Titus Small Group Guide

THE GOSPEL-CENTERED CHURCH The Book of Titus

Table of Contents

2. Introduction 4. Overview: Titus 6. Overview: Bible Project Poster 7. Primer: A Lay Elder Job Description 10. Primer: Discipling in the Church 13. Introduction to Titus Sermon Outline 15. Small Group Guide Week 4 17. Small Group Guide Week 5 19. Small Group Guide Week 6

1 USING THE SMALL GROUP GUIDE Introduction

To kick off 2021, Faith Fellowship Church will study the book of Titus together as a part of our continued focus on being a healthy church. Beginning January 3, Pastor David will begin preaching through the book, while our small groups will further investigate its message and meaning by utilizing our small group rhythms.

Using the Small Group Guide

The Small Group Guides for each week are divided into four sections: interact with the passage, open it up, discussion questions, and next steps for the week. These sections are designed to help us engage each section of Titus in personal study and small group discussion.

Before your small group meets, interact with the Scripture for the week according to the H.E.A.R. method of Bible study:

• Highlight: Read and observe everything in the passage.

• Explain: Based on your reading, discover what the passage means in its context.

• Apply: Understand how the meaning of the passage affects your life.

• Respond in Prayer: Pray God’s word back to him, asking to believe, share, and put the Bible into practice in your life and relationships.

Feel free to interact with the Scripture at any time throughout the week. Some may ﬁnd it helpful to work through the Scripture in sections—such as two or three blocks of 15 to 20 minutes each, while others may want to study the whole passage in one, hour-long sitting.

Whichever approach you choose to take, be sure to interact with the Scripture and think through the discussion questions before your small group meets. In small groups, we’ll discuss what we learned from the Scripture the previous week as well as our answers to the discussion questions together.

To maximize our study of God’s Word and the impact it can have on our lives, we encourage everyone to think through all the discussion questions in the Small Group Guide, but small group leaders may choose to focus on some questions more than others. In addition to the weekly sections, we also encourage you and your small group to take full advantage of the following resources on Titus.

D-Group Guides

Discipleship Group (D-group) is a time to apply the gospel to our hearts and grow deeper in the gospel through community. The overall goal of D-group is to foster discipleship relationships that help

2 each person grow to become more like Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit and to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). D-Group occurs on the fourth week of the month.

Additional Resources

As we study these books, our discipleship team has provided a list of recommended Titus resources to equip you to go deeper into these rich portion of Scripture. These are available on our website at faithfellowshipfortbend.com/titus.

Book Overview

On the following pages is an overview of the books of Titus that provide basic background information for the book such as the author, setting, key themes as well as an outline. These were taken from the ESV Study Bible and the Bible Project and are key to understanding and interpreting the books.

Primers

You will also ﬁnd articles that will help you better understand the theological and practical themes of the book of Titus. We encourage you to take time to walk through these resources to prepare for the series. We will also have other handouts and resources as the study progresses.

Spotify Playlist

Songs are like sermons that you don’t forget. We have curated a playlist called “Songs for Titus” that reflect the themes of the book. These are also the songs that we will be singing during the worship service for this series. We encourage you to listen to these songs for your own edification and better corporate worship. You can find the playlist posted to Spotify (@faith fellowship church) or on our website at faithfellowshipfortbend.com/titus

Meeting with God Class

If you have spent anytime at church, you might have heard about how you should have a “quiet time with God.” Is this important and if so, how should we go about meeting with God? Even if this is a regular practice for you, could you teach a younger Christian how to have a regular meeting time with God? The purpose of this core class is to give you a Biblical understanding of why we should meet with God on a daily basis and to equip you with practical tools that we hope will help you do just that. For more information on the class, go to faithfellowshipfortbend.com/titus

3 OVERVIEW

The Book of Titus

Author, Date, and Recipient

The apostle Paul wrote this letter to his coworker Titus. The letter was probably written in the mid-60s A.D. between Paul’s ﬁrst imprisonment (Acts 28) and his second imprisonment, which is not mentioned in Acts.

Theme

The letter’s theme is the unbreakable link between faith and practice, belief and behavior. This truth is the basis for Paul’s criticism of false teaching, his instruction in Christian living, and standards he sets for church leaders.

Purpose

Paul had recently completed a journey to Crete. He had left Titus there to teach the new church (see Acts 14:21–23).

False teachers were already a problem in the church (Titus 1:10–16), and the letter focuses primarily on that issue. The description of elders (1:5–9) and of proper Christian living (2:1–10; 3:1–3) appear to be worded for intentional contrast with these false teachers. The content of the false teaching is not fully explained (as in 1 Timothy). There appears to be a signiﬁcant Jewish element to the teaching. The opponents come from “the circumcision party” (Titus 1:10). They are interested in “Jewish myths” (1:14) and perhaps ritual purity (1:15). Paul’s primary concern, however, is with the practical effect of the false teaching. They taught ritual purity, but they lived in a way that proved they did not know God (1:16).

