Clergy Titles

There is no Biblical precedent for it, so I would just call them Pastors, Preachers, or Brothers.

 

Upbringing? Why do some SB folks join the Freemasons? Lack of understanding doctrinal differences, lack of knowledge of the Word of God?

 

Preacher and Pastor I know but where did Elder come from?... Just curious... Brother Glen

 

Only my close friends call me Most Holy Reverend.

Some call me "looking for a husband."

Most just say "Hey, Tina".

 

I don't think it is a sin to call someone Reverend. We are commanded to show respect for God's man and one way of doing so is by reverencing His man.

Just my opinion.

 

Saint Someone, the Reverend business aside, welcome to the BaptistBoard.com! Since this is your first post, why don't you drop in to the Welcome forum and introduce yourself. We'd like to know who you are, what are your isterests and views. God bless!

 

Old Testament examples:

2 Samuel 9:6 Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, was come unto David, he fell on his face, and did reverence. And David said, Mephibosheth. And he answered, Behold thy servant!

1 Kings 1:31 Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the earth, and did reverence to the king, and said, Let my lord king David live for ever.

New Testament examples:

Ephesians 5:33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

Hebrews 12:9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

There is no magic to "reverence" or "reverend." It simply means to respect. Pastors are worthy of respect. I don't like to be called "Reverend" but I don't have a hissy fit when someone does.

 

I was used to Brother, because that's what we always called our (my?) first preacher. I say "my" because he wasn't the church's first, but he was there for the first 14 years of my life. Now, we call our pastor "Pastor Benny". Even people who start off calling him Brother Benny (mostly the older men) wind up calling him Pastor Benny.

 

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by tyndale1946:
Preacher and Pastor I know but where did Elder come from?... Just curious... Brother Glen <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Elder is one of the Scriptural titles for the office, along with pastor and bishop.

 

I'm giving a dictionary definition of 'title' that I think will relate to the way it is being used in this discussion: "an appellation of dignity, honor, distinction, or preeminence attached to a person or family by virtue of rank, office, precedent, privilege, attainment, or lands" (Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary). I'm using this definition to place in context the statements I will try to make. Title could mean as much as the above, or as little as a "decriptive name".

It is my opinion that the New Testament establishes NO TITLES in the sense defined above. Elder, bishop, preacher, pastor (shepherd), teacher, overseer, etc. are names describing the work of an office or duty to which one is called. So while I think it is proper to say "Isaac Backus, an elder", I don't think God ever intended us to make it a title as in "Elder Isaac Backus". Sitting here daydreaming about this, I don't remember even the apostles attaching it to themselves this way "The Apostle Paul", but rather saying "Paul, an apostle". Seems like New Testament precedent ought to be good enough. If we must have a title how about this one - Servant R. L. Vaughn. Probably most of us would drop the titles if that was the best we could do.
Seriously, folks, I think the tenor of the New Testament is toward staying away from things that tend to give us preeminence among our brethren. This is not to charge that those who have (or use) titles are necessarily so motivated. Many times we are just conforming to popular usage and trying not to make an big issue out of something when we have "bigger fish to fry". I used to call the funeral homes and newspapers and tell them not to put "reverend" in front of my name in obituaries (others' obituaries, not mine :eek ). Now I just don't read the obituaries! BUT, I do think titles have a tendency to widen the clergy/laity gap in our churches (and the gap between the DOCTOR clergy and BACHELOR clergy), and this is unfortunate and counter-productive. Just look at all the ignert preachers who want to have "doctor" attached to the front of their names. [No resemblance intended to any "doctors" involved in this post. ]

Personally, I've never minded anyone calling me by my name. That's what Momma and Daddy gave it to me for. Course, that's exceptin' you Yankees who think it's your privilege to shorten "Robert" right on down to "Bob" without even askin' if'en it's OK!

[ December 04, 2001: Message edited by: rlvaughn ]

 

I would like more thoughts on the title of Reverend if anyone would care to share. Especially with the verses cited so I could look over the text or context as it were. I'll share why later or start a new thread if it needs one.

 

I agree with Brother Robert on this and thanks to Pastor Larry for clearing up the meaning of Elder for me. I knew the answer but my brain must have been taking a walk at that time... Brother Glen

 

Brian asked:

I would like more thoughts on the title of Reverend if anyone would care to share.

In my jurisdiction (the Province of Ontario), the title "Reverend" is as much a legal title as it is an honorific - those who have "Rev." prepended to their name are ordained and thus licensed to officiate at weddings and funerals.

The pastors at my church don't go around calling themselves "Reverend Rick" or anything like this (generally speaking we either call them "Pastor" or by their first names), but by the laws of the land, they are one whether they like it or not!