Pastor Jimmy.
Did you hear last week’s message from Pastor Stephen?
We have a special message from Pastor Ron.
In some circles, it’s common for people to refer to their pastor by adding the title in front of his name. Maybe it’s holdover tradition from the Catholic Church. Maybe it’s a sign of honor and respect. Maybe I’m just expressing frustration at a personal pet peeve. Or maybe I’m just flat out wrong.
But addressing a pastor by his title seems silly to me.
We don’t do this with many other professions, but it’s common in many churches. Imagine how silly you would sound if you called someone Teacher Nancy or Accountant Dave.
Hello Lawyer Fred.
Hello Mailman Eddie…how are the kids?
Have a great day Cashier Nancy.
We don’t do this with others who perform vocational ministry. There’s no Missionary Dave or Denominational Leader Mary or Children’s Pastor Nancy. It’s just Dave and Nancy.
Jesus didn’t refer to his followers as “Disciple Peter” or “Disciple Mark.” They were simply Peter and Mark, without any titles. Actually, Jesus called Peter Satan one time! No matter your view on this particular subject, I do not recommend you address your pastor with Satan in the title.
Perhaps using the title is a sign of respect, a way of bestowing honor to men of the cloth, in the way we use the title President, Senator or Congressman to address elected officials. But when it comes to honor and respect, don’t ALL people deserve honor?
Do public school teachers not deserve honor? What about civil service employees or social workers? Aren’t these jobs worth of respect? If everyone is created in the image of God and everyone’s work is important to the care and cultivation of the world, why categorize people with spiritual titles.
It might be a misplaced view of work and a misunderstanding of what it means to be in the ministry. Giving greater honor to those who pastor a church because of their position is dangerous. It’s pedestal thinking that adds a brick to the spiritual wall built between the clergy and the laity.
“It’s often hard to get Christians to see that God is willing not just to use men and women in ministry, but in law, in medicine, in business and in the arts,” writes Tim Keller in Every Good Endeavor.
I could be wrong. I could be completely wrong.
But it seems like honoring certain people with a spiritual title completely misses the point of the humble, servant-like nature of their calling in the first place.
After a dozen years as a student pastor, and five years a church-starter, I'm the Chief Operating Officer of 
If being a pastor is the same kind of thing as being a teacher or a missionary then you’re right. If it is an ontological change in reality, then the matter is different. In the Catholic Church we believe that a priest becomes an actual Father. Paul referred to himself repeatedly as the father of those he served, and he referred to them as his children. We Catholics think he really meant it. Really. It would have been appropriate for them to refer to him as Father. That’s what ordination does for a priest. It makes him really a Father. If you don’t recognize the authority of the entity doing the ordaining, if it has no more authority than do you or I, then the use of the title becomes arbitrary. That’s what you are recognizing. Titles are being used arbitrarily, and that doesn’t sit well. Some guys even start calling themselves bishops, and we don’t much care for that, either. Still, our default is to want to show respect when it’s called for. So, what should we do? We should err on the side of observing customs which are designed not only to acknowledge respect, but to hold certain people accountable to a standard which ought to merit respect. If Andy Stanley wants to Andy and Mark Driscoll wants to be Pastor Mark, then well and good. Lastly, what about lady pastors and bishops? What about those who think that a lady can’t be a pastor or a bishop? Should those folks use the title? It really always comes back to the question of authority. Who has the authority to confer a title? That’s the tricky question which cannot in the end be avoided. If no such authority exists among us now, then your point is fair. We could avoid all titles. But the human spirit will not permit that. We are hardwired to recognize it when people have been called to special roles in life, and we must and we will find ways to acknowledge that. If we have authority to tell us when and how to do so, we’ll just to do our best, and it will at times be arbitrary, and uncomfortable. That’s life.
Great post Michael! I 100% agree!
Dave, I disagree with the way the Catholic Church and other denominations deal with titles for spiritual leaders. Why? Because, Jesus actually made His views on this quite clear: crystal clear, in fact! In speaking about the Pharisees and scribes Jesus said,
“They do everything to be observed by others: They enlarge their phylacteries and lengthen their tassels. They love the place of honor at banquets, the front seats in the synagogues, greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by people.
