I get tickled when I see young preacher boys calling themselves "Senior Pastor". Did I say tickled? I meant bothered.
Why do preachers instist on being called anything other than "Mister"?
"Reverend Wills" or "Pastor Greg"
Are they in it for the title?
I realize that some people have problems with calling their pastor "Rick" (especially if their name is Bill, but I digress), so my suggestion is: if you have to give your pastor a title, call them "Brother".
Brother is the great equalizer. Brother puts your pastor on the same spiritual level as you.
Your pastor may have a doctorate (earned, honorary, or bought over the internet). So what?
Are we not fellow laborers in God's harvest?
By a differentiation of titles, we subconsciously begin to think that the pastor is more important than us to God or to God's work.
Uh, hello.
We are a royal priesthood of BELIEVERS. Each of us are saved by grace. God didn't give you a title, He gave you salvation.
Preacher-boys, get rid of your high faulting self-puffing titles. Senior pastor? Yeah, right.
5 comments:
I've notcied a trend over the past couple of years a change in title from senior pastor to teaching pastor. For example David Platt in Birmingham and Tony Merida in Hattisburg. Your thoughts?
Trey,
My whole point, I think, was the attitude of the pastor. Of course, anyone can call themselves whatever they want, but to insist on being called "Rev" or "Pastor" rather smacks of pharisee-ism.
I understand a differentiation of titles, especially in large churches, but even then, does that mean that they are only going to teach and not really "pastor" or shepherd the church?
I have another good friend whose designation is "lead pastor"; but he would never insist anyone call him that.
For example, I have a staff of two other ordained ministers, both of which are older than me with MUCH more experience pastoring than me. According to current trend, I could "call" myself "senior pastor", but good grief! I'm only puffing up myself.
The whole point of my post is attitude and humility of service.
I wholeheartly agree with you Rick. Thank you for your thoughts. I am somewhat confused by your second paragraph. Obviously the role of an elder in the church requires more than just teaching (moral character and running a household), but shouldn't our biggest desire to be to teach sound doctrine and to refute those who oppose it?
Trey, I'm not familiar with all that the title of "Teaching Pastor" really entails. I assume it is the main pastor of the church who no longer wants to make hospital visits and has decided that he is only there to preach. That's what it sounds like to me.
I will quickly admit that I am probably wrong... :D
Here's another true story (if I were lying I'd be sure to tell you) John Bisagno was pastoring FBC Houston, which had many ministers on staff to help the 25,000 members. One Sunday evening a man, who had just joined the church, told John "Now if I'm sick I expect YOU to visit me in the hospital." John quickly replied "Son, you don't want to be THAT sick!"
Bob
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