“Would EGM be interested in starting a children’s ministry in Kazakhstan?”
At the time, Every Generation Ministries was doing children’s ministry work in three Eastern European countries. We were involved with hundreds of evangelical churches and had developed great relationships with over fifteen different denominations.
One was the Baptist Union in Poland, Hungary, and Belarus. As is our practice, our national ministry teams were both training children’s workers and creating culturally relevant Bible teaching materials.
These biblically sound materials connected the Word of God to the real life of the children in their particular culture.
Like other denominations, the Baptist Union folks in Europe met together from time to time, and in one of those gatherings, Viktor from Kazakhstan learned about our ministry.
While talking with Baptist leaders from Belarus, he heard about EGM. Viktor followed up by contacting me at our office in Krakow, Poland. He sent me a warm letter inquiring if we were interested in starting a ministry in Kazakhstan. Replying by mail, I thanked him for his gracious inquiry but explained that Kazakhstan was not in our plans.
About six weeks later I got an email from Viktor. (I think it took six weeks to deliver a letter back then, thus his delayed response.) Viktor thanked me for my kind response and asked me if I would be willing to prayerfully reconsider. I replied that the board of directors in the United States determined our new fields of ministry, but, yes, I would pray.
Three months later I got a call from a friend in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Through a mutual friend, he’d been contacted by a Christian leader in Kazakhstan who worked with children in the Baptist Union.
They needed EGM to come and start work there. Sure enough, that “Christian leader in Kazakhstan” was Viktor. I explained our growth management issues to my Tennessee friend, and he understood.
About a month later he called me back: Viktor had contacted him again, and some churches and Christian business. people in the US were interested in an EGM-Kazakhstan ministry. I told him I would discuss the matter with the board, but the startup wasn’t likely to happen.
A couple of months later two board members spent the week with me in Poland. Afterward, we traveled to Minsk, Belarus, to visit the field.
Arriving at the train platform in Minsk after an all-night train ride, we were greeted by a group of key Belarusian ministry leaders—and I noticed someone new. When we stepped off the train, introductions were made. When we got to the new face, I was shocked to be introduced to Viktor from Kazakhstan.
Viktor had traveled for several days by train from Alma Aty, Kazakhstan. He wanted to meet me personally and make a direct appeal. He spent the day with me in Minsk and left the next morning to return home. Clearly, Viktor was a man willing to take initiative.
He was enthusiastic and dedicated to the vision God had given him for children’s ministry in Kazakhstan. God did not lead EGM to launch a ministry in Kazakhstan but we did work with Viktor providing him with training and Russian language Bible teaching materials.
Viktor had some of the same qualities Paul highlighted in his description of Titus:
"Thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same concern I have for you. For Titus not only welcomed our appeal, but he is coming to you with much enthusiasm and on his own initiative." (2 Corinthians 8:16-17)
Man with a Mission
Titus was a beloved missionary and pastor who served with the apostle Paul. Not much is known about his life.
Most fascinating is Titus’s complete absence from the Acts of the Apostles. Wouldn’t the apostle Paul’s trusted lieutenant be mentioned at some point?
Apparently not.
What we do know about Titus comes from Paul’s letter to him—the book of Titus—and from Paul’s correspondence to churches where Titus figured prominently.
So, Titus was a Greek convert to Christianity (Galatians 2:3). Scripture doesn’t tell us how he met Paul, but Titus may have been led to Christ through Paul's ministry since the apostle referred to Titus as a true son in our common faith (Titus 1:4 NIV).
When we read about Paul's missionary journeys, we see that Titus was an early ministry partner with Paul and Barnabas (Galatians 2:1). The Jewish circumcision group wanted Titus to be circumcised, but Paul insisted that Titus not placate them (Galatians 2:3-4). Titus and Paul made separate visits to Troas (2 Corinthians 2:12-13).
Later, Titus met Paul in Macedonia, bringing news of the spiritual state of the church at Corinth (2 Corinthians 7:6-7). Titus was filled with joy and affection for the people there (2 Corinthians 7:13-15), an affection that Paul shared (2 Corinthians 8:16).
Paul was delighted that Titus decided on his own to go back to Corinth and receive the offering for the saints who suffered in Jerusalem, the offering the Corinthians had promised (2 Corinthians 8:6-12; 16-24).
