We generally have a love-hate relationship with qualifications. We rightly desire that those who provide services, like doctors and airline pilots, be well-qualified. And yet, when faced with requirements that restrict something you want to do, your appreciation for the goodness of qualifications drastically wanes. In the current cultural context, where personal autonomy is seen as supremely important, any discussion of disqualifying qualifications is not well received.

The church's well-being, health, and effectiveness are greatly affected by and dependant on the leadership of the church. If the church fails to choose qualified men to serve as overseers, it will soon reap disastrous results

The Bible recognizes the sinfulness of man and man’s nature of rebellion. Recognizing the destructive nature of this rebellion, the Bible recognizes the need for rulers to establish and enforce the law. And the need for oversight for leaders because they, too, are sinful. 

In these final verses of the chapter, Paul gives testimony to Titus and the two brothers he is sending back to the Corinthian church. Here we find helpful teaching on the goodness of leadership and how to respond to those God has given such responsibility to.

Exercise has some benefits for the body, but it is temporary. However, when we develop lives of godliness through being nourished by the word and disciplining ourselves for God – these benefits are known for eternity.

Give your minds to the word of God. Feed on it. Consume it. Let it penetrate and saturate every part of your mind and heart. Add to this a life of discipline. Be disciplined for godliness – rejecting what does not honor God and pursuing what the Lord loves. And never lose sight of the goal. Do not live for today alone. Live for eternity. That you may attaint the hope of salvation and that you might be a witness to many more for their salvation.

Church leadership can be a complicated subject. Tradition and customs often have more weight on how we structure church leadership than the biblical witness. And there is always the human concern of who has more power than who.

The word elder is almost exclusively used in the New Testament in the plural form. The only references to a singular elder are greetings and instructions on how the church should respond to accusations against an elder. The point is simple: the church is to have a plurality of elders.

The office of elder is sometimes referred to as overseer or pastor. Every reference to elders recognizes the elders as the ones who have authority over and responsibility for the church.

I am confident that the more faithful we obey God’s word, the more the church will be effective and blessed. Thus, in this sermon, I hope to be as biblically faithful as possible, knowing that we do not perfectly reflect this teaching in our church and may find this uncomfortable. I do so that we might constantly examine our faithfulness to God’s word and continually move toward more faithful obedience.