This false teaching would have been welcome in Crete, which was known in the ancient world for immorality. But Paul expected the gospel to produce real godliness in everyday life, even in Crete.

In dealing with the false teaching, Paul also provides Titus with a portrait of a healthy church. He describes proper leadership (1:5–9), proper handling of error (1:10–16; 3:9–11), proper Christian living (especially important for new believers in an immoral setting; 2:1–10; 3:1–2), and the gospel as the source of godliness (2:11–14; 3:3–7).

4 Key Themes

• Gospel Shaped Leaders: It is vitally important to have godly men serving as elders/pastors (1:5–9).

• Resistance of Gospel Deniers: It is important to deal clearly and ﬁrmly with doctrinal and moral error in the church (1:10–16; 3:9–11).

• Gospel-Saturated Doctrine: The gospel produces godliness in the lives of believers. There is no legitimate separation between belief and behavior (1:1; 2:1, 11–14; 3:4–7).

• Gospel-Centered Living: The gospel is the basis for Christian ethics (2:11–14; 3:3–7).

• One’s deeds will either prove or disprove one’s claim to know God (1:16).

• True Christian living will draw others to the gospel (2:5, 8, 10).

• Good works have an important place in the lives of believers (2:1–10, 14; 3:1–2, 8, 14).

Outline

I. Opening (1:1–4)

II. The Occasion: The Need for Proper Leadership (1:5–9)

III. The Problem: False Teachers (1:10–16)

IV. Christian Living in Contrast to the False Teachers (2:1–3:8)

A. Proper living by age and gender groupings (2:1-10)

B. Gospel basis (2:11-14) c. Summary command (2:15)

C. Proper living, particularly regarding to outsiders (3:1-2)

D. Gospel basis (3:3-7)

E. Summary command (3:8)

V. The Problem Restated: False Teachers (3:9–11)

VI. Closing Encouragement (3:12–15)

5 Bible Project Poster OVERVIEW

6 PRIMER

A Job Description for Lay Elders

What is a lay elder’s job description? What are they supposed to do? Attend meetings? Approve budgets? Distribute the Lord’s Supper? Consider this short article from our friends at 9Marks on a job description for lay elders.

Shepherd God’s Flock

Here’s the short answer from the apostle Peter: “I exhort the elders among you: shepherd God’s ﬂock” (1 Pet. 5:2; see also Jn. 21:15-16 and Acts 20:28). Elders serve the Good Shepherd by providing his local ﬂocks with spiritual oversight. Elders feed, lead, protect, and nurture church members like shepherds do with sheep.

Let’s get even more speciﬁc. While shepherding is a powerful metaphor for framing an elder’s job description, a new elder needs concrete instructions. He needs an answer to his question, “Now what do I do?” Fortunately, God’s Word lists very speciﬁc duties that help elders put the shepherding imagery to work.

Four Primary Duties Here are four duties that are central to the elder’s job description. While this list is not exhaustive, if lay elders devoted themselves to these four things, they would excel as shepherds.

1. Teach

An elder must be “an able teacher” (1 Tim. 3:2; see 5:17). He must hold “to the faithful message as taught, so that he will be able both to encourage with sound teaching and refute those who contradict it” (Tit. 1:9). Jesus’ under-shepherds feed Jesus’ sheep with Jesus’ word.

If you’re an elder, ﬁnd venues for teaching the Bible regularly. Teach a core class, lead a small group, give a lesson to the youth group, or study Scripture with a member over coffee. And if you’re offered a chance to preach, take it.

Further, tune in to the church’s overall teaching ministry. Keep a ﬁnger on the pulse of what’s being taught through congregational singing or in the small group curriculum. Listen closely when members talk about what they’re reading and be alert for rotten food in their spiritual diet.

Finally, remember that teaching includes training others to perpetuate the church’s teaching ministry. As Paul said to Timothy, “What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2 Tim. 2:2). So bring along an apprentice teacher whenever you can.

7 2. Lead

Just as shepherds lead their ﬂocks, so elders lead local congregations. The biblical writers also call elders “overseers,” a title that highlights their role as leaders (Acts 20:28; 1 Tim. 3:1; Tit. 1:5, 7). Hebrews instructs Christians to “obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account” (Heb. 13:17).

Elders, be brave and lead your church. Don’t hide among the baggage like King Saul. When you see challenges in your church, face them proactively and plot a course forward.

Courageous leadership might involve reaching out to a frustrated member who’s stopped attending, or confronting an unrepentant member through church discipline. Or it could mean wrestling through stafﬁng strategies, budget challenges, or important policies that affect the spiritual identity of the congregation.

As you lead, don’t lose sight of the destination. The goal isn’t to lead a church to become an efﬁcient organization, as important as that may be. Rather, elders should lead church members toward maturity in Christ. Jesus gave teaching shepherds to the church “to build up the body of Christ until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, growing into a mature man with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness” (Eph. 4:12-13).

Elders bring the ﬂock to green pastures and still waters when they help members know Jesus more and increasingly reﬂect his glory together.

