HOWDOES AWOMEN’SMINISTRYIMPLEMENT ATITUS2 MINISTRY?
How do older and younger women find each other? The easiest way
is when a church crafts a substantive women’s ministry that teaches
women God’s truth about womanhood and helps facilitate covenant
relationships that reflect our relationship with God.
The Titus 2 mandate is not a program—it is a lifestyle. However,
it often takes some programming to jump-start spiritual mothering
relationships. Here are a few suggestions to help a women’s ministry
leadership team encourage and equip women for a Titus 2 ministry.
General Observations
First, the women’s leadership team needs to have a deep and long-
term commitment to this scriptural mandate. It is not simply a mat-
ter of matching older women and younger women. This is a part of
covenant life. Paul says that it is essential “so that no one will malign
the word of God” (Titus 2:5, NIV).
Second, it is important for the leadership team to have their fin-
ger on the pulse of the women. Is spiritual mothering happening
spontaneously and informally? If so, there may not be a need for a for-
mal program. Perhaps the need is to simply celebrate what is happen-
ing by periodically asking women to share testimonies of how other
women in the covenant community nurture them in the faith. Or if
there are women who are on the fringe of church life or new believ-
ers who did not grow up in Christian homes, perhaps a spiritual
mothering program is a way to enfold and nurture them.
Third, the Titus mandate was given to the pastor of the church.
Paul instructed young Titus to equip older women in the congrega-
tion for this ministry. This equipping was to take place within the con-
text of sound doctrine. It is a part of healthy church life. It is not just
a women’s thing.The commitment of church leadership is biblical and
essential. If a decision is made to have a formal program, it is impor-
tant to have the oversight and protection of the elders.
Consider this possible scenario: You announce that you are begin-
ning a Titus 2 program, and you ask for volunteers to be spiritual
mothers. A woman who has recently joined the church and appears
186 BUILDINGSTRONGFAMILIES