I left you behind in Crete for this reason, so that you should put in order what remained to be done and should appoint elders in every town, as I directed you. Titus 1:5
“I conclude that the current Brazilian model is contrary to God’s plan. For this reason, the Church has the pastoral duty of prophetically denouncing this model without fear and encouraging the people to transform these structures. On the other hand, this transformation must be a peaceful and democratic process. To achieve this, it is necessary to organize the people. Only an organized people will be able to proceed peacefully and democratically to transform society.”
Cláudio Hummes (1934-2022) as cited in Unemployment, Causes and Consequences (São Paulo: Paulinas, 1984) 65-94.
Today’s Scripture will come out in every meeting I have in Brazil.
Paul commissioned Titus to put order and oversight in place. He did this because he knew it would position the gospel to flourish with integrity and sustainability.
The same holds true today. But people treat order and oversight as unimportant.
They say we must focus on gospel evangelism and discipleship. Sadly, however, without order and oversight, the work only grows by addition and leads to exhaustion with no succession.
Paul and Hummes knew better. God’s people must organize to have an impact on society.
When we do, we make our most generous impact. The ministry grows by multiplication and it leads to expansion with sustainability and succession.
Paul aimed to organize people and that’s our aim at GTP today. Pray for us in Brazil.