3. Model

Most importantly, elders lead by example. Shepherd the church “not [by] lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the ﬂock” (1 Pet. 5:3). Not surprisingly, the New Testament lists of elder qualiﬁcations focus predominantly on character (1 Tim. 3:1-7, Tit. 1:5-9; 1 Pet. 5:1-4). An elder’s most basic job is to say “Imitate me as I also imitate Christ” (1 Cor. 11:1).

The mandate to model maturity carries two critical implications. First, modeling means you must guard your godliness: “Pay close attention to your life and your teaching” (1 Tim. 4:16). Continue to live close to the Lord, nurture your wife and children well, resist sin, and love people. Open your life to the loving accountability of the other elders. Modeling maturity is a team project.

That leads to a second implication: modeling requires elders to be among the people. It only works if people see you up close. So open your life to church members. Invite them into your home, your hobbies, and your ministry. People need a ﬁrsthand experience of how you handle stress, relate to your wife, respond to difﬁcult people, and humbly admit when you blow it.

8 4. Pray

Finally, elders should take up the apostolic shepherding mantle and say, “we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the preaching ministry” (Acts 6:4). Ultimately elders are powerless in themselves to mature anyone in Christ; only the Holy Spirit can do that through God’s Word. The sooner an elder realizes this, the sooner he will hit his knees and plead for a continual work of grace among church members, as well as in his own life.

So if you’re a lay elder (or a paid elder!), strive to be a man of prayer. Build regular prayer into your daily rhythms. Pray over your church’s membership rolls during the commute or while you’re walking the dog. Carve out time as an elder board for concerted prayer. And when you’re talking to a church member, be sure to stop and pray for her right then and there.

Shepherd Like Jesus

Maybe we could sum up an elder’s job description this way: shepherd the church members like Jesus shepherds his disciples.

Like Jesus, make teaching central to your ministry, and make Jesus and the gospel the primary content of your teaching. In every decision, lead your people toward knowing and trusting Jesus. Let them see the character of Jesus exempliﬁed in your life. And just as Jesus often turned aside to pray, so you as an elder should join Jesus in interceding for his people.

The under-shepherds of Jesus are at their best when they reﬂect Jesus, the Chief Shepherd.

*This article was originally published in the 9 Marks Journal: Elders by Jeramie Rinne. It was adapted and formatted for this this small group guide.

9 PRIMER

Discipling in the Church

The book of Titus contains some very practical encouragement and instruction for how disciples are made in the church. In fact, that’s our mission at Faith Fellowship — to make disciples who love God, love each other and love our world.

Making disciples, or discipling, is critical for our Christian growth as individuals as well as for making the gospel visible in our life together as a church. So we want to do everything we can to cultivate a culture of discipling in our church.

What do we mean by “discipling”?

In one sense, almost everything we do as a local church is about being and making disciples. The songs we sing, the prayers we pray, and certainly the sermons that are preached all aim to grow us as God-glorifying disciples.

But for this article we have something more speciﬁc in mind when we use the word “discipling.” We are thinking particularly about individual relationships. More formally, we are talking about the intentional encouragement and training of disciples of Jesus on the basis of deliberate, loving relationships.

Jesus tells us to pursue one another like this: “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you” (John 15:17). How did Jesus love his disciples in ways that could be imitated? He loved them intentionally, purposefully, humbly, joyfully and normally. Let’s think about these descriptions.

• Intentional: “You did not choose me but I chose you…” (John 15:16a). Jesus did not merely stumble across his disciples; he took loving initiative. He chose them. Christ-like love is not passive; it takes initiative. Loving other Christians like Christ love us means taking the initiative.

• Purposeful: “…and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last” (John 15:16b). Christ’s love for his disciples is purposeful. He called them to bear fruit for God’s glory. In other words, his love is not merely sentimental, but has a wonderful, God-glorifying agenda. If we are to love one- another as Christ has loved us, surely we will share Jesus’ goals for one another, namely, the spiritual good of our friend and God’s glory through their joy in the gospel.

• Humble: Jesus says, “As the father has loved me, so have I loved you,” (John 15:9) and “Instead [of slaves], I have called you friends” (John 15:15a). Jesus condescends to be our friend, even though he is inﬁnitely far above us in majesty, holiness, and honor. Surely, then, we must relate with all humility to our fellow fallen brothers and sisters. We treat them as friends whom we love, not as “projects” or “lessers.” We don’t lord it over, we honor and cherish.

• Joyful: “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete” (John 15:11). Jesus commands us to love one another so that we would know his joy.

10 Setting out to care for other Christians, encouraging their growth in grace, can be hard work. But it is wonderful work, and Jesus says it is joy-producing work!

• Normal: Jesus makes this kind of loving discipling his basic command to all his people and, thus, normal for all Christians. Listen again: “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” Not surprisingly, you will ﬁnd talk of basic Christian discipleship throughout God’s Word:

• “But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness” (Heb. 3:13).

• “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves” (Rom. 12:10).

• “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing” (1 Thess. 5:11).

