will be changed through the power of His Word getting inside of them and changing them? It’s Christ who changes the hearts of man, not man who changes man.
2. As the older women are being instructed to set the appropriate example for the younger women, verse 3 says “They must not go around speaking evil of others…” – Isn’t this good instruction for all of us? Why is it that these churches and their leader who many would classify as being “dead” or “ineffective” in their ministry approach, go around and criticize and speak evil of the men and women who God is using to make His name famous? I just don’t get it! I thought it would always be the world that criticized us, the Followers of Christ, not those who are supposed to be Believers, oh wait! That’s right, it was the Pharisees that gave Jesus such a hard time! Got it!
3. This kind of goes along with #2. I know a lot of people criticize churches like Saddleback, North Point, Mosaic, New Spring, and Willow Creek for their creative approach to presenting the Good News to those who are disconnected from a relationship with Christ. They have problems with the “performance” they put on in their services. The fact is, what they are doing is very attractive! But this is what Titus says in verse 10, “Then they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive in every way” – This comes after the instructions to the older men and women to teach the younger to live lives that would be pleasing and honorable to their God.
Why is it that these great churches can pull of what they pull off for Christ? Its because their pastors, their leaders, and their core volunteers are living their life recklessly for Christ outside of their leadership role! These people are passionate about Jesus, they are passionate about people and seeing their lives changed, that’s why when they do church…its attractive! Its not just something they do on Sunday, but it is what they are doing outside of Sunday. [Read Titus 2]
Nick