Joel M Bradshaw

5The reason I left you in Crete was that you might put in order what was left unfinished and appoint  elders in every town, as I directed you. 6An elder must be blameless, faithful to his wife, a man whose children believe  and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. 7Since an overseer manages God’s household, he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. 8Rather, he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. 9He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.–Titus 1

In Context: These were the list of qualities and qualifications Titus to use to appoint church elders. These qualities covered categories: personal, marriage, parenting, society.

For Us: Most of you reading this are not a pastor or an elder. But absolutely these moral qualities should still describe you as a follower of Jesus. Are you in need of intentionality and discipline in any of these categories? How’s your personal? Your marriage? Your parenting? How are you generally seen by your peers and by the world around you? Are you different on your social media pages?–JMB