The New Testament is ﬁlled with such exhortations. Jesus and the apostles did not mean for discipling between Christians to be exceptional, but normal. As a member of our church, we want you to be intentional, purposeful, humble and joyful as we work together at making these kinds of one-on-one relationships normal.

Do this by letting people get to know you. Do this by working to know them. Really, it is all of our work to cultivate a culture of discipleship in this place.

What do we mean by a “culture of discipling”?

You will probably hear that phrase a lot as we begin 2021. Most dictionaries deﬁne a “culture” as something like “the shared values, goals and practices that characterize a group.” That is pretty much what we have in mind when it comes to discipling at our church. We don’t want just a program, we want mutual love and encouragement to be a value, goal, and practice that increasingly characterizes all of us.

Formal programs are not necessarily bad, but we want to make sure we do not fall short of the biblical ideal. And the biblical ideal, we have said, is to become a place where it is normal to take initiative in doing one another spiritual good. You don’t have to sign up for anything or get permission before loving fellow members this way. Nor do you want a church where discipling only happens when the staff sustain it. That’s not a healthy church! No, we want you to pray and think about how you can jump in.

What should I do in a discipling relationship?

The most signiﬁcant aspect of any discipling relationship, often, is not exactly what you do when you meet, but that you build a relationship with biblical truth at its core. As such, there is no “set program” for discipling relationships in our church. You can do a number of things:

11 • Meet weekly to discuss the prior Sunday’s sermon, a book from the church library, or a book of the Bible.

• Attend a Core Class together and discuss speciﬁc application in one another’s lives.

• Invite unmarried members to sit in on family devotions.

• Accompany mothers with young children as they run errands.

• Help dads with yard work and ask them for counsel.

• Schedule “play dates” for kids and talk about the Sunday sermon.

Examples abound, and the venues are ﬂexible. What’s important, again, is that you pursue something, something were you have time to relate to another member with the intentional aim of encouraging and being encouraged by the truth from God’s Word.

So be creative! But be intentional about loving one another in the best, the highest, the most biblical way—by aiming to do the other person spiritual good.

How can I get into a discipling relationship?

There are three ways to establish a discipling relationship at Faith Fellowship. First, take the personal initiative to try to work out a discipling relationship with any other member (of your same gender, please). No staff permission needed! Instead, show up to church early. Stick around late. And start getting to know other people. Over time we hope you will begin to build the kind of relationships where these things happen naturally.

Second, talk to your small group leader for suggestions and assistance if you happen to join a small group. They may not be free to meet up with you regularly, but as they get to know you, chances are they can help connect you with another member who would.

Third, if neither of these avenues results in a regular discipling relationship, feel free to contact one of the church staff for help. There are always a number of members who, because of schedules, geography, or other reasons, ﬁnd it difﬁcult to connect with another member one-on-one. In those cases the church staff is happy to help.

We do encourage you to start with your own initiative. It just might cause you to flex and even develop the discipline and evangelism muscles that will serve you and others for years to come. You might find that doing so becomes one of the most satisfying experiences of your life as a Christian. And you might find yourself understanding more clearly what Jesus meant when he said, “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35).

*This article was adapted from a member handout originally given at Capitol Hill Baptist Church.

12 JANUARY 3 | SERMON OUTLINE Introduction to Titus

“But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy”– Titus 3:4-5

I. Background and Structure

• “Innovation” in the church

• Purpose of the letter

• Structure of the letter

II. Theme One: Gospel-Shaped Leaders | 1:5-9

• Qualiﬁcations of Elders

• Leaders in their own homes

• Blameless

• Relationships with others

• Hold ﬁrmly the “trustworthy word;” refute those who oppose it

13 III. Theme Two: Resistance of Gospel-Deniers | 1:10-16, 3:9-11

• Extent of the deception (ruining whole households)

• Nature of false teaching

IV. Theme Three: Gospel Saturated Doctrine | 2:11-15, 3:3-8

• Grace: the heart of the gospel

• What we’ve been saved from – we’re all like the false teachers

• God’s grace teaches us godly living

V. Theme Four: Gospel-Centered Living | 2:2-10, 3:1-2

• Speciﬁc applications for age and gender

• A culture of deliberately edifying relationships in the church

• Witness through work

14 JANUARY 3 | SMALL GROUP

Titus 1:1-4

Small groups at Faith Fellowship are designed to provide the context and resources to help every person at Faith Fellowship take their next step as disciples of Jesus, even if their ﬁrst step is their next step. Consider these questions and ideas to help you take your next step as a disciple.

Interact with the Passage

Use your ESV Scripture Journal and read Titus 1:1-4 this week by using the H.E.A.R. method before Sunday, January 3. Engaging the text in this way will help you better understand and discuss the Scripture with your small group.

• Highlight: Read and observe everything in the passage.

• Explain: Based on your reading, discover what the passage means in its context.

• Apply: Understand how the meaning of the passage affects your life.

• Respond in Prayer: Pray God’s word back to him, asking to believe, share, and put the Bible into practice in your life and relationships.

