In Titus 1:5-9 Paul speaks of leadership in the church. There are several vital requirements if the local church is to be a centre of spiritual worship, fellowship and service: the members must be born again (John 3:3); they must be separated (2 Corinthians 6:14), dedicated (Romans 12:1) and spiritual people (1 Corinthians 3:1); and there must be harmony and unity in the church (Psalm 133:1-3). But there must also be the right leaders; for whether a church is strong or weak will depend to a large extent upon the leadership. No one knew this better than Paul. It is one of the main reasons he wrote the Pastoral Letters. Here in Titus 1:5-9 he authorises Titus to appoint leaders in each of the established churches, and then he describes the kind of people who should be entrusted with this responsible position of leadership. He uses two words to describe leaders in the church:-
‘ELDERS’ (verse 5). This suggests maturity and dignity. An elder must be a man of spiritual stature and not a novice.
‘OVERSEER’ (verse 7). A leader in God’s work is one who ‘sees over’ that work. He is ‘entrusted with God’s work’.