10For there are many rebellious people, mere talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision group. 11They must be silenced, because they are ruining whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach—and that for the sake of dishonest gain – Titus 1:10-11 NIV
Sometimes you’ll hear how women ought to be silent in the church and should not preach or teach. Well come on now. The Bible also talks about how some men also need to be silent in the church as well. A good example is right here in Titus chapter 1:11, where Paul clearly wrote: “They (men who are false teachers) must be silenced.”
When Paul left Titus on the island of Crete, one of his major responsibilities had to do with counteracting the false teaching and loose living of certain church leaders. How was Titus to do this? He was to silence them and to remove them if necessary from the fellowship.
This sort of assignment for pastors is not something new. Paul said the same thing to Timothy. He was told to “instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines, nor pay attention to myths and endless genealogies” (1 Tim. 1:3-4). Again, notice the idea of how some men were needed to keep silent in the church.
Paul also brought this to attention of the Corinthians. However, there the issue was not false doctrine, but the use of speaking in tongues out of order or without an interpreter.
“If anyone speaks in a tongue, it should be by two or at the most three, and each in turn, and let one interpret. But if there is no interpreter, LET HIM KEEP SILENT IN THE CHURCH” (emphasis mine) – 1 Cor. 14:27-28 NASB
So let’s not single out the women only. Men are also told to keep silent in the church, especially if they are promoting false doctrine of causing disorder by an improper use of one’s spiritual gift.
Now why am I saying this? Because men are given by God the primarily task of leadership in the church. In many cases, we have done a fairly good job. But we have also done our share of adding catastrophe. We don’t hear too much about the need for men to keep silent in the church especially cankerous men whose goal is to bring division and disrupt homes and worships services. But it’s there in the bible.
The pastor cannot have tunnel vision and go after the sisters and put muzzles on them without also looking at how some of the brothers may also need a muzzle as well. This is why it is good for every church to have an Elder Board or a Church Council made up of godly leaders who will also closely monitor the pastor. There are times when even the head shepherd must be told to change his message or clean up his act or be given a muzzle.
It seems that one day a kindergarten teacher was helping one of her students put on his cowboy boots? He asked for help, and she could see why. Even with her pulling and him pushing, the little boots still didn't want to go on. Finally, when the second boot was on, she had worked up a sweat.
She almost cried when the little boy said, "Teacher, they're on the wrong feet." She looked down and, sure enough, they were. It wasn't any easier pulling the boots off than it was putting them on. But she managed to keep her cool as together they worked to get the boots back on—this time on the right feet. And it was only then that he announced, "These aren't my boots." She bit her tongue rather than scream, "Why didn't you say so?" like she wanted to. And once again, she struggled to help him pull the ill-fitting boots off his little feet.
No sooner had they got the boots off then he said, "They're my brother’s boots. My Mom made me wear 'em today." Stifling a scream, she mustered up the grace and courage she had left to wrestle the ill-fitting boots on his feet again. Helping him into his coat, she asked, "Now, where are your mittens?" To which he replied, "I stuffed 'em in the toes of my boots."
No church and no leader ever gets things right the first time around. Doing church as a team takes practice and often trial and error. Asking some people to speak could be risky. Putting some people in leadership is also risky. Sometimes the risk is rewarded with success and sometimes it is not. You have your good days and those bad ones as well.
Even the pastor, mustering up the grace and courage not to say what he feels is rewarded when he too keeps silent in the church.
