What Shall We Call
Leaders in the Church?
by Rod
Many
of the religious leaders in Jesus’ day were very proud! They wore special clothing so they would look
important in the eyes of men. They chose
the best seats when they came to worship God. They wanted everyone to see them and praise
them. They especially liked to be called
by special titles such as “Rabbi,”“Teacher,” and
“Father.”
Jesus
condemned these proud men. He commanded: “But
you, do not be called ‘Rabbi;’ for One is your
Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren. Do not call anyone on earth your
father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. And do not be called
teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ. But he who is greatest among you
shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who
humbles himself will be exalted” (Matthew
23:8-12).
Many
preachers and other religious leaders today are just like the proud scribes and
Pharisees who were condemned by Jesus. They
like to wear “uniforms” or other special clothing so that they will stand out
from other believers. They want people
to see them. They think they are very
important and deserve honor and praise from men. They especially like to wear religious titles
such as “ Reverend, ““ Pastor, ““Doctor,” and “Father”
to set them apart from their fellow believers. These vain people are guilty of the same sin
the scribes and Pharisees were guilty of! They are condemned by the same words the Lord
used to condemn the proud religious leaders in His day!
The
word “reverend” describes someone who is highly exalted and worthy of great
praise. In the old King James Version
(1611) of the Bible, it is used to describe God: “Holy and reverend is his name” (Psalm 111:9). The New King
James Version translates this verse: “Holy
and awesome is his name.” Only a
very foolish and arrogant person would claim to be worthy to be called
“reverend” or “awesome” like God!
Many
religious leaders today like to be called “Doctor.” The word “doctor” originally meant “teacher.” Today it is used to describe one who is a
physician or medical healer. It is also
the name of the highest degree one can attain in education. But it is not a title to be worn by leaders in
the church, whether preachers, teachers, elders, etc. Jesus said: “Do not be called ‘Teachers’ (Doctor)!”
-
“Father”
is not meant to be used as a special title given to religious leaders. It is right for a child to call his male
parent “father.” But it is wrong to use
it as a special title for religious teachers. Jesus said: “One
is your Father, He who is in heaven.”
“Pastor”
is one of the most misused words in the entire Bible! The word “pastor” means “shepherd.” The Lord’s church is often described in the
Bible as “the flock of God” (Acts 20:28; I Peter 5:1-4). According to the Bible, pastors (shepherds)
are the elders or overseers of the church (See Acts 20:17, 28; Ephesians 4:11; Philippians 1:1; I Peter
5:1-4). It is God’s pattern for His
church that each congregation will have overseers or shepherds who meet the
special qualifications which He has given in His Word (Acts 14:23; I Timothy 3:1-7;
Titus 1:5-9). There must be two or more pastors (elders,
shepherds, overseers) for they are always plural when mentioned as leading a
congregation (see Acts 14:23; Philippians I: I; etc.).
Many
people confuse the work of pastors with that of preachers or evangelists. Please note Paul’s words to the
Jesus
said of His disciples: “You are all
brethren.” It is sinful for a Christian
to exalt himself above his fellow Christians by wearing special clothing to set
himself apart from them. It is also sinful for a Christian to insist he
be called by some special title such as “Rabbi,“ “Father,“
“Reverend,” “Doctor,“ or ”Pastor!” It is
wrong for workers in the church to insist that special seats be reserved for
them or that they be given special greetings. God is our Father. All Christians are brothers and sisters in
Jesus Christ. Let us honor God as our
heavenly Father and Jesus as our Teacher. Let us humbly serve them and take no pride in
wearing man-made titles to exalt ourselves. Let us always remember Jesus’ warning: “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he
who humbles himself will be exalted!” Matthew 23:12
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