Feel free to interact with the Scripture at your own pace throughout the week. Remember to interact with the Scripture and think through the discussion questions before you're small group meets. In small groups, we’ll discuss what we learned from the Scripture the previous week as well as our answers to the discussion questions together.

Open It Up

• Following Christ comes naturally to no one. As Christians, we are all on a journey under the guidance of the Holy Spirit who is forming and molding us to look increasingly like our Savior. That said, it can be easy for us to slip back into behaviors that do not represent Christ, which is why we must be intentional about how we live. That is the message of the book of Titus. Can you think of a time from your childhood when you acted in a way you knew was wrong? What caused you to do it?

Discussion Questions

• Read Titus 1:1-4. What stood out to you in your interactions with the Scripture this week or with the sermon.

• In verse 3, what term does Paul use to describe his preaching? Why do you think he words it in that way when you consider other sections of the book of Titus, speciﬁcally elders..

15 • In verse 1, Paul refers to the church as “God’s elect.” Far from being a divisive doctrine, election should be an incredible encouragement and assurance for God’s people. What are other analogies found in Scripture for the people of God? What is your favorite?

• Read Acts 9:1-11. Who is Paul and what gives him the authority to write a letter like Titus?

• Read 2 Corinthians 8:23 and Galatians 2:2–5. Who is Titus? What do these passages tell us about him?

• In the sermon, how did David describe the island of Crete? What was the basic cultural context? What similarities do you see between the culture of Crete and the world we live in today?

• What would you consider some of the primary problems facing the Church today? If Paul were writing a letter to us, what would he identify as areas in need of correction?

• The Gospel is this: We are more sinful and ﬂawed in ourselves than we ever dared believe, yet at the very same time we are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ than we ever dared hope. Think about our series title — gospel-shaped church. What attributes do you think would characterize the life of a church that is shaped by the Gospel?

Next Steps for the Week

• Pray: Each day this week, set aside some time to speciﬁcally ask that God would open your eyes to areas of your life that need to change to better display His gospel to the world.

• Confess: Make a commitment this week to at least one other person in your group to confess behaviors that do not match your beliefs as the Lord brings them to light over the course of this study.

• Encourage: Pay attention to the believers around you this week and make an intentional effort to encourage them in the ways you see their behavior making visible the good news of Jesus Christ.

• Look Ahead: Use the H.E.A.R. method to interact with Titus 1:5-9 this week.

16 JANUARY 10

Titus 1:5-9

Interact with the Passage

Use your ESV Scripture Journal and read Titus 1:5-9 this week by using the H.E.A.R. method before Sunday, January 10. Engaging the text in this way will help you better understand and discuss the Scripture with your small group.

• Highlight: Read and observe everything in the passage.

• Explain: Based on your reading, discover what the passage means in its context.

• Apply: Understand how the meaning of the passage affects your life.

• Respond in Prayer: Pray God’s word back to him, asking to believe, share, and put the Bible into practice in your life and relationships.

Open It Up

• There are many resources out there offering answers to the question, “What does a good leader look like?” Yet, no book is more trustworthy than the Word of God. Paul’s description of the qualiﬁcations for eldership provides insight not only to effective leadership in the church, but also to leadership in the world at-large. Describe an experience you have had with good or bad leadership. What difference did the two kinds of leadership make in your experience? What does this tell you about the practical impact of leadership in any environment?

Discussion Questions

• Read Titus 1:5-9. What stood out to you in your interactions with the Scripture this week or with the sermon.

• How does Paul describe Titus’ purpose in Crete in verse 5?

17 In verses 6–9, Paul provides the basic qualifications of an elder, which can be organized into three general categories. Consider the qualifications and these relevant definitions as you interact with the next four questions.

Marriage and family (v. 6) • Above reproach—Meaning “blameless” or “having a good reputation.” It doesn’t mean you’re perfect, but refers to consistent integrity. • The husband of one wife—One who is devoted to his marriage. • The father of believing children—A father engaged in the intentional discipleship of his children. • Not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination—Free from the charge of living in a “wild” and “disobedient” manner.

Personality and character traits (v. 7–8) • Not arrogant—Not overbearing or disregarding of the opinions and interests of others. • Not quick-tempered—This term refers speciﬁcally to a long-term anger characterized by someone who is generally negative and critical. • Not a drunkard—Not dependent on any substance that can control you. • Not violent—Not leading through coercion. • Not greedy for gain—Not leading for unjust or dishonest gain. • Hospitable—Someone who loves strangers, sees their needs, and seeks to meet them. • A lover of what is good • Self-controlled—Someone who is not driven by their passions. • Upright—Fair and committed to doing what’s right. • Holy—Set apart from the world and fearing what God thinks more than what others think. • Disciplined

Devotion to God’s Word and commitment to teaching and preserving sound doctrine (v. 9) • Hold ﬁrm to the trustworthy word • Able to give instruction in sound doctrine • Able to rebuke those who contradict it

• According to Paul, what must an elder be (and not be)? What must an elder do (and not do)?

