“…and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled” (Titus 2:4-5). Paul, in this passage, instructs Titus to exhort men and women on how to live rooted in the life of a local church and the wisdom of older saints. He gives a glimpse of what Gospel-centered womanhood looks like in a community. It’s not self-taught or individualistic. It’s relational. Intergenerational. Intentional. Discipleship is not optional—it’s essential. I’ve found deep hope and strength in the arms and wisdom of older Christian women. Through home visits, cups of tea, open Bibles, late-night tears, gentle corrections, and joyful laughter, I’ve come to see how discipleship is both a gift and a guardrail. It’s God’s good design, and it’s beautiful.
Journey with me as we consider what Titus 2 discipleship looks like, why it matters, and how we, as women, can actively pursue discipleship in this season (whether married or not).
Why Discipleship?
In Romans 15:14, Paul exhorts us to instruct one another. In Hebrews 10:24, we are exhorted to stir up one another to love and good works. Discipleship is designed for the saints to build one another up in the faith. It can happen in everyday conversations, relationships, and rhythms of life. Discipleship is not only a responsibility designed for Church leaders; we are all called to disciple one another. None of us is perfect; we all need to grow in our faith as followers of Christ continually. One of the chief means by which we grow as disciples is through personal relationships in which we bring the truths of the Gospel to life in each other’s lives. The one-anothering ministry of discipleship is God’s gift to sustain and strengthen our faith. There are many ways through which discipleship can occur in a church. Still, one that is often neglected is older women walking with younger women.
Generational Discipleship
Paul, writing to Titus about establishing healthy church life in Crete, says older women are to “teach what is good” and “train the young women.” This model of discipleship is woven throughout Scripture. In Proverbs, wisdom is personified as a woman calling out to the simple to learn (Proverbs 8). In 2 Timothy 1:5, we see how Timothy’s sincere faith was passed down through his grandmother, Lois, and mother, Eunice. God’s design has always included generational teaching. Generational discipleship is not about perfection. It’s about godly faithfulness. The goal is not for older women to become mini-gods or for younger women to become clones. The goal is that the Word of God would not be reviled (Titus 2:5). In other words, how we live—under the guidance of older, godly women—should reflect the truth and beauty of the Gospel.
Paul does not specify an age for the “older women” who are to disciple the younger women. However, given the content of what they are to teach, their primary qualifications center on spiritual maturity. It is indisputable that valuable lessons and perspectives emerge from life experiences. Still, the truth is that every Christian woman and girl should consider surrounding herself with both older and younger women. We should seek out women who can encourage and equip us to live for God’s glory even as we seek to disciple other women in biblical womanhood.
Isolation and Self-Reliance don’t Work
We live in a culture that tells us, “You’re enough. Look within! Do you. Figure it out on your own.” But this is not the Christian life. Christianity is deeply relational, rooted in community and mutual encouragement (Hebrews 10:24-25). Many of us are trying to figure out biblical womanhood from books, blogs, YouTube, and/or social media influencers rather than walking closely with the many resourceful women in the church who have walked the road ahead of us. We need real-life models of endurance in marriage, godly singleness, faithful motherhood, joyful service, and quiet trust in God.
Neglecting discipleship often results in discouragement, confusion, and, often, spiritual immaturity. This is why God never intended for us to walk alone (Galatians 6:2). He gave us the body of Christ—including older women—to shape and shepherd us into maturity (Ephesians 4:15-16).
I’ve been tempted to figure things out on my own. But it is through godly older women—who patiently listen, pray with me, and gently correct my sin—that I have grown to appreciate God’s blessing of older women in his body. Their life—not just their words—has been and continues to be a great blessing in my Christian walk.
The Joy of Discipleship
One of the most beautiful gifts of discipleship is the fruit it bears over time. Paul says older women should teach and train “that the word of God may not be reviled” (Titus 2:5). In other words, our obedience adorns the Gospel (see also Titus 2:10). When younger women are teachable and older women are faithful, the whole church flourishes. Families are strengthened. Friendships are deepened. Best of all, young women walk with clarity and confidence. Not because they have it all together, but because they are walking alongside women who continually point them to Christ.
I’ve seen firsthand how the Spirit uses simple, ordinary moments with older women to shape and refine me. A conversation after church, a text checking in, making a meal together, the list goes on. These small seeds, when planted in love and truth, bear much fruit in season (Galatians 6:9).
And it’s not one-sided. Older women, too, are encouraged and energized as they disciple younger women (Philemon 1:7). It reminds them of God’s faithfulness in their journey—and deepens their dependence on Christ a little more.
Walking with the Wise
“Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm” (Proverbs 13:20). Dear sister, don’t walk alone. Don’t settle for curated content over a Christ-centered community. God has placed wise women in your local church for your good and his glory. Seek them out. Ask to learn. Sit under their teaching and guidance. Watch how they live. Let their stories shape your perspective. Let their faithfulness fuel your own. And if you don’t yet have a Titus 2 woman in your life, pray for one to come into your life. Look around your church. Start by serving, listening, and having an open mind. God is faithful to provide. Discipleship is not easy. It’s slow, vulnerable, and sometimes uncomfortable. But it is the way of Christ. He spent his ministry walking with others. And now, by his Spirit, we must also walk together.
Let’s be women who long not just for influence but for transformation. Women who don’t just follow trends but follow Jesus. Women who are humble enough to be taught, bold enough to teach others, and hungry enough to grow.