St. Titus (on the occasion of a circuit pastors' conference)
Titus 1:9
“For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.”
Dear assembled brothers of the Denver Southeast Circuit, these words of Paul to our predecessor in office, St. Titus, should ring as words of encouragement and warning to us. I say this not in a “sign-of-the-times” way, for these words ring true, no matter the era we have found ourselves in, no matter the season, no matter the circumstances that present themselves to us. Today’s text is not merely appropriate for the us-versus-them mentality we find our Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod in these days, for we have found the us-versus-them mentality no matter the days the synod has found itself in.