• Which of the characteristics in Paul’s list stood out to you the most? Why?

• Why do you think Paul draws such a close connection between a person’s home life and leadership in a local church?

18 • If this list is ultimately aimed at the content of our hearts, how does that truth change the way you view the qualiﬁcations Paul lists?

• Read 1 Timothy 3:1-7. What additional insights does 1 Timothy 3 contribute to your understanding of the divine “job description” for one who would be a leader in God’s church?

• Who has been the best model of a leader in your own life? What made their leadership especially effective?

• What practically could you do differently this week to grow in faithfulness to your family, emotional maturity, and devotion to God’s Word?

Next Steps for the Week

• Pray: Ask God to open your eyes to the leadership opportunities in your life and look for ways to demonstrate a life of integrity within them.

• Study: Identify 2–3 topics in Christianity you would like to learn more about, ask around for helpful resources, and begin studying the topics to deepen your understanding of your faith.

• Forgive: If you have suffered under bad leadership in the past, commit yourself to forgiving those who were involved and ask God to free you from any bitterness you may have experienced as a result.

• Look Ahead: Use the H.E.A.R. method to interact with Titus 1:10-16 this week.

19 JANUARY 17

Titus 1:10-16

Interact with the Passage

Use your ESV Scripture Journal and read Titus 1:10-16 this week by using the H.E.A.R. method before Sunday, January 10. Engaging the text in this way will help you better understand and discuss the Scripture with your small group.

• Highlight: Read and observe everything in the passage.

• Explain: Based on your reading, discover what the passage means in its context.

• Apply: Understand how the meaning of the passage affects your life.

• Respond in Prayer: Pray God’s word back to him, asking to believe, share, and put the Bible into practice in your life and relationships.

Open It Up

• As humans, we all have a natural tendency to turn “faith” into a life of living by a particular set of rules in order to earn the favor of God. That’s what Titus was facing in the Cretan church, and it’s a problem we face among the body of Christ today. Not only does it miss the point of the gospel, but it leaves us feeling exhausted and ashamed. Have you ever had a to-do list with so many items that you couldn’t ﬁnish them in a day? How did it make you feel?

Discussion Questions

• Read Titus 1:10-16. What stood out to you in your interactions with the Scripture this week or with the sermon.

• Last week, we looked at Paul’s list of qualiﬁcations for elders. What is the ﬁrst word of verse 10? How does it connect the following section (vs. 10–16) with what Paul has previously said about elders?

20 In verses 10-16, Paul addresses false teachers in the church. How a person answers the following questions will determine whether they're teaching is false or true. Consider this information as you interact with the next questions.

Who is Jesus? • Scripture describes Him as fully God and fully man (John 1:1–3, 14). Anyone who describes Him in other terms is a false teacher.

How do we experience a right relationship with God? • Scripture clearly states that we are reconciled by grace through faith in Jesus Christ and nothing more (Ephesians 2:4–9). Anyone who adds additional works or qualiﬁcations is a false teacher.

What is our authority for truth? • Scripture is the inspired Word of God testifying to the message of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ (John 17:17; 2 Timothy 3:16–17; Hebrews 1:1–2). Anyone who appeals to additional books or special revelation is a false teacher.

• What are the three characteristics of false teachers Paul mentions in verses 10–11?

• In verse 11 and 13, what does Paul say is the proper response to false teaching?

• When you think about the Church today, where do you see false teaching happening? What form does it take? On a personal level, how have you experienced false teaching in your own life? How did you deal with it?

• In verse 10, Paul speaks of the “circumcision party. Look up Galatians 2:11-16 and 1 Timothy 4:1-3. According to these passages, what was the “circumcision party” trying to accomplish? How does Paul describe such teachings? What is the true message they sought to distort ?

• Where are you prone to false teaching? What could you do to remain disciplined in growing in the truth of your faith? Who could you invite into your life for the sake of accountability?

Next Steps for the Week

• Pray: Spend this week praying that God would protect you, your small group, and your local church from the inﬂuence of false teaching.

• Encourage: Reach out to someone who has been instrumental in your understanding of true teaching and encourage him or her in his or her faithful contribution to your faith.

• Look Ahead: Use the H.E.A.R. method to interact with Titus 2:1-10 this week.

21 JANUARY 24

Disciple Group

The fourth week of the month is the time when small groups participate in D-Group. D-Group (Discipleship-group) is a time to apply the gospel to our hearts and grow deeper in the gospel through community. As we continue our new small group rhythms, we want to start our D-group times in such a way that they help everyone in the group think more clearly about the gospel and apply it to every area of their lives. Every person in every group will begin in a different place.

Remember that every person in every group will begin in a different place. D-group is different from the Bible study rhythm, where God’s Word is the starting block. In D-group everyone’s faith, spiritual maturity, and blind spots inﬂuence where one starts. Because of this, we need to remember three core ground rules for every D-group meeting:

• We all have blind spots. We need brothers or sisters to help us identify our own. • We have to slow down and talk candidly in order to renew our minds. • We must trust that God wants to use others in this process; therefore we must be vulnerable and open with our D-group.

