"Preacher Boys"

Interesting to hear this, bapmom. I think it's kind of neat, and actually wonderful! Bob, Sr., was a great man of God.

 

bapmom
Marjoe, was the World's Youngest Ordained Minister who performed his first marriage ceremony at the age of 4.
Preacher boy indeed.

 

mioque,

oh I see, now Im more awake. This Marjoe boy does not fit the definition of a "preacher boy".

 

There is an official definition?

 

mioque,

first they have to have been a preacher! This 4 year old Marjoe boy was forced to recite the marriage ceremony so that couples could pay extravagant amounts to be able to say they were married by a 4 year old. Reciting the marriage ceremony is not preaching.

We are in here talking about young men who have been called to preach, whether to be in the pastorate, evangelism, mission field, or just to preach the Word whenever they can. If it is pressure from their parents, then the truth will be found out pretty quickly. I believe your pointing out this Marjoe person is an attempt to claim that "preacher boys" are just kids being forced by their parents to gain some sort of position, and I think thats an unfair characterization.
It would make me very happy if I were wrong about your intentions.........

 

Hezekiah 24:6

 

bapmom
Being so paranoid isn't good for you.
I simply posted the first thing I associated with the words "preacher boy".
For clarity I did not do that as a general statement of opinion regarding folks described as "preacher boys".

 

see mioque? I couldn't be happier now! Except Im going on a day past my due date.......

So at any minute I could just stop in the middle of a post and have to leave........


This is not that minute.


lol

 

When I was at Maranatha Baptist Bible College in Watertown, Wisconsin, there was a "preacher boys" class REQUIRED of all who were majoring in pastoral studies and missions. Dr. Cedarholm called it that for many years previously, if I'm not mistaken, even back to the time when he was President of Pillsbury Baptist Bible College and President of the Northern Baptist Convention (now the American Baptist Convention). I was in the SBC for a little over 3 years, and I never heard it there. They always say "lay preacher" or something to that effect.

 

When were you at Maranatha? My husband and I were both there back in the early 90s, and we remember that Preacher Boy's class. I think my husband got to hear Dr. Cedarholm in there once or twice, but by his time the Cedarholms were mostly down in Florida.

 

I was there in the early 1980's.

 

Another thing that we may want to consider is this term "calling" boys to preach. I know that in the past at my home church the "preacher boy" was consider in a different league. There were special activities for the preacher boys and special services for the preacher boys. This resulted in more boys being "called" to preach. The sad thing is that 1 out of 2 of these boys are not even in full-time christian service now and will claim that there "call" was just to get the same attention that the "preacher boy" got.
I am happy to say that this attitude has changed in my church now. Yet what I am interested in knowing is this going on in other churches around the country?

 

After 10 years the percentage of students who are still pastoring who graduated from seminary is near zero. sSme have recognized that "calling" is not confined to a wooden box in the front of the church preaching to those who will eventually be in another wooden box.

 

So gb93433 are you saying that the term and the attention the term "preacher boy" gets, does make for sometimes a psuedo calling?

 

I believe he is saying that some who thought they were called to preach, but found that there are other avenues of full time service to God, ie, Christian School teacher, administrator, Christian radio, missionary, etc. God doesn't confine service to just preaching for those called to ministry.

 

Understood

 

I daresay that there are some serving who were never 'called' and so in some way assigning blame to the title of Preacher Boy is equal to blaming an automobile for an accident. Some are called by other than God and there works bear record and some are God called and fall away out of sin and their record shows it. Some have been called Preacher Boys and some have not...so it is really irrelevant either way. And at 36 while I may be a 'boy' to some I'm far from the 'Preacher Boy' kiddie term some of you are describing but I do still consider myself a Preacher Boy because I'm being mentored and trained and discipled through my Pastor and Church Leadership to be a Preacher someday. Now whether I preach as a Pastor or Asst Pastor or Christian School Teacher is another story

 

Since many youth surrender to preach at a very young age (our son at 12) what would you call them? I personally see nothing wrong with the term for it is a term of endearment to a boy who has surrendered but has not gone through the early stages of maturity and education.

Also I would not be surprised if the term started with Dr. Bob Jones Sr, Dr. Hyles, Dr. Rice, or someone in that very prestiges circle at the time these men came on the sceene America needed preachers and churches so in a very real and respectful sense the men who came from those colleges and churches were their "preacher boys". It is not a mean spirited or ownership term it is a respectful term and one the hearer was glad to be a part of.