Reverend?

[Old Union Brother]

Please consider the following scripture:

(Psa 111:9) He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name.

The word reverend here clearly refers to the Lord.

Should we use the word reverend when referring to a minister?

 

[preachinjesus]

Yes, it's okay to use it.

 

[annsni]

Can we refer to ourselves as holy?

 

[TCGreek]

Furthermore, it's a term of respect. Try a modern version on that verse as well. ;-)

 

[dcorbett]

I don't know a single Pastor that goes by "Reverend" in this area...not IFB, not SBC, none of them.

We call our Pastor just that - Pastor.

 

[revmwc]

The church I pastored the people called me Bro.
The rev on my handle here means i get folks revved up

 

[John of Japan]

Please consider the following scripture:



The word reverend here clearly refers to the Lord.

Should we use the word reverend when referring to a minister?

No problem using it, but I only use it in correspondence since it is a formal term in modern English. A word can have more than one meaning, and "reverend" does. It can refer to both God and man just like "holy" can.

 

[TCGreek]

Out of respect for my calling, I suppose "reverend" is okay.

 

[Old Union Brother]

A definition of reverend from the The Brown–Driver–Briggs Hebrew Lexicon:

H3372
ירא
yârê'
BDB Definition:
1) to fear, revere, be afraid
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to fear, be afraid
1a2) to stand in awe of, be awed
1a3) to fear, reverence, honour, respect
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be fearful, be dreadful, be feared
1b2) to cause astonishment and awe, be held in awe
1b3) to inspire reverence or godly fear or awe
1c) (Piel) to make afraid, terrify
2) (TWOT) to shoot, pour

 

[Rippon]

The Redoubtable Rippon

I don't care for the term. Spurgeon allowed himself to be called "Reverend" in his early ministry,but rejected the title later on in favor of the better designation of Pastor.

 

[John of Japan]

A definition of reverend from the The Brown–Driver–Briggs Hebrew Lexicon:

Not to be picky, but that's not a definition of the English word "reverend," but of the Hebrew word. Words are often not exactly the same in two languages. So the meaning of the Hebrew word you give here does not mean that we must have the same exact meanings for the word "reverend" in English.

A word can have a different range of meaning in one language than a similar word in another. An example of this is the word "river" in English and the word kawa in Japanese. A river is not the same as a creek in English. No one looks at a little creek and calls it a river. However, the word kawa in Japanese means any flowing body of water, no matter the size.

Here is a definition of "reverend" from an English dictionary:

reverend (rèv´er-end) adjective
1.Deserving reverence.
2.Relating to or characteristic of the clergy; clerical.
3. ReverendAbbr. Rev. Used as a title and form of address for certain clerics in many Christian churches. In formal usage, preceded by the: the Reverend Jane Doe; Reverend John Jones.
noun
Informal.
A cleric or minister. Used with the.
Excerpted from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Third Edition © 1996 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Electronic version licensed from INSO Corporation; further reproduction and distribution in accordance with the Copyright Law of the United States. All rights reserved.

 

[mandym]

Please consider the following scripture:



The word reverend here clearly refers to the Lord.

Should we use the word reverend when referring to a minister?

I have seen this asserted a number of times. Could you please explain to me why you see this as a problem?

 

[NaasPreacher (C4K)]

I don't think we can draw a hard line, but I don't like it. I only use it in correspondence in an official capacity since ordained ministers can, in some cases, act as something of a notary public.

Otherwise I am just Roger.

 

[David Lamb]

Here, "Reverend" is generally linked in the mind of the "man in the street" with a vicar or other clergyman in The Church of England. For that reason alone, many evangelicals avoid it, and use the word "Pastor" instead. As others have said already, there is no biblical example of any church leader being called "reverend". But I wouldn't fall out with anyone on the matter.

 

[HAMel]

I can imagine that most pastors have been called a whole lot worse than "Reverend". :tongue3:

Personally, I don't support the title "Reverend" as to me it's someone who desires respect from all others. I have the same problem with a man who is a Preacher/Pastor referred to as Doctor John Doe, Pastor. Is he a Doctor or a Pastor?

And then comes the Reverend, Doctor John Doe, Pastor, First Self-Righteous Baptist Church, or some other nonsense of a title. Does a Preacher "Doctor" a church or "Pastor" a church?

I wrote to the Sword of the Lord a few years back asking why all their printed sermons were from Doctors. Didn't they have any pastors? Talk about upsetting the Apple Cart. Wow!!!

Ever listen to Brother Mayes (Spelling) on the Radio? The Truck Drivers Special? That man knew how to preach and to get people excited for the Lord. I'm sure he's passed away by now.

 

[Old Union Brother]

I have seen this asserted a number of times. Could you please explain to me why you see this as a problem?

As John of Japan correctly stated the modern definition of the word reverend is different that the Hebrew. But, if you look at the entomology of reverend you see that it comes for the word reverence.

To answer your question. I guess that my problem with using reverend is that a pastor is supposed to be a shepherd or keeper of the flock, not one to be feared or held in awe. See the entomology below of the word reverend and reverence below.

reverend
early 15c., "worthy of respect," from M.Fr. reverend, from L. reverendus "(he who is) to be respected," gerundive of revereri (see reverence). As a form of address for clergymen, it is attested from late 15c.; earlier reverent (late 14c. in this sense). Abbreviation Rev. is attested from 1721, earlier Revd. (1690s). Very Reverend is used of deans, Right Reverend of bishops, Most Reverend of archbishops.
reverent
late 15c., from L. reverentem, prp. of revereri (see reverence). From 14c. through 17c., commonly also used for reverend (adj.). Related: Reverently.
reverence
late 13c., from O.Fr. reverence, from L. reverentia "awe, respect," from revereri "to revere," from re-, intensive prefix, + vereri "stand in awe of, fear," from PIE *wer- "to be or become aware of" (cf. O.E. wær "aware, cautious;" see wary). The verb is first attested c.1300
Source for entomology http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=reverend&searchmode=none

I agree with HAMel where he wrote:

Personally, I don't support the title "Reverend" as to me it's someone who desires respect from all others. I have the same problem with a man who is a Preacher/Pastor referred to as Doctor John Doe, Pastor. Is he a Doctor or a Pastor?

You can't demand respect you have to earn it.

 

[Amy.G]

We call our pastor brother Mike or just Mike (and he is a Dr). He won't preach from the stage or whatever you call it. He preaches down on the floor where the pews are because he doesn't like the idea of looking down at us. He says he's just one of us and should never be put on a pedestal.

 

[Old Union Brother]

We call our pastor brother Mike or just Mike (and he is a Dr). He won't preach from the stage or whatever you call it. He preaches down on the floor where the pews are because he doesn't like the idea of looking down at us. He says he's just one of us and should never be put on a pedestal.

That describes me as well Except I'm Brother Jeff

 

[Amy.G]

That describes me as well Except I'm Brother Jeff

If you're anything like my brother Mike, you are a fine Christian man and a wonderful preacher. (which I know you are anyway)

 

[HAMel]

Yes indeed.

"Hey, Brother Jeff, explain this Scripture to me..., rather than, uh, Reverend Doctor Jeff Oldunionbrother, Sir, may I schedule an appointment so you can explain this Scripture to me?"

Yeah, I know..., above and beyond. Forgive me.