Titus 1:5

For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that were wanting, and appoint elders in every city, as I gave thee charge;

I left thee in Crete ... Here is all that is known of Paul and Titus' efforts together in Crete; but it must be inferred that, after the first imprisonment, Paul was released and that he and his aides carried on extensive missionary work, perhaps even making that long projected journey to Spain that Paul mentioned in Romans. Certainly, he carried on work in Crete. Crete is the large island lying about equidistant from three continents and in the midst of the Mediterranean Sea. Paul had touched there briefly on the shipwreck journey, but at that time he was a prisoner en route to Rome.

Crete was the cradle of the ancient Minoan civilization, and there was said to have been a hundred cities on the island. The population was of mixed races, noted for their trickery, drunkenness and licentiousness. A temple of Bacchus was there, and the island was famed for its wines. Paul himself, in following verses, would discuss the evil character of many of the people. It was not an enviable assignment which Titus here received from the apostle. Still, there were many congregations of believers there, some, perhaps, dating from those citizens of Crete who on Pentecost had heard the good news in Jerusalem (Acts 2:11).

Elders in every city ... This actually means a plurality of elders in every church in each city of Crete, indicating the extensive spread of the gospel there at the time of Paul's letter. It is a misunderstanding of this injunction to make Paul's meaning to be that "at least one elder" should be appointed in every church.