I met Ross Bacon a couple of years ago. Dave Bauer of BRM introduced us over a pizza at Giordano’s. Ross had just retired from a church he had pastored for over 40 years. He told me he was having some health issues and just didn’t feel he could give the church what they deserved. As we ate pizza we talked theology, pastoring, preaching and I was immediately drawn to this retired pastor. He was intelligent, wise, and compassionate. As we left the restaurant we promised each other we would have many more theological discussions in the future. Shortly afterward Ross was diagnosed with acute, end-stage renal failure. Ross then did an odd thing, he agreed to be the interim pastor of a dying church in need of rescue. Ross lived another 18 months. In that time he brought the church back from the brink and mentored two men called to co-pastor the church. I went up to Chicago to help moderate the ordination council. Ten minutes in I knew these guys were ready to lead. Ross had prepared them well.

Titus chapter two is all about mentoring, discipleship, leaving a legacy. Whatever you call it the result is older Christians investing into the lives of younger.

Titus 2:3-5 Older women to younger women
Teach what is good Psalm 19:7
To love 2 Cor 5:14
To be sensible Luke 16:8
Purity James 1:27
Kind Matt 25:37-40
Homemakers 2 Tim 1:5
Subject Eph 5:21

Beckie goes to a “post” group at the Christian Church in LaHarpe on Tuesday nights. Post, meaning following after, is a study and encouragement group for those who have participated in Ashes to Beauty and Men’s Encounter. Beckie is not a part of the church and was not initially a part of the circle of friends. But over time she had not only fitted in, but has the other women looking to her for wisdom and Scriptural knowledge. Perfect! That is exactly what Paul is driving at in this passage.

Do you have someone to invest your knowledge and compassion. We should be looking either to mentor or be mentored, or both at the same time. We need to be intentional about seeking someone God has laid on your heart. We must make the first step toward discipleship. We all have something to offer. We must begin to ask God for that person.

The church is about building people up. Any worthwhile building project takes planning and effort and perseverance to see it through to completion.

Titus 2:6-8 Men
Sensible Matt 10:16
Do-gooder Matt 5:16
Doctrine 2 Cor 10:5
Dignified Acts 6:15
Speech James 3:10

One of the men we interrogated for ordination, Matt, gave this testimony. “As I entered high school, I tried running from His calling on my life. At seventeen, I went to the Youth for Christ camp. While getting ready to go play softball with my cousin, Johnny Mountainjoy came in the bunkhouse. My cousin looked at me and said, “He just accepted his call to the ministry. Isn’t that cool?” I shrugged and headed out to play. Through a series of events that day and the next, God reminded me that He was in control of my life, not me. That I was to allow Him to stir up the gift He wanted me and that He wanted me to preach the gospel in His service and for His glory. On Monday evening, July 16, 1984, in the outdoor chapel, with two pastors and the other male leaders at camp that week, I bent the knee and yielded my life wholly to God’s service and the call to ministry.”

Godly men were present at the beginning of Matt’s call and nearly 40 years later God still placed a man, Ross, to prepare him for the biggest challenge yet. Jesus worked with 12, Elisha always had someone with him, Paul seemed to work closely with half a dozen at any one time.

God wants us to invest. We must first live out these Christian qualities for all to see. We must live these out as unto God whether anyone else is watching or not. Then we must follow God’s lead and help another to grow in Christ.