1. Welcome to Baptist Board, a friendly forum to discuss the Baptist Faith in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to all the features that our community has to offer.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!

Reverend

Discussion in 'Baptist Theology & Bible Study' started by Preacher @ Bethel, Dec 30, 2005.

  1. El_Guero

    El_Guero New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 4, 2004
    Messages:
    7,714
    Likes Received:
    0
     
  2. pinoybaptist

    pinoybaptist Active Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Mar 17, 2002
    Messages:
    8,136
    Likes Received:
    3
    Faith:
    Baptist
    [​IMG]
     
  3. El_Guero

    El_Guero New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 4, 2004
    Messages:
    7,714
    Likes Received:
    0
    A lot of it depends on where you are. I know that in some places in E. Texas, 'Reverend' is expected and other places 'brother' or nothing at all.
     
  4. Hope of Glory

    Hope of Glory New Member

    Joined:
    Nov 29, 2005
    Messages:
    4,807
    Likes Received:
    0
    What about Matthew 12:50?
     
  5. TaterTot

    TaterTot Guest

    I know, just stating a fact.
     
  6. gb93433

    gb93433 Active Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Jun 26, 2003
    Messages:
    15,549
    Likes Received:
    15
    The only people who called each other brother and sister where I grew up were the Mormons and others who were the shout, stomp and spit folks. Many of them never tried to adopt to the culture in the area and continued to feel comfortable not reaching out to local people. They liked their culture and tried to preserve that. Today the vast nmajority of those folks are in the grave and the churches are closing their doors or will soon.
     
  7. Hope of Glory

    Hope of Glory New Member

    Joined:
    Nov 29, 2005
    Messages:
    4,807
    Likes Received:
    0
    Jesus called many people brothers, including his disciples. (However, I can't think of a single case where a disciple called him brother; I'll have to look it up later.)

    The Bible tells us that those who are doing the will of the father (those who are being obedient) are Jesus' brother and sister and mother.

    Instead of worrying about what Mormons are calling each other, I will continue to call those who are being obedien my brothers and sisters.

    I'm far more concerned with what the Bible says than what people say.
     
  8. Bible-boy

    Bible-boy Active Member

    Joined:
    Sep 1, 2002
    Messages:
    4,254
    Likes Received:
    1
    Yet another problem that has come about because of the way we let our traditions (which can and do often drift away from being biblical) dictate our theology and the way we think and speak (carelessly) about what the Scripture actually says.
     
  9. MikeinGhana

    MikeinGhana New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 14, 2005
    Messages:
    356
    Likes Received:
    0
    Good point Aaron, I never saw it that way.

    Here in Ghana they have a bit of a different use for the term. If you are not ordained they call you pastor. If you are ordained they call you Reverend. It really doesn't matter though. They are not making you equal to God nor are they venerating you as a person. They are respecting the office you hold. It would do Americans good to have a better respect for the Man of God instead of what they normally call us, don't you think. Just do not let these accolades get to your head boys.
     
  10. Alcott

    Alcott Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Dec 17, 2002
    Messages:
    9,404
    Likes Received:
    353
    Faith:
    Baptist
    And calling them "boys" gives such respect, does it ;) ?

    Anyway, did you ever see the episode of The Waltons in which 21-year-old "Reverand Fordyce" [John Ritter] first appears? He stays with the Waltons (as every newcomer or stranger does, don't they?) and immediately starts a lot of judgmental criticism about their going swimming in the creek on Sunday, or not paying full attention to every word he says, and he scares the children by talking about hell. Then John Walton, the non-churchgoer, jumps in and blasts him. The women, "Grandma" and "Mama" of course, hold the religious line in the family, and they won't hear of any kind of criticism of "the Lord's hand," Rev. Fordyce. Grandma just falls all over him offering extra food between meals, which she won't allow for the children, and never addressing him any other way but "Reverand."

    Although The Waltons is fictionalized, Earl Hamner based the premise of his series on his experiences of growing up in the mountains of Virginia. And from what many older folks have told me before, this is an accurate portrayal of how people were led to treat "the reverand." My dad told of how his parents, in a small farming community, would invite him over for dinner and they would send the kids outside while they spent an hour or longer at the table, then when finally called in to to eat the legs and thighs and breasts would be gone and they would be left the neck, back and gizzard, and cold potatoes and stale bread. And if they misbehaved in the slightest way when the reverand was there they would immediately get it with the razor strap. Possibly my dad's attitude toward ministers, as a result of all this, played a part in my own attitude, and going through that 15-year dilemma of whether to become one or not, ending (apparently) with the answer, 'nope.' But if I had, I would refuse to be treated as someone more special than anyone else, and I definitely would ask not to be called "reverand" if anyone ever called me that.
     
  11. mioque

    mioque New Member

    Joined:
    May 23, 2003
    Messages:
    3,899
    Likes Received:
    0
    Around here, the term reverend doesn't exist, 'pastor' is only used for Roman Catholic priests and for Protestant preachers the proper term is 'dominee'.
     
  12. MikeinGhana

    MikeinGhana New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 14, 2005
    Messages:
    356
    Likes Received:
    0
    Alcott

    Would you rather I said girls? Just a bit of humor.
     
  13. HankD

    HankD Well-Known Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    May 14, 2001
    Messages:
    26,977
    Likes Received:
    2,536
    Faith:
    Baptist
    Quite true Aaron, but it still makes me cringe inwardly. Even if it's a funeral director introducing me to the mourners.

    HankD
     
  14. TomVols

    TomVols New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 30, 2000
    Messages:
    11,170
    Likes Received:
    0
    I don't make a hullabaloo over being called Rev. Given the fact that people don't respect pastors anymore, it grieves me that people shirk titles of respect for ministers, police, etc. Shows just how pathetic our culture is.

    I prefer "pastor" for that is what I am. "Brother" is misused here in the south.
     
  15. EdSutton

    EdSutton New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 9, 2006
    Messages:
    8,755
    Likes Received:
    0
    According to my trusty falling apart Strong's, the word translated "reverend" in Ps. 111:9 is also translated as terrible, dreadful, and frightful, among others. The NKJV renders it "awesome"; Darby rendered it "terrible"; The YLT renders it "fearful". I suspect many of the 'clergy' and academe rather tend to want to think of themselves as "The 'Awesome' Doctor 'John Doe'". I suspect not too many would want some of these other renderings used. When so introduced to some 'Rev. Joe', or 'Rev. Dr. John', I always smile, knowing I've just met 'The Dreadful David Smith' or 'The Terrible Tom Jones'. Hey, do any really want to be identified with Ivan? Ed
     
  16. Snitzelhoff

    Snitzelhoff New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2005
    Messages:
    301
    Likes Received:
    0
    Hmmm... 'Round here, "brother" and "sister" are used to refer to any fellow Christians. "Pastor," "preacher," or "minister" refer to the guy who stands behind the pulpit every Sunday. "Reverend" is not used for anybody. Sometimes, the pastor is called "brother," but so is every other Christian, like I said.

    Michael
     
  17. Hope of Glory

    Hope of Glory New Member

    Joined:
    Nov 29, 2005
    Messages:
    4,807
    Likes Received:
    0
    Jesus called many people brothers, but if I remember correctly, no one ever called him brother.
     
  18. gb93433

    gb93433 Active Member
    Site Supporter

    Joined:
    Jun 26, 2003
    Messages:
    15,549
    Likes Received:
    15
    Friend is overused in the south too.

    They don't respect pastors because of too many faith healers and too many caught in scandals.
     
Loading...