Being challenged today as I wrap up my studies from Titus. I am starting to understand how the absence of an Overseers touch in the BOC has lead to the possible breakdown in families.
Paul charged Titus with the task of rebuking false teachers, as to restore them to sound doctrine.
(The restorative 💜 of God is so radical to me.)
So that they could instead teach people to be dignified and self controlled, sound in faith and love. To be respectful in behavior, not being slaves to alcohol but instead to love each other, to be respectful in our homes and to model good works to each other. And to receive God‘s grace, the power found in Christ that carries us from salvation to eternal life. The vulnerability we find in this leads to great connection and relationship between each other. In this place is where we can find gentle space to bring a corrective rebuke, and help bring people back in a loving way to the path they need to be on. What happens in the family dynamic when this doesn’t happen? When the church stands by and is too afraid to engage in the emotional needs of the sheep.
These teachers in Crete were detestable in the eyes of Paul. They were lazy gluttons, corrupt, unbelieving, evil beasts that taught religious myths & unnecessary OT laws to exploit believers and gain power and money. A little bit and switch.
After writing an essay and a sermon on Christian leadership I’m asked to now apply how this chunk of Paul’s teaching to my life. I’ve prayed about this quite a bit and done a lot of research. Some questions have come to the surface of my heart.
Is it possible that the problems that existed in Crete 2000 years ago are happening in the church today?
Yes, It seams as though the natural consequences of the Western world view allows for there to be a lack of accountability between leaders and the people that they deeply care for.
Is it possible that there are false teachers operating out of the wrong spirit in Kansas City?
Yes, and I think it’s possible & that The bigger issue in our day and time is the relational power being stripped from the gospel through empty teaching.
Our world is so globalized, we are influenced by teachers as much online as we are the ones down the street. So, having said that is it possible that there are false teachers operating out of the wrong spirit on our Facebook loop?
Yes! I think it’s important for us to look past the delicious sounding words that feel good to our ears and Peel back the layers of entertainment to see what exactly the value system is behind the force that drives their ministry. I find myself so purposed to find like-minded believers that up until recently I felt isolated. Incredibly grateful for the women in my life now that see me for who I am and I can count on in times of need. 😘 to my Tribe of 5.
Caylyn, Liz, Lynn,Nancy, and Me
It’s a sobering question to me because I have this internal worldview that says no matter what comes at me, I will be able to see through it because, I hear from God!
Or, I can eat the meat and spit out the bones. So the question is, is it possible for me to be deceived by one of these false teachers?
Yes, yikes frightening when I think about it. Even more so, am I influenced by the absence of action, or the neglect of action taken out of fear? Have some become inactive by way of empty teaching? Have some grown cold because of sickness and brokenness that weighs down the soul?
“You must continually bring healing to lepers and to those who are sick, and make it your habit to break off the demonic presence from people, and raise the dead back to life. Freely you have received the power of the kingdom, so freely release it to others.
Matthew 10:8”
I could barely stay in my seat as he proclaimed our authority in Christ, our kingdom responsibility and his passion to see this happen amongst those that walk through the doors of our church. This type of faith, wow moves people into action. Thank you leader ship at my church for taking risks big enough to believe that we can do the things that Jesus told us to do.
But, the bigger question is what do we do as leaders when we know that someone’s life, a leaders life doesn’t line up with the beautiful freedom found in the gospel?
God’s word tells us what to do! “rebuke sharply, and silence the many insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers because they were upsetting whole families by teaching things that they shouldn’t teach. “ The issues are a little different, but the outcome is destructive nonetheless. I think that one of the major problems that plagues the church today is the arm of those that know, and see people that need stopped in their ways, absent. The arm that gently redirects and stops the pattern is not there.
Titus wasn’t a superhuman elevated leader in the church. He was an uncircumcised outsider that gave his heart to abiding in this mysterious relationship with Jesus.
He was a friend of Paul that said yes to trip to an island in his region of the world. God placed him in a Jewish body of believers and said pick some leaders to oversee this body as to bring some order to it. Again, he was an uncircumcised non-Jewish believer! A couple hundred years prior these Jewish folks were not even supposed to associate with his kind. God used him to minister to people that believed falsely that you had to eat certain food and set yourself apart through circumcision in order to become a child of God.
Can you imagine how unqualified he felt at this task. Can you imagine how unqualified Paul felt at reaching the early church that was primarily all Jewish considering he had grown up in a Pharisees house and murdered countless Christians.
“But when the goodness and lovingkindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of work is done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by this grace we might become heirs up to the hope of eternal life. “ Titus 3
Like the church in Crete, I think it’s possible for you and I to be led astray and not see it right away.
Pacified by the eloquence of gifted teachers, almost into a state of frozen in activity.
But when we do come to realize....
Is it OK that we standby if the family of God, brothers and sisters in Christ are being hurt and nothing is done?
Is it OK to not get involved in your neighbors life if you sense a problem or can help meet a need?
We know that teaching is false when the name of God is used but the fruit isn’t there.
What fruit is missing from the lives of those in our churches?
The abiding in his word produces fruit. His word is alive, the Spirit of God teaches us through this Word and transforms us through times of prayer and service within his kingdom.
God, I ask that you would help my friends and I look for the fruit of those teachers that influence us.
Notice the fruit that isn’t there that could be destroying families in our midst. Help us to discern and test the spirits because you have given us this ability. Help us to silence the destructive voice of those leaders around us that might be operating out of a spirit that isn’t from you God. Help us to show good faith through sound teaching so that in everything we do we may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior around our necks with celebration!
Help us to recognize any false hoods in ourselves, and take action and seek help when we find them.
Clear our vision and reset our hearts towards connection and relevant influence between each other. Forgive us God for avoiding hard people and situations, because of our absence the dysfunction goes on. Your investment in us Father should produce dividends. I asked for this to begin in new ways in the lives of those in my city.