In each D-group meeting, your group will divide into men and women. This increased intimacy will best facilitate asking and answering the three core D-group questions. This smaller, gender-speciﬁc time will also facilitate everyone having more time to engage in the group conversation. Here are the questions:

1. What am I experiencing? (emotions, events, and relationships) 2. Why am I experiencing this? (circumstances, empathy, and sin) 3. How should I respond? (repentance and reconciliation)

This D-group’s focus is on continuing our habit of asking each other these three questions.

Question 1 allows everyone in the group to share something they are currently experiencing, positive or negative, that strongly affects their life or faith.

Question 2 helps us to slow down and assess how our heart (belief) is engaged in the struggles or circumstances we shared in question 1. Question 2 will be the most important part of your D-group time. Most of us need signiﬁcant time, and help, to fully wrestle with how our belief in Jesus is interacting with our day to-day circumstances.Renewing our mind takes reﬂection on the details of our

22 lives and on God’s Word. This aspect of D-group should almost always include members opening their Bible to edify and reproof one another.

Question 3 facilitates the development of an action plan or accountability structure that turns right belief into right actions. We will always run the risk of skipping over deep reﬂection on our belief (question 2) and jumping into surface-level solutions. Don’t do it! The power that defeats sin in our lives is the gospel. The gospel is clearest when it is shared (and received) in the midst of community.

1. What am I experiencing? (emotions, events, and relationships)

• Share a current or recent experience that has been a struggle for you.

• As you describe this experience, consider and talk about whether or not it is a routine occurrence in your life. Is it related to other experiences in any way?

2. Why am I experiencing this? (circumstances, empathy, and sin)

• While engaged in this experience, what were your heart and mind trusting in or fearful of?

• Do you ever attempt to separate your biblical knowledge or faith from this situation in your life?

3. How should I respond? (repentance and reconciliation)

• How does your faith shape how you respond to this experience in the future?

• Do you need any accountability in your life to more faithfully engage in this circumstance?

23 JANUARY 31

Titus 2:11-15

Interact with the Passage

Use your ESV Scripture Journal and read Titus 2:11-15 this week by using the H.E.A.R. method before Sunday, January 10. Engaging the text in this way will help you better understand and discuss the Scripture with your small group.

• Highlight: Read and observe everything in the passage.

• Explain: Based on your reading, discover what the passage means in its context.

• Apply: Understand how the meaning of the passage affects your life.

• Respond in Prayer: Pray God’s word back to him, asking to believe, share, and put the Bible into practice in your life and relationships.

Small Group Icebreaker

• Through faith in Christ, God adopts us as sons and daughters of His household. We receive His grace freely, a gift we could never earn on our own. When we experience God’s grace in this way, it ﬁlls us with an abiding gratitude toward Him, leading us to walk in obedience to His ways. That’s the message Paul wants to communicate in Titus 2:11-15. Have you ever been given a gift you did not deserve? Why were you undeserving? How did you respond after receiving the gift?

Discussion Questions

• Read Titus 2:11-15. What stood out to you in your interactions with the Scripture this week or with the sermon.

• What does Paul point to as the basis for a transformed life in verse 11?

24 • When you consider your own life, how has God’s grace transformed you? What forms of “ungodliness” characterized you prior to coming to know Christ? In what ways have you learned “self-control” since then?

• What are some examples of “worldly passions” threatening the Church today?

• Where do you see the body of Christ struggling to deny worldliness? Where do you see it succeeding?

• In verse 13, Paul states that the motivation for our good works is the “blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.” What are some practical ways to practice keeping an eternal perspective? In other words, what could it look like to live in a way that shows your hope is in Jesus’ return?

• How does an eternal perspective motivate us toward doing good on a regular basis?

• Scripture makes it clear that God has created His people for good works. Would you say you have a clear understanding of what good works God desires from you at this point in your life? Why or why not?

• How does the fact that you are God’s “possession” encourage you? How does this idea emphasize God’s part in your sanctiﬁcation?

Next Steps for the Week

• Pray: As you go about your week, ask God to give you opportunities to carry out good works throughout your day and boldly walk in obedience when He opens those doors for you.

• Reﬂect: At least twice this week, set aside 10–15 minutes to reﬂect on God’s grace in your life. Spend some time meditating on His kindness to you through prayer, journaling, and worship.

• Praise: Set aside some time this week to meditate on how God appeared to you and saved you. As you think on that truth, praise Him through prayer, song, and gratitude for what He has done in your life.

• Look Ahead: Use the H.E.A.R. method to interact with Titus 3:1-2 this week.

25 FEBRUARY 7

Titus 3:1-2

Interact with the Passage

Use your ESV Scripture Journal and read Titus 3:1-2 this week by using the H.E.A.R. method before Sunday, January 10. Engaging the text in this way will help you better understand and discuss the Scripture with your small group.

• Highlight: Read and observe everything in the passage.

• Explain: Based on your reading, discover what the passage means in its context.

