Paul lays out the kind of leadership he desires for organic Christian communities. In the end, they are "what you see is what you get" believers who are solid, ground, and of good character. "How many more like you do you want?"

2. “… TO TITUS MY TRUE SON…”
The relationship between Paul and Titus = Paul fully
trusts Titus to represent his spiritual direction and
authority as a “son in the common faith”
• Put in order what was left unfinished
• Appoint elders in every town
“How many more like you do you want?”
– John Wimber

3. AS GOES THE ELDERSHIP, SO GOES THE
COMMUNITY
Believers met together from house-to-house. These were not
“mega-churches” with large crowds and complex infrastructure.
These were Christian organic communities who represented
God’s message and work on a local level
Organic churches are not led by hired hands who are ministry
professionals but by elders who are qualified by their character,
soundness, and Christian example – “God’s Household” (v. 7)
A healthy Christian community (like a healthy body) is fruitful and
productive AND also able to resist disease. Paul wants a good
spiritual immune system to repel false teachers

4. ELDERS MUST BE… GROUNDED AND SOLID
Blameless – have a “clean nose” not subject to accusation
Faithful to their wife (if married) – a “one woman man”
His children believe – not wild and disobedient
Not overbearing – “self-willed”, “self-pleasing”
Not quick-tempered
Not given to drunkenness (addictions)
Not violent – “pugnacious”, “ready to rumble”
Not in pursuit of dishonest gain – “eager for base gain”, profit-driven
Hospitable – generous to guests (philoxenos – people-loving)
In love with the good – a promoter of virtue

5. ELDERS MUST BE… GROUNDED AND SOLID
Self-controlled -
Upright –
Holy – “devout”
Disciplined – Sound, grounded, in order
Doctrinally sound and able to defend fundamentals of the
faith
What is Paul’s vision for a healthy, vibrant, Christian
community?

6. THE THREAT COMING FROM
Those with an agenda of exploiting
believers for the sake of dishonest gain
and self—promotion
They claim to know God, but by their
actions they deny him. They are
detestable, disobedient and unfit for
doing anything good. (v. 16)

7. PAUL’S VISION, TITUS’S TASK
Durable, solid, fruitful, well-led,
respectable Christian communities
able to penetrate local culture and
life with a “show and tell” Christian
faith.
“What you see is what you get”
believers.