Single lesson
Titus 1: Paul’s Greeting to Titus
Titus 1:1–4; Titus 1:5–9; Titus 1:10–16
In Titus 1, Paul greets Titus, explains why he left him in Crete, and contrasts trustworthy leaders with harmful teachers. This lesson helps children notice what true teaching should produce in words, character, and actions.
Before you teach
These verses move from Paul’s greeting to Titus, to instructions about appointing elders in every city, and then to a warning about unruly deceivers. The passage connects truth, godliness, sound teaching, and behaviour, and it shows why the churches in Crete needed careful leadership.
Students will be able to name one purpose of Paul’s message, two qualities of an elder, and one way false teaching is shown to be harmful in Titus 1.
Welcome: Truth that leads to godliness
5 minAsk children to listen for three big ideas as you read: truth, leaders, and false teaching. Introduce Paul as the writer and Titus as the person receiving the letter. Point out that Paul links truth with godliness and says God promised eternal life and does not lie. This prepares the class to look for what true teaching does.
Titus 1:1, Titus 1:2, Titus 1:4
Read and explain: Why Titus was left in Crete
8 minRead Titus 1:1-9 aloud. Explain that Titus was left in Crete to set things in order and appoint elders in every city. Elders and overseers are described by their character. Notice both what they should avoid and what they should show, including hospitality, self-control, and holding firmly to the faithful word.
Titus 1:5, Titus 1:7, Titus 1:8, Titus 1:9
Discuss: Why sound teaching matters
7 minNow read Titus 1:10-16. Help children observe that some people were unruly, deceptive, and teaching things they ought not. Their teaching harmed whole households and was tied to dishonest gain. Paul says they claimed to know God, yet their deeds denied him. Discuss how words and actions are both important in this passage.
Titus 1:10, Titus 1:11, Titus 1:13, Titus 1:16
Make and respond: Reminder card of faithful words
7 minInvite each child to choose one short phrase from the passage to remember, such as “the truth which is according to godliness” or “holding to the faithful word”. They create a small reminder card and add one simple action that fits the verse, such as telling the truth, showing self-control, or choosing what is good.
Titus 1:1, Titus 1:8, Titus 1:9, Titus 1:16
Closing: Spot the contrast
3 minFinish by reviewing the contrast in Titus 1. On one side are truth, godliness, faithful words, and good works. On the other are deception, turning away from the truth, and deeds that deny God. Have children say one thing they learned about good leadership and one warning they heard about false teaching.
Titus 1:1, Titus 1:9, Titus 1:14, Titus 1:16
Questions to explore
Why does Paul connect truth with godliness in his greeting?
Guide children to notice that Paul says the knowledge of the truth is according to godliness, so truth in this passage is meant to shape life, not only ideas.
Titus 1:1
What qualities does Paul want in an elder or overseer?
Encourage children to list both sides: things to avoid, such as being self-pleasing or violent, and things to show, such as hospitality, holiness, and self-control.
Titus 1:7, Titus 1:8, Titus 1:9
How does Paul show that false teachers are a serious problem?
Look for the results named in the passage: they deceive, overturn whole households, turn people away from the truth, and their deeds deny God.
Titus 1:10, Titus 1:11, Titus 1:14, Titus 1:16
Make, think or respond
Faithful Word Reminder Card
What you’ll need
- paper or card
- pencils or pens
- colours or markers
- Bible text written where children can see it
Try it together
- Read Titus 1:1, Titus 1:8, Titus 1:9, and Titus 1:16 again and let each child choose one phrase to remember.
- Fold or cut paper into a small card and write the chosen phrase on the front.
- On the back, write or draw one action that matches the passage, such as telling the truth, being self-controlled, or loving what is good.
- Let children share their card with a partner and explain why they chose that phrase.
The card helps children remember that Titus 1 connects faithful words with godly character and warns against speech and behaviour that deny the truth.
Adapt for your group
- For younger children, offer two or three short phrase choices from the passage and let them draw the matching action instead of writing a sentence.
- For older or more confident children, ask them to sort qualities from Titus 1:7-9 into two headings, 'avoid' and 'pursue', before making the card.
An optional closing prayer
'God our Saviour, please help us love the truth, choose what is good, and live in ways that match what we say about you. Amen.'
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Titus 1
1 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s chosen ones and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness,
2 in hope of eternal life, which God, who can’t lie, promised before time began;
3 but in his own time revealed his word in the message with which I was entrusted according to the commandment of God our Savior,
4 to Titus, my true child according to a common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.
5 I left you in Crete for this reason, that you would set in order the things that were lacking and appoint elders in every city, as I directed you—
6 if anyone is blameless, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, who are not accused of loose or unruly behavior.
7 For the overseer must be blameless, as God’s steward, not self-pleasing, not easily angered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for dishonest gain;
8 but given to hospitality, a lover of good, sober minded, fair, holy, self-controlled,
9 holding to the faithful word which is according to the teaching, that he may be able to exhort in the sound doctrine, and to convict those who contradict him.
10 For there are also many unruly men, vain talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision,
11 whose mouths must be stopped: men who overthrow whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for dishonest gain’s sake.
12 One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, and idle gluttons.”
13 This testimony is true. For this cause, reprove them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith,
14 not paying attention to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn away from the truth.
15 To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their mind and their conscience are defiled.
16 They profess that they know God, but by their deeds they deny him, being abominable, disobedient, and unfit for any good work.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.