Reverend?

I doesn't say anything about my view of his authority. That comes from the heart. The scriptures say a pastor's job is to study and teach the scriptures. It doesn't ever say we are to call him by a title. The apostle Paul referred to himself as "Paul".

It seems to me that if my pastor wants to be called by his first name, then I am respecting his authority to do so.

 

I was asked to write an item about the upcoming Canada Day, and this thread convinces me I am not interested. It would mean nothing, and I'm sure everyone would have an opinion about just that!

Cheers,

Jim

 

Calling my Pastor by his first name as he calls me by my first name, says that we are all Christians saved by Grace. He has a responsibility as a pastor; and I have a responsibility as a teacher. We are both responsible to God. The fact that he encourages it, tells me that he does not need to be called by an elevated title to boast his ego. It speaks well for my pastor.

Informal and casual relationship? Sure, why not? My pastor has the same type of problems and issues as we do. He projects that in his messages. I think that he does not consider himself more spiritual than we are. Again, it speaks well for my pastor in that he does not need to be treated as being above others in the church. My pastor apparently does not need to command respect by having an elevated title, he has earned our respect.

BTW, people respect him and no one questions his authority to lead. My Pastor does not need to violate Matt. 23:8-10 to achieve respect.

 

It does indeed use those titles in talking about offices and functions within the church, but Matt. 23:8-10 says we are not to directly address another Christian using those titles as a name for that Christion.

 

Just out of curiosity, if you are trying to raise your children to respect their elders and one or two of the middle-age women refuse to be called by Mrs. or Miss, but still want to be called by their first name--even by your toddlers, and pre-teens what do you do? You don't want it. You want to teach them always have respect to their elders by giving them some kind of title (Mr. Mrs., Miss, Ma'am, Sir). How do you counsel your children in that situation?

 

But don't we address persons of authority differently because of their authority?

But doesn't the mouth speak from the abundance of the heart?

Then why does it give him a title?

Actually, he addressed himself as "Paul, an Apostle".

What if your pastor is wrong?

 

Maybe split the difference like in preschool? "Hi Miss Amy!" "Hi Miss Brandi!" "Good morning, Miss Debbie!" Maybe like that?

 

I'm a pastor and there are many times I appreciate it when people make an appointment or call ahead. There are times when I'm available to drop what I'm doing and talk and there are times when I'm not. Anybody who knows me knows that I love to talk, whether it's just shooting the breeze making small talk, or talking about serious things. But just because I like to do it doesn't mean that it's always possible for me to do it right at that moment. There are times when I simply have to say, "Hey, that's a great question and I want to talk with you some more about that, but I've got to get back to you. When would be a convenient time for you to talk about this?" It's always nice when people show me the courtesy of recognizing that I'm in the middle of something. It's also nice when they show the humility of understanding that the world doesn't stop for them and that there may be times when they have to wait in line.

We have 340 people in our church. Are we supposed to see them all at once? If somebody comes to me while I'm counselling someone and wants to talk, should I just end the counselling session to talk with them? If I'm sitting down to supper with my family (which the Bible says is my first priority, even before the church) and somebody calls me wanting to know the difference between predestination and predeterminism, is it really that big a crime to ask them to call me back at a specific time when I'm free to talk?

You're being silly now, JDF. Our church has less than 75 members. The other day I called our Pastor and found out he was on the road traveling. I told him I'd talk with him after he returned home. He did...and I did.

 

I guess it's just easier to insult me than to address what I said.

 

John, I call my pastor what he wants to be called. I have never picked his brain about it or questioned him as to why he feels that way. But if he wants me to call him bro. Mike, then how am I being disrespectful?

And "what if my pastor is wrong"? There are no rules about it that's why. He is allowed to be called whatever he wants to be called. My church is Baptist not Catholic.

 

I would teach them to respect the person who is making the request & call them by whatever they wanted to be called. Plenty of children have called me Amy. It doesn't mean they don't respect me. If they have a smart mouth, that's another matter.

 

Perhaps its a difference in culture; I don't know. Both Ann and Salty testified that they are quite strict with the matter in teaching their children to always addressing their elders with a title: Mr., Mrs. Ma'am, etc. The reason I asked, is, if they are taught to do this when young then they would have no problem calling the pastor of the church "pastor" when older. I believe that is the respectful thing to do. His title is pastor, and should be addressed as such by the "children" of the church, simply out of respect.

 

That's really interesting that you're getting so defensive about it.

Why do you think we call certain people "Dr" or "Mr." or by other titles, if not out of repect?

 

A lot of discussion here about need for respect, etc. Of course the real question is who's need, the laymens' or the Pastors'?

Regardless, the scripture still says not to address another Christian using an elevated title. I will respect the scripture.

 

If you want to be strict about it, pastor is the office held and not a title anyway. Same is true of bishop and elder as used in scripture.

Cheers,

Jim

 

I guess it's just easier to insult me than to address what I said.

Obviously that's the same impression I get from you.

Again, and obviously, if you pastor a church of 350 people/families you can't be bothered by someone if you're in engaged in counselling another. Even I can understand and appreciate that. Or, at the bedside of a dying member and trying to console the family. Those are given. Only an idiot would expect you to break away and then to their minor concerns.

On the other hand, there are some that if you even bother to speak to in the parking lot they just don't seem to have the time and otherwise not interested.

It does seem however that with as much time as you spend on this forum board you're not really all that busy to begin with but I will have more respect for you in the future.

 

When did I insult you? When have I ignored what you said?

So then why are you so angry about the idea of people meeting with us at a pre-arranged time?

Then they must not have wanted to speak to us that badly after all.

First of all, I don't think two posts a day is really all that much time. Second, just because I do have some free time doesn't mean that I wouldn't be willing to talk to someone during that time.