Titles Tickle Me
I think I may have written about this before, but I've been reminded of it again and thought I would weigh in one more time. Gotcha wondering what I'm talking about huh? I'm referring to the younger generation of preachers that are hung up on titles. Just this last week I read on Facebook the status of a young man who said he had just been called as "Lead Pastor" of a certain church. I know that church. They have no other staff other than the pastor. Just who is he "leading". Some would say, "Well, he is leading the flock." Maybe so, but it just sounds pretentious to me to call oneself the "Lead Pastor" when there is no staff to lead.
Even funnier is the twenty-something pastor, just out of seminary or Bible College who calls himself "Senior Pastor". He's not senior anything unless he has a child called "Junior". I go to conferences every once in awhile and often the leader will go around the room and have everyone introduce themselves and tell where they are from. Over and over I hear these young guns saying "I'm Senior Pastor" at such and such church. When it gets to me, all I can say is "I'm Pastor of Faith Baptist Church.
I find it interesting that the greatest church planting pastor of all time, Paul the Apostle, never gave himself a pretentious title. In Romans he called himself "a slave of Jesus Christ". In 1 & 2 Corinthians he was, "called as an apostle of Christ Jesus by God's will". In Galatians he was "an apostle---not from man or by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father". In Ephesians he once again called himself "an apostle of Christ Jesus by God's will". In Philippians he said that both he and Timothy were "slaves of Christ Jesus". In Colossians he again referred to himself as "an apostle of Christ Jesus by God's will". In 1 & 2 Thessalonians he was just plain "Paul". In 1 Timothy he was once again "an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Jesus Christ our hope." In 2 Tim. he was "an apostle of Christ Jesus by God's will". In Titus he was "a slave of God" and in Philemon he was "a prisoner of Christ Jesus".
I can just hear Paul chuckling when he hears a still "wet behind the ears" youngster proudly proclaiming "I'm Senior Pastor" or "Lead Pastor" or whatever. It just strikes me as funny.
Even funnier is the twenty-something pastor, just out of seminary or Bible College who calls himself "Senior Pastor". He's not senior anything unless he has a child called "Junior". I go to conferences every once in awhile and often the leader will go around the room and have everyone introduce themselves and tell where they are from. Over and over I hear these young guns saying "I'm Senior Pastor" at such and such church. When it gets to me, all I can say is "I'm Pastor of Faith Baptist Church.
I find it interesting that the greatest church planting pastor of all time, Paul the Apostle, never gave himself a pretentious title. In Romans he called himself "a slave of Jesus Christ". In 1 & 2 Corinthians he was, "called as an apostle of Christ Jesus by God's will". In Galatians he was "an apostle---not from man or by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father". In Ephesians he once again called himself "an apostle of Christ Jesus by God's will". In Philippians he said that both he and Timothy were "slaves of Christ Jesus". In Colossians he again referred to himself as "an apostle of Christ Jesus by God's will". In 1 & 2 Thessalonians he was just plain "Paul". In 1 Timothy he was once again "an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Jesus Christ our hope." In 2 Tim. he was "an apostle of Christ Jesus by God's will". In Titus he was "a slave of God" and in Philemon he was "a prisoner of Christ Jesus".
I can just hear Paul chuckling when he hears a still "wet behind the ears" youngster proudly proclaiming "I'm Senior Pastor" or "Lead Pastor" or whatever. It just strikes me as funny.
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