Weekly Devotionals

  • Towards Others, God, and Self

    “Just, holy, self-controlled…” (Titus 1:8) We have carefully considered Paul’s list of qualifications to look for in leaders among God’s people. Those who oversee the work of the church are not to be chosen according to charisma, talent, status, or other such qualities. We should look for character, the kind of men who can be described…

  • The Clear Thinker

    “Sober-minded…” (Titus 1:8) What qualifies someone for leadership among God’s people? Surely, there must be a sense of calling, and the heart and gifts to match the calling. But those things are not enough, even if one were to add ambition to them. When God speaks of what qualifies someone for leadership, He speaks of…

  • Loving Good

    “A lover of what is good…” (Titus 1:8) The apostle Paul gave Titus a list of character qualities to look for in potential church leaders. In all, he listed 18 aspects of character. Number 12 of the qualities to look for is what we find in verse 8, that a leader among God’s people must…

  • Open Homes, Open Lives

    “But hospitable…” (Titus 1:8) As Paul listed the character qualities Titus was to use to appoint leaders in among the many new churches on the island of Crete, we see here that he mentioned the practice of hospitality. This means that God regards this as one characteristic of a person qualified for leadership among the…

  • Not Greedy for Money

    For a bishop must be… not greedy for money. (Titus 1:7) Paul listed several qualities that Titus should look for as he appointed leaders in the many young churches on the island of Crete. Here at the end of verse 7, another quality is mentioned. A leader among God’s people must not be greedy for money….

  • Not Violent

    For a bishop must be… not violent. (Titus 1:7) As we read what the Apostle Paul wrote as a description of the character Titus should look for in leaders among God’s people, it’s good for us to ask: If I’m not a leader among the people of God, and don’t plan on being a leader, why…

  • Not Given to Wine

    For a bishop must be… not given to wine. (Titus 1:7) Paul told Titus to look for leaders for the many new churches on the island of Crete, and he told him to look for the best leaders possible. The measure of the men suited for leadership was not to be found in their talent,…

  • Bad and Bitter Temper

    For a bishop must be blameless… not quick tempered. (Titus 1:7) As Paul listed the list of qualifications for leaders among God’s people, one quality mentioned – coming as the third or fourth, depending on how one counts – is that the bishop, the overseer, the leader among God’s people must not be quick tempered. When…

  • God-Willed, Not Self-Willed

    For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed. (Titus 1:7) Paul gave Titus a list describing the character to look for in men who would be leaders among God’s people. The first item of the list was that a man should be blameless (Titus 1:6), and we previously looked at that…

  • First in the Home

    If a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination. (Titus 1:6) Paul left Titus on Crete to find, appoint, and train leaders for the churches in the many towns and villages across the island. Paul told Titus to look for men of character, and this verse…

  • A Blameless Reputation

    If a man is blameless… For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God. (Titus 1:6-7) The Apostle Paul wrote to Titus, telling him the character of the men he should appoint to leadership among Christians. We find a similar list in 1 Timothy 3, and both of these lists begin by saying…

  • Character Counts

    If a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination. For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy,…