Religious Titles

In denominational churches, leaders and preachers are often given titles of distinction that run counter to the teachings of scripture.

One such title is Reverend. Please note that this word is used only once in the Bible. In Psalm 111:9, the psalmist says regarding God, "Holy and reverend is His name" God is worthy of our reverence and praise, for He is an awesome God. But no man deserves this title, and in fact, it is blasphemous to refer to any man as "reverend."

Another common religious title that ought to be avoided is Father. We see this title especially in the Catholic Church. But Matthew 23:9 says, "Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is Your Father, He who is in heaven." It is therefore sinful to call a man "Father" in the religious sense.

Finally, let us examine the term Pastor. It is generally assumed that all preachers are pastors, but this is not the case. The term pastor (Eph. 4:11) literally means "shephered." As seen in Acts 20:28 and 1 Peter 5:2, the work of shepherding the flock is given to the elders. Elders are men who have met certain qualifications (Titus 1:5-9) and serve together as a plurality in governing the local church. A preacher may become a pastor if he meets the qualifications and is appointed along with other qualified men, but not all preachers are pastors.

If you have any questions, comments or disagreements, leave them below, or shoot me an email.