“But as for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi,’ because you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. Do not call anyone on earth your father, because you have one Father, who is in heaven. And do not be called masters either, because you have one Master, the Messiah. The greatest among you will be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” – Matthew 23:5-12
As leaders we are supposed to humble ourselves and refuse to be called titles like Father, Rabbi, Teacher, even maybe Pastor, and so on. We only have one Father, He is in heaven. Even if we could get away with it on a technicality, because Jesus didn’t specifically denounce the title we choose, I think we should follow the spirit of His teaching on this issue. If we want to be great, we should serve others. If we want to be exalted, we should humble ourselves and refuse such titles.
I think there is a difference, particularly in the level of relationship people have with their pastor. I serve a fellowship that reaches many people who have had little to no experience with church at all, I have never asked nor suggested people refer to me with an official title, but I notice that as people learn Gods word and realize how deeply their leader cares for their soul and eternal well being, there is a genuine love and respect that grows. Many refer to me as pastor not out of tradition but from a sincere place of appreciation. I’ve never desired it, but it just happens.
What I think is utterly ridiculous is when leaders demand it in some way.
As a society we have conferred titles upon those who have labored to a place of professional competency in their respective fields such as: Doctor, Professor, Judge, and Colonel. Hopefully they possess the corresponding amount of personal integrity.
In addition, there are the more practical titles of the Police and Fire Services: Officer, Deputy, Sheriff, Captain, and Chief.
We also assign political titles (some for a lifetime) for our public servants such as: Mayor, Senator, Governor, President, and Ambassador.
It is from this culture that honored those in the service of God, exercising pastoral care over his people that the title of Pastor arises. It may seem strange to hear it today in a culture that no longer values the spiritual care of the church. Yet, while a title is not something we should expect, or ever insist upon, we also don’t want to deny honor where honor is due. I wonder if those pastors who don’t like to be called “Pastor” have anyone that they would consider their pastor. I also think there is something to be said for the person that claims you as their pastor that challenges and goes beyond our western individualism and connects relationally to the historic church. We may discourage the use of the term in an effort to be more “approachable” and in the process prevent authentic connections.
Here are a few passing thoughts about this:
- The difference is how the “office” of pastor is viewed. In that way the “Pastor Dan” title is more similar to “Governor Bill” than to “Accountant Dave”.
- The reason for the respect is due to the leader being a representative of Christ’s authority in the office, not necessarily undue respect for the person.
- I think the difference in understanding how we respect leaders is more cultural than Biblical.
Consider the following groups more likely to use formal titles:
* Minority churches in general.
* Traditional churches (of any background).
* Charismatic groups.
* Churches in low income areas.
* Southern churches (except contemporary ones).
If I don’t prefer someone using the title “Pastor” does that say more about my rationalizing of the matter or more about my background that impacts the way I view everything?
I suspect it’s the latter.
It might be easier to say there’s a group that in general eschews the use of pastoral titles. Mostly they are white, middle class, non-charismatic, protestant, contemporary church participants or leaders. How closely does that describe your experience Mike?
Thoughts?
The correct way to refer to an attorney in their professional operation is ‘Attorney Smith’ (if their name is actually ‘Smith’ :p). We do put ‘CPA’ behind the name of an accountant with that designation. Children to refer to their ‘teacher’ and it wasn’t long ago you would call someone ‘Teacher Sally’ or even just address them as ‘Teacher.’ And we still call people ‘Professor Moriarty’ or ‘Dr. Collegeman.’ In the not to distant past people referred to professionals such as ‘Butcher Primecut’, ‘Cashier Penny’ or ‘Postman Mel.’
So, even with a secular argument ‘Pastor Milk’ doesn’t seem so bad.
In my case I was ordered to use the title by my superior but I ask people to call me by my first name and only use the title in Church settings – and people seem to respect that – some will not stop.
~ Rev. Engine