by Edwin Crozier<\/p>\n
When the church comes together, we know the meetings, assemblies, classes, and studies should be conducted with decency and order (see I Corinthians 14:40). When Paul wrote to Titus, he explained that the entire church should be kept in order. This order would be completed on Crete by appointing elders, also called overseers in this passage.<\/p>\nUnderstand what this means. A congregation is not completely in order without pastors. Granted, these churches on Crete existed without elders for a time. We are not learning it is unscriptural or sinful for a congregation to exist without elders. But we need to understand the church is not fully in order without elders. It is certainly unscriptural to keep elders from being appointed when mature, Christian men are available to serve the church in such a role.
\nPaul tells Titus the overseers are God’s stewards. Consider Jesus’s parable about the faithful and wise steward in Luke 12:42-48 to see the point. The overseers of the congregation are like the household manager whose job is to make sure the rest of the household gets their food at the proper time. They are servants given responsibility over other servants.\n
With such responsibility, the overseers must be men who are above reproach. That is, they should be men against whom no one can bring a successful charge which would bring reproach on the household of God or on God as the master of the house. No one should even be able to bring a charge of shame and reproach against the church through the family of the shepherd. He must be the husband of one wife with children who are not open to shameful and reproachful accusations.<\/p>\n
Consider the statements made about this man. He cannot be brought into reproach regarding his manner of life-he is not self-willed (NKJV) but is disciplined. He cannot be brought into reproach regarding his emotions-he is not quick-tempered but is holy (see the connection between these ideas in I Timothy 2:8). He cannot be brought into reproach regarding dissipation-he is not a drunkard but is upright or just (see how drunkenness and justice are contrasted in Proverbs 31:4-5). He is not brought into reproach regarding character-he is not violent but is self-controlled. He is not brought into reproach regarding his relationship with money-he is not greedy for gain but is a lover of good. Smack in the middle of all this, he rises above reproach by being focused on others with hospitality.<\/p>\n
Further, these men must be able to teach others how to be healthy Christians. And if others are insubordinate or deceivers, these men need to know how to rebuke them, silencing them when necessary.<\/p>\n
If we are not growing these kinds of men in the congregation, the congregation is out of order. If we are unable to appoint such men to be stewards and overseers in God’s household, the congregation is out of order. Let us work to have well-ordered congregations. Let us thank God and His Holy Spirit for such men who may shepherd and feed the congregation, protecting it from those who would lead the brothers and sisters astray.<\/p>\n
Let us thank God for our shepherds. Let us strive to grow to such maturity ourselves.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
by Edwin Crozier When the church comes together, we know the meetings, assemblies, classes, and studies should be conducted with decency and order (see I Corinthians 14:40). When Paul wrote to Titus, he explained that the entire church should be kept in order. This order would be completed on Crete by appointing elders, also called…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[27],"tags":[123,667],"class_list":["post-96830","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-elders","tag-organization-of-the-church"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":31874,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/do-you-support-conscientious-objection\/","url_meta":{"origin":96830,"position":0},"title":"Do you support conscientious objection?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 19, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Do you or your church support selective conscientious objection and conscientious objection? 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