1. WHY is it so important to you that people call you by your title? Are you really any less of a pastor if the people don't call you "pastor"? Is there ANY Biblical justification for you to demand people use your title or is it possibly more of a NEED for you?
2. FACT: People will either follow you or they won't. You either are a leader or you aren't. Honestly, if you are at a place where you have to constantly remind people that "you are in charge"... then you're probably not in charge. I cannot believe how many times I have seen this kind of behavior from pastors and leaders... WAY too much!!
Good pastors and leaders do not need to remind people that they are pastors and leaders... they just are, they just do, they just...lead. Good leaders and bad leaders alike have a certain skill set... we have the ability to "read" those around us right? We generally know what to say in order to motivate...or manipulate. The DIFFERENCE between a good leader and a bad leader is: a good leader will not use their skills to manipulate but a bad one definitely will.
Yes, God might have placed you in charge over His flock... but trust me, if you are seeking God over the lives you lead, you will not need to strongarm them with your authority. People's submission to your leadership actually has NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU and everything to do with them. (think about that for a second) They will either choose to follow you and allow you to influence their lives, or they won't.
On a little side note: Is it really necessary that even your spouse can no longer use your real name but must refer to you now as "Pastor"..... weird.
God calls us all to different ministries, some pastors, some teachers, some prophets, ect. A calling to ministry is a wonderful thing! Much is sacrificed as we serve God and the people He's chosen to entrust us with. Some of us have spent years at Bible College or Seminary learning and studying, some of us have had this position or that position as God has led us to different areas of ministry on our walk with Him, and some of us have been in ministry for years which has given us lots of wisdom in leadership... but here's the thing: We may have "earned the title" but it's still just a title and if we spend our time and energy focused on being recognized by that title.... haven't we maybe lost our way?
******* Okay so here's the crazy thing, I tried looking up Scripture on pastor and ministry titles... interesting find.... THERE ARE NONE!!!!!!!!!! I think I just learned something HUGE here. I did however find TONS of Scripture that actually speak to the opposite of titles in the Body of Christ! What????? yeah, my mind is blown a bit and I definitely will be spending more time in prayer and study over this. I knew I was on the right track but I believe it's so much deeper than even I realized friends. Even JESUS called Himself a servant. The apostles didn't even call themselves titles either, only the PEOPLE they were leading called them by titles recognizing that they were an apostle or teacher ect. Hmmmmm?????? Maybe we've all been misinformed and should get back to WHO GOD calls us to be and forget the titles? There's a lot of broken things in the "Christian world" today.... how much have we interfered with GOD'S PLAN with our own ideas of what should be.... and who we and others should be? wow... lots to ponder today! I will drop all the scripture that I have found while studying this topic and please feel free to message me if you have scripture that speaks to actual TITLES for the people of God... I would really like to see them... because I really can't find any.
Matt 11:29 ; 23:8-12
Mark 10:43
Acts 6:5; 11:24; 15:26; 21:8
Rom 16:1-12
1 Cor 4:1; 16:15-18
2 Cor 8:18
Phil 2: 29-30
Col 1:7; 4:12-13
1 Thess 5:12
1 Tim 3:1
Jer 45:5-12
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