5 Days to Better Love Your Local Church 预览

The book of Titus is one of the most common places we go to when we’re looking for the qualifications of a pastor/elder. But it’s also a really incredible resource to use when trying to understand what the church body should look like, specifically in the way they teach each other. In verses 2 - 8 of Chapter 2 we see Paul giving Titus clear instructions about how the people in the new house churches that had sprung up all over Crete were to conduct themselves.

Older men should be and teach younger men to be: Sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and steadfast.

Older women should be and teach younger women to be: Reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. Teaching what is good, training young women to love their husbands and children, self-controlled, pure, a good homemaker, kind, and submissive to their own husbands.

We see a clear call to older men and older women here. But before you categorize yourself as old or young, zoom out a bit and ask yourself, “Do you attend church with someone that you are older than?” The answer is more than likely “yes,” which means this call is for you, no matter your age. If you are a follower of Christ, you have experiences that can help a younger brother or sister.

Titus 2 exemplifies the exact reason humans struggling with the burdens of normal life, or in crisis over sin issues that feel too big to tackle alone, should be running to the church, not away from it. We each have the Holy Spirit, and collectively there is probably a lot of wisdom to be shared in a local community of believers. Those two things in and of themselves are the most incredible gifts we could ever share with one another.

So whether you need to be taught or you’re the one doing the teaching, to see the full benefit of being a part of a body of believers, you must be vulnerable enough to seek out the help that is available to you. You must also be fruitful enough that a person in need of help notices your fruit (those items listed above) and is drawn to your love for God so that they are open to your loving instruction.

Father, thank You for Your church. Thank You for the incredible gift that it is. Please help me to love it the way You do, even when it's hard to love. Place me in the exact place You want me to be and use me in that place however You see fit. I pray for the leadership in my church, that You would give them wisdom to lead us, energy to show up when they’re tired, and joy that overflows so that they can love the body of believers You’ve entrusted to them well. Amen.