How Do You Feel About The Title Reverend?

I don't use it. There are Biblical names for the office of pastor in a New Testament church - elder, bishop, pastor. We should use them and leave off other titles - reverend, doctor, etc.

 

I prefer Pastor. It's how it's on my calling cards, church bulletins, etc., but I don't get in a hullabaloo if someone calls me Rev. Ps 119:9 is not scriptural reasonsing against it.

 

I am not a big fan of titles. I have a "functional ecclesiology" so I prfer to be called by my function within the Body. That's pastor.

 

I would never use it. Oh, wait a second !

I think Frederick Buechner has a great entry on "Reverend" in Wishful Thinking. I'll try to find it this afternoon.

I've been called Brother Joshua, Reverend Joshua, Preacher, Pastor, Pastor Joshua, and several things I won't repeat here. Of them all, "Reverend Joshua" seems to be the one most commonly used by others, and seems to have stuck the best. In print, I always use "The Reverend so-and-so" when referreng to colleagues who are Protestant clergy.

It simply means "worthy of respect" which, as Buechner points out, is a product of Whom we serve more than who we are. It is an earned title, bestowed by others (and at the request of others) to indicate that I am someone who has been invested with the traditions and heritage of our faith, and set aside for a particular role in the community. I am comfortable with that, although sometimes daunted by the incumbent responsibilities.

Joshua

 

Call me Brother, Call me Friend.
But, please don't call me Reverend.

 

Perhaps some underlying questions might be - why do we need a title? are the New Testament names bishop, elder, etc. even intended to be titles?

For example of what I'm saying - should it be John Doe, a pastor? or, Pastor John Doe; Joe Jones, an elder? or, Elder Joe Jones?

 

About 40 years ago, every dog and his uncle was begging some seminary to confer a DD on him so he could avoid the term Rev. Then the term Dr became a title amounting to gaseous vapours.
Is pastor a title or the office? For example, is it really Pastor Stevens? Or, Mr Stevens is pastor of so and so church? I guess I don't trouble about wot anyone calls me.

The Rev'd Dr. James Stevens, Vicar of St. ALbans, now retired....That ought to do it..wait...forgot..emeritus....or some such thing.

Cheers,

Jim

 

Robert, I have a better question: How'd you get the Texas flag on your Avatar?

 

There you go, Tom, trying to change the subject! Actually, I just happened to find it in the COUNTRY flags (appropriately) when I was looking at the avatars (whatever that is ). Well, I guess I was looking at flags to put in my avatar. Why would I want to be incarnated as a flag?? Somebody 'splain this computer jargon to me. Oh well, whatever!

BTW, in the next hour I will be changing it to the USA flag for September 11. Then I suppose I will change it back to the old Lone Star.

 

Just a term of respect. Our pastor is a PHD, but callind a preacher "Doctor" sounds kinda funny. So Pastor, or Preacher, sounds fine to me. We call our deacon "Deacon Joe". But reverend...I don't like using it.

 

Robert

I believe they are offices and not titles.

Jeff

 

The community I minister in is about 80% Catholic, so when I do things in the secular community, like I did today for a 9-11 service, I use the title Rev. because it is what most folks in this area are used to calling someone who works at a church. At my own church mostly I am called preacher, which I enjoy the most.
I understand the Rev. title and feel honored to have such a title placed on me by a group of people who see the evidence of the calling God has place on my life.

 

In my last Church my Deacon Chariman always called me Rev. Which was better that the other thing he called me which was Larry. The problem with Larry is that isn't my name but rather the name of a former Pastor. so hey Rev was fine.
Murph

 

If to be called Rev. is blasphemous and disrespectful, what do we do with all those spanish dudes called Jesus...

 

I like being called Most Holy Reverend better, but my first name will do.

 

I prefer to be called "pastor" but I employ the use of "reverend."

Rev. G