Having praised Titus as my partner and fellow worker, Paul later commented, Did we not conduct ourselves in the same spirit and walk in the same steps? (2 Corinthians 8:23; 12:18 NIV). Paul appointed Titus—an ordained pastor—to be the senior leader of the Christian movement on the island of Crete (Titus 1:5).
In 2 Corinthians 8:17, we see that Titus was headed to Corinth with much enthusiasm and on his own initiative (NIV). Titus found the idea of a return visit more than just agreeable; he enthusiastically embraced the opportunity (v. 17).
Ultimately, though, Titus’s love for the Corinthians was the result of a divine work in his heart. God had brought about in Titus the kind of affection for God's people that God Himself possesses (v. 16).
Besides eagerly accepting the idea of a return visit to Corinth, Titus was making the journey on his own initiative (v. 17). The Greek term authairetos (autos "self" + haireomai "to choose") refers to something done of one's own accord, something freely chosen.
The word was used in 8:3 to describe how the Philippians contributed to the offering for the Jerusalem church entirely on their own without any prompting at all from Paul. The implication here is that Titus had been thinking about returning to Corinth even before Paul approached him.
A Man of Action, A Man of Character
A person known for enthusiasm, zeal, and doing things on his own initiative, Titus was a man who—like Paul—approached his mission with drive, determination, and eagerness.
Titus was a person of action who relied on God’s power to get the important job done:
"We are sending along with him the brother who is praised by all the churches for his service to the gospel. What is more, he was chosen by the churches to accompany us as we carry the offering, which we administer in order to honor the Lord himself and to show our eagerness to help. We want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift. For we are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man. In addition, we are sending with them our brother who has often proved to us in many ways that he is zealous, and now even more so because of his great confidence in you. As for Titus, he is my partner and co-worker among you; as for our brothers, they are representatives of the churches and an honor to Christ. Therefore, show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our pride in you, so that the churches can see it." (2 Corinthians 8:22-24 NIV)
Consider some of the qualities that characterize Titus and the men traveling with him:
- Compassionate and concerned: Everyone in the group likely shared Paul’s concern that the Corinthians would follow through on the commitments they had made before God. (v. 16 NIV)
- Enthusiastic: With an eagerness and willingness to work hard, the team went to Corinth motivated to see the offering actually come together. (v. 17)
- Willing to take initiative: The team didn’t have to be coerced or incentivized to go. They went of their own accord. (v. 17)
- Honoring the Lord: As they traveled to Corinth, worked among the Corinthians to gather the offering, and then went on to Rome, Titus and the men wanted to serve God and honor Jesus in everything they did. (vv. 19, 23)
- Eager to help: Probably motivated to help in a variety of ways, they were, I’m sure, eager to help the church in Jerusalem. And what an honor to help Paul in his ministry by traveling ahead to Corinth! (v. 19)
- Committed to doing what needed to be done: Despite the risks involved in hauling cash around the Roman Empire, these men were voluntarily taking pains in the assignment and serving God with excellence. (v.21)
- Zealous: These men were passionate for Christ and wholeheartedly committed to His kingdom purposes. (vs. 22)
- Confident that the Corinthians would come through: The team believed that the Corinthians meant what they had said earlier and that they would follow through on the commitment they had made. (v. 22)
- Representing the church: Greatly valuing their church communities and respected by them, these men wanted to represent well their home fellowships as they traveled to Corinth and then on to Jerusalem. (vv. 18, 19, 23)
Closing Thoughts
On the Road Less Traveled, these are the same qualities that are needed by pastors, missionaries, ministry leaders and other Christian leaders that are responsible for fund raising.
Titus and his brothers in the Lord model for us the kind of leader who takes initiative to serve God and who is dedicated to serving Him with excellence.
God wants leaders in fund development to show the same kind of willingness to take initiative and the same kind of dedication to their important work of God.
On the Road Well Traveled, communication skills, relational skills, vision casting abilities and the ability to “close” are crucial. The ability to present the ministry in a compelling fashion is at a premium.
I have heard many leaders talk about the importance of people skills, phone skills and the talent of connecting with people. At some point the list of qualifications begins to sound remarkably similar to a secular sales person, marketing expert and advertising manager.
This underlying current causes many Pastors, missionaries, and Christian leaders to cringe at the thought of talking about money; not wanting to come across as some kind of Christian snake oil salesperson.
In contrast to this, we note that Titus was all about dedication and enthusiasm for the ministry of fund raising.
Next week we will explore the Road Less Traveled to see how we can experience the kind of enthusiasm and dedication that characterized Titus’ fund-raising ministry.