People Need People
Americans value their independence, but we can carry it too far. Christians are called to encourage and seek community. People usually thrive on companionship, relationship, togetherness. There is timeless truth in the words of Barbara Streisand’s ballad:

“People, people who need people, are the luckiest people in the world.”

As women, we draw strength from others who have survived tough times. We benefit from the wisdom of those who have walked longer with the Lord. We become better sisters, friends, wives, and mothers by growing in our relationship with God through Bible studies, prayer, and vital, strategic relationships. We need to see how life has been handled by others who can be examples for us to follow.

Job loss, serious illness, childbirth, death of a loved one, natural disaster... what is the path God has called you to walk? Each woman will travel the path God sets before her. Sometimes He calls us to hardships. But we need not go it alone. We need women who will speak out boldly with a mature wisdom that only the knowledge and application of God's Word provides.

The Call
Titus was a young pastor sent by Paul to the island of Crete to establish the church there. Paul wrote to him, giving instructions primarily on how to choose elders and other leaders. What qualifications should these men and women have? In chapter 2, he characterized godly leadership beginning with the older men, and in verse 3, the older women.

"Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God." Titus 2:3-5 (NIV)

Other passages support the idea of teaching relationships. In 2 Timothy 2:2 we see the potential for four generations' worth of impact by the Word of God: “and what you (Timothy) heard me (Paul) say in the presence of many others as witnesses entrust to faithful people (third generation) who will be competent to teach others (fourth gen.) as well.”

The New Testament - supported by Old Testament examples such as Moses/Jethro and Elijah/Elisha - directly commands believers to join together in what we call mentoring. Both sexes are called to teach the truths of scripture, passing them down to following generations. But in Titus 2:3-2, the Lord speaks specifically to women. Why? Can’t a male pastor mentor women, too?