Receiving Honor vs. Requiring it

Years ago, a man walked into my church and introduced himself to everyone as "Reverend _________."

Squeeze me? I pulled aside my key leaders and told them not to go along with it, even if he had been ordained or it meant we had to give him a first name.

After he attended for a few months, I was able to explain to him the importance of receiving honor... rather than requiring it.

I bring this up because as I visit more and more churches, the choice of honoring the pastor with a title is being taken away from me. It's being required of me instead.

This reminds me of the Verizon customer service rep I contacted the other week who only went by "Ms. Waters," which made me feel like a schoolboy. There was nothing authentic about the honor I was required to give her.

Pastors have a unique calling, but there's nothing honorable about us apart from the word of God we preach. The cross did away with the exclusive priesthood. The temple veil was torn in half.

Our titles don't bring honor to the scripture we preach; it's the other way around. And even then, we should debase ourselves so that God can be the one to lift us up.

Moral of the story is this: Congregations, honor your pastor. Pastors, don't require it.

Comments

[Clayton Bell]

One, great post. Two, you look SOOO Catalyst in that photo...

[Jeremy Small]

I met a guy last year that required me to call him Pastor_______. He is a youth pastor as am I. I was meeting with him for relational purposes. I was new to the area and wanted to fellowship with other YP's in the area. I call him Pastor _______ because a relationship with this guy is more important to me than my preferences. I definitely think its weird and someday we'll be close enough that I can tell him so. Until then.....

[Ben]

Jeremy, that says a lot about your humility bro.

[Bill Streger]

It reminds me of that Seinfeld episode with "The Maestro" - who required everyone to call him Maestro, even out on a date.

I knew a pastor growing up whose wife called him "Pastor" instead of by his first name. Yikes.

[Rob Edwards]

I think I dealt with that same rep at Verizon!

[TW]

BA, good post.

[Terrace Crawford]

So glad you got that out there. I thought I was the only one. When people refer to me as Reverend (prime example... a mutual friend of ours) I quickly correct them.

Additionally, I think I had the same rep a few weeks ago (although they worked for AT&T at the time).

/TC/

[Michael Buckingham (holy cow)]

Good stuff...one of my pet peeves is the requirement to call the pastor's wife Pastor Sandy, or Miss Sandy...we end up worshiping these people and it's just an abuse. Even for those who don't 'require' it, they shouldn't be allowing it.

It's kind of funny that we call people Pastor. That's like walking down the hall and someone saying to me "Hello Creative Director".

[portorikan]

Good stuff. Thanks for sharing.