• Apply: Understand how the meaning of the passage affects your life.

• Respond in Prayer: Pray God’s word back to him, asking to believe, share, and put the Bible into practice in your life and relationships.

Open It Up

• The way we live our life has a signiﬁcant impact on those around us both inside and outside of the church. Because of that, we must take seriously our responsibility as Christians to live in ways that draw others to the beauty of our Savior, Jesus Christ. How would you describe the reputation of Christianity in your culture and community? In what ways is it represented positively? How is it represented negatively?

Discussion Questions

• Read Titus 3:1-2. What stood out to you in your interactions with the Scripture this week or with the sermon.

• What are the six “reminders” Paul lists in verses 1–2? Which of these do you ﬁnd most difﬁcult to live out? Why?

26 • How have you seen Christians live in ways that reﬂect the teachings in these passages? In contrast, how have you seen Christians live in ways that depart from these teachings? What impact has their behavior had on the reputation of Christ?

• Look up Acts 5:29 and Rom. 13:1–7. Where does the authority for civil authorities come from according to Romans 13? What is the clear Scriptural exception to civic obedience (see Acts 5:29)?

• What was Paul’s relationship to the Roman government? What was that government’s view of Christianity? How does this background affect our understanding of Paul’s command to “be submissive to rulers and authorities” in verse 1?

• How can Christians be holy and serve all people without coming off as being “holier than thou” or as thinking of themselves as superior?

• When you think about your immediate context (neighborhood, workplace, city, etc.), what needs exist that you could address? How could you begin to live with a greater eagerness to do good works where God has placed you?

• In verse 2, Paul commands that we should avoid quarreling and be gentle. How do you typically speak about others? In what ways do Paul’s words convict you to change your patterns of speech?

Next Steps for the Week

• Pray: Pick a place where you spend a good amount of time on a normal basis (neighborhood, workplace, gym, etc.) and ask God to give you opportunities there this week to inﬂuence people with the good news of Jesus.

• Serve: Identify a practical need in your neighborhood or workplace and use the gifts God has given you to serve that speciﬁc need for the sake of the gospel.

• Speak: Pay attention to the way you speak this week and guard yourself against divisive and hurtful speech. Instead, make it a point to praise, encourage, and serve others in the way you speak to them throughout your week.

• Look Ahead: Use the H.E.A.R. method to interact with Titus 3:3-15 this week.

27 FEBRUARY 14

Titus 3:3-15

Interact with the Passage

Use your ESV Scripture Journal and read Titus 3:3-15 this week by using the H.E.A.R. method before Sunday, January 10. Engaging the text in this way will help you better understand and discuss the Scripture with your small group.

• Highlight: Read and observe everything in the passage.

• Explain: Based on your reading, discover what the passage means in its context.

• Apply: Understand how the meaning of the passage affects your life.

• Respond in Prayer: Pray God’s word back to him, asking to believe, share, and put the Bible into practice in your life and relationships.

Small Group Icebreaker

• In these ﬁnal verses of the book of Titus, Paul reminds us that it was through the “loving kindness” of God in Christ that we became His sons and daughters. Describe a time when you experienced kindness from someone and did not deserve it. How did their kindness affect you? In what ways did it change how you acted?

Discussion Questions

• Read Titus 3:3-15. What stood out to you in your interactions with the Scripture this week or with the sermon.

• According to verse 3, what are the eight characteristics Paul used to describe the Cretans’ former state apart from Christ? When was the last time you thought about your former life before you knew Christ? What circumstances or people did God use to bring you to saving faith?

28 • How could thinking about your former life compel you to care for those in your life who do not know Christ? How could you be more intentional about sharing God’s message of forgiveness with them?

• What are some of the opportunities God has given you to share your story of salvation with others?

• Before closing, Paul offers two ﬁnal commands in verses 9–11: Avoid distractions and Have nothing to do with “a person who stirs up division.” Why are these to be avoided? Where is distraction or division present in your life (small group, church, family, etc.)? How can you apply Paul’s commands to display the good news of Jesus Christ through your actions?

• How does confronting a divisive person beneﬁt that person? How does it beneﬁt the church?

• Is it the loving thing not to confront a sinning brother or sister? Why?

• What do you think Zenas and Apollos might have been doing in Crete (v. 13)? What principle can we draw from Titus 3:13 that still applies in the church today?

• As we close this study, where can you more fully devote yourself to good works for the sake of displaying Christ to others?

Next Steps for the Week

• Pray: Each day this week, devote a portion of your prayer time to asking God for a greater level of kindness and compassion for the lost in your life.

• Reﬂect: Set aside some time over the next week to reﬂect on your former life before you knew Christ. As you remember all that God saved you from, praise Him and trust Him with the opportunities He places in front of you to point others to His saving grace.

• Memorize: Commit to memory Titus 3:4–7 and ask that God would draw you continually to the truth of the gospel for your hope in life.

• Look Ahead: Use the H.E.A.R. method to interact with Deuteronomy 6:1-9 this week.