"Doctor" as a Title

It's not appropriate to use "Dr." to address someone with a "practitioner's degree"?? Tell that to an American with an M.D., DDS, DVM, etc. British usage is different.
For many years, the beef has been the usage of Dr. for those with a D.D. That was before the D.Min. became a fairly common degree in my sector of the Baptist Galaxy. I see Dr. as a useful way to show respect to a man, who while a pastor (or pastor equivalent), is not your pastor

Examples of pastor equivalents in my life are Evangelist Bill Hall, Fred Moritz, Jerry Tetreau, Bob Jones III, B. Myron Cedarholm, Richard Weeks, M. James Hollowood, et al.

 

From your second quote, I believe your source is being a punctilious pendant. It's about custom and usage. MDs get the Dr. and JDs don't. Actually, I think lawyers are waiting to become judges. That way they get the "Your Honor" in the courtroom and Judge outside it.

 

Whoever wrote that wasn't thinking clearly. There are two types of academic degrees.

Research degrees. Ph.D., Th.D., etc.

Professional degrees. D.Min., MD, DO, etc.

We call a man with the professional degree in medicine (MD) "Doctor."

It seems to me, judging from general practice, that "Doctor" is just as acceptable for a Professional degree as for a Research degree.

However, I also think any title other than "Pastor" is a step down. I believe the calling to be a Pastor is the highest calling God places on mankind.

My congregation didn't call me "Doctor." Some called me "Pastor." Some called me "Tom." Either was acceptable to me.

My students didn't call me "Doctor." Most of them called me "Tom." A few (very few) called me "Professor" or "Prof."

 

I have never called a lawyer a doctor and have never heard them refer to other lawyers as such.

I have always followed Associated Press style in writing: Doctor is reserved for the healing arts (MD, DO, DVM, DVM, etc.) For a specialized publication, I would use Doctor in accordance with the publication's style.

The local exception has been for clergy in which Doctor may be used as an honorific in place of the Rev., etc. But only one honorific is allowed.

That's in writing. In person, of course, I refer to the president of the local university as doctor, as well as the rest of the faculty with doctorates.

None of that, of course, applies to the question at hand.

For pastors with advanced degrees, I prefer to follow the Geneva Bible (Matthew 23:10-11):

10 Be not called doctors: for one is your doctor, even Christ.

11 But he that is greatest among you, let him be your servant.

 

or is it you are calling for a "MD" Doctor - becasue the dentist is drilling on your teeth??

 

Fully agree - it is a sign of respect. And it's a shame that so many have lost the art of respect in our country.

 

Referencing using the title "Brother"
1) we dont use it just for the pastor
2) somewhat a regional thing.
When I was down South - just about everyone used that term ( even if you didnt know
if the individual was a Christian)
Up North - around our area - it is not as common to use the term brother as a fellow Christian

3) Any group will refer to others as "Brother" military for one