How a pastor is to be addressed

I think all of it is in one's attitude. I don't think there is exactly a problem with calling a minister 'Reverend' (I'll explain in a minute). Yes God is to be reverenced but using the argument that only he should have the word applied to him leads to the obvious and logical conclusion that we could never say so & so is a "good" guy because ONLY He is good, etc. It is not in the title but the attitude where the problem lies. Above somehwere it was mentioned that the person did not know anyone with the "Rev" monkier who actually put themselves on the level of God and that is a good point. Someone with the title Pastor can be arrogant in use of the term. Rev is an older form of address and in certain cultures highly used (England...Canada but not quite in the same way as in the US - will explain later).

Above someone else mentioned the pastor who got angry at someone for calling him by his first name. There was a similar case on another board where the person demanded to be called Pastor and felt it his right to call everyone else by their first name. His logic was that he was in authority of all of them. My thought is this...just as in the secular world....if you are in a postion where everyone is referred to be a title (Mr or Ms) then you ought to be referred to be yours (be it Pastor...Dr. Col...) but if everyone else is John & Susie you come across as a tad arrogant demanding to be Dr. or Pastor...so & so. There was an EdD on my daughters Band Parents group who insisted on being called "Dr." when all of the other parents were Jose & Sara, etc.

Now the explanation, my grandmother was English and we lived in Canada. It used to irritate her when someone called the Anglican vicar "Reverend" because it is not a form of address in correct english grammar. It has become so in common useage in the US (maybe Canada by now) and so I do not criticize my fellow Americans who call somone Reverend Smith. But in England and Canada you do not go up to an ArchBishop and say "Good morning Right Reverend Haversham III".

As I say, we are to be humble and anything with the wrong attitude (Paul gets at this in Corninthians) can be harmful to our witness. Getting caught up in "I am more humble than him because he is called Reverend and I am just a humble Pastor who is in authority over those in my congregation who must refer to me as Pastor out of respect...yada...yada" is er silly. Please note I am not accusing anyone here of having that attitude but I have seen it elsewhere.

North

 

My pastor likes to be called by his first name, but I just can't do it. I do refer to him as pastor Robin. He deserves the respect even if he does not wish it.