Titus - Week 2: Challenges & Solutions

Overview of our 5 week study:

Week 1 - (7/13) Introduction, purpose & setting of Titus.

Week 2 - (7/20) The challenges & solutions for Titus (and the church). 

Week 3 - (7/27) Specific instructions for Titus’ teaching

Week 4 - (8/3) Authority, controversy, and devotion.

Week 5 - (8/10) Conclusion: Titus in our time. 

Today’s topic: The challenges & solutions for Titus (and the church). 

Prayer & group Reading of Titus chapter 1

Challenges - 

What are some of the characteristics of the bad leaders on Crete? (Hint, look at the character qualities of elders 1:6-9 and think of the opposites of these qualities)

What are the consequences of the rebellious people’s meaningless talk and deception (Look at Titus 1:11)

What are the fixations or major controversies (drama) that the church in Crete were plagued by? (Hint, look at 1:14-16)

Solutions - 

What is an elder to hold onto (Look at Titus 1:9)? 

What does this “holding onto” accomplish (Look at Titus 1:9 in the second half of the verse)?

What is the hope and goal of Paul in writing to Titus (1:1)?

How was Titus instructed to implement these solutions (Look at 2:1)?

How do Paul’s solutions solve the challenges faced by Titus and the church in Crete? 

Self Study questions:

When was a time when you experienced or witnessed problems within the community of faith (church)? 

When was a time you experienced or witnessed resolution to problems within the community of faith (church)? 

What are character traits of poor leadership in our own culture and time (at large, your town, state, country, world)?

What description is given of the church in 1:7? 

What does a leader's home life reveal about a leader's character? 

What instructions from Paul to Titus could your church benefit from hearing? 

What encouragement or benefit is there to having Godly leaders as described in Titus 1:6-9? 

How would you explain what character traits Godly leaders should have to someone who wasn’t in Bible study? 

How has our reading and discussion of Titus informed, expanded, changed, or reinforced your perspective on church leadership?