Leadership Hub Nov 2021

Paul is writing to Titus to encourage him to keep up the task of building church leadership. He doesn't lay down strategies and plans, but a few more important things.

Leaders are shaped by the gospel

The first things that leaders need to uphold are godliness and truth.

Paul mentions the phrase "above reproach" twice. This doesn't mean to strive for perfection; It means to have a life that reflects the gospel. The gospel produces the fundamental godliness in a life.

It matters how we are in our homes and our life outside of our ministry. There should be an absence of sinful acts, and a presence of self-control and holiness. Our character is important when we lead.

Finally, we must be sound in our doctrine. We must lead with a knowledge of God's Word and only teach what is true. The gospel must direct our lives.

Leaders are to be those who are discipled by the gospel. The areas of home, character, and doctrine are our checklist items we must keep going over in our lives to make sure we are the kind of leaders that Paul, and God, want us to be.

Leaders make disciples shaped by the gospel

Self Control Fear can take control of our lives. How do we use the gospel to address fear that is controlling? Go to the gospels - where does Jesus talk about fear? Jesus instructed His disciples to fear God who will judge us after our body's death, but He has a fatherly care for us. The place we see that the most in the cross. Our fears can take the place of God, and so we must repent of that and focus on God instead - the fears become like a crumb. We cry out to God when we need to apply the gospel. He will lead us.

• Identify the need (the sin beneath the sin).
• How does Christ meet the need in the gospel?
• What is means to repent - to turn and trust.

2 Corinthians 8:9 - a greedy church

• The need: They felt that they needed their possessions more than they needed Jesus.
• The riches we have through Jesus are far more than any riches we have in the world.
• Start being generous and collecting for the poor.

The key to discipling is not in some special knowledge we can learn, it comes from what we know already - Jesus! And we can rely on His help in that.

How do we lead in a way that facilitates discipling like this?

Making disciples

One thing we can do is to share stories of God working in our lives. Sharing the stories of how God is using ordinary lives to save people.