why do ministers call themselves, "Reverend?"

LOL, now thats funny

 

If you were in my church, there would be some serious church discipline going on right about now.


Ed would be in charge of a junior high lockin. Don't worry...I'd help out. I'd provide lots of energy drinks for all the kids, so they wouldn't get tired....

 

So far this has been partly tongue-in-cheek, at least on my part. But you did say "the church has no business appointing anyone" [exact quote]. I can only conclude from this that you are claiming the church just waits for a pastor/minister to show up, having no say, no seek, no select...because if the church did seek or select, that would be business.

So, if this is not what you claiming, then what? If you will, just relate your ideal of how a minister should become the pastor of a local church.

[And we will discuss his employment there later; but because employment is of necessity business, we will only deal with selection/appointment for now.]

 

I think most churches put a lot of prayer in to choosing a pastor to seek the man God would have as their pastor.
Otherwise, theres no possible way of having a pastor. Unless as has been asked and not answered, does a new preacher no ones ever heard of kicks in the door and says I'm your new pasotr accept or leave.
Isn't a church responsible for things like whats being taught there, especially the preacher?
I say yes they are.

 

Could it simply be... TRADITION?

 

That's a 9 letter word. The next worse thing in the baptist vocabulary to the more common 4 letter words. Baptist do not and will not condone anything that is tradition or considered tradition though we may consider past practices as ok but not tradition. Leave that word to the Papist and the lost churches of the east. :laugh:

 

In my experience, when Baptists have a tradition, you'd better watch out, they will defend it tooth and nail like it were scripture itself.
4 letter words? Like FOOD! lol

 

I must admit being baptist has added a few lbs. :laugh:

 

LOL, I know what you mean.

 

Great point me to the scripture that contradicts acts 20:28

 

Acts 20:28 Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church £of God which He purchased with His own blood.

I'm not sure what it is your wanting, but it seems you have failed to answer questions. This in no way refutes anything thats been said about choosing a pastor.

 

Our senior pastor is Pastor Ken. The rest of us on staff are just Josh, Benny, Regina, etc. If someone's wanting to call me something other than that... it's maybe Bro. Josh. I get "hey dummy" alot too!

 

Either the church calls the Pastor or God does. Both cannot.

 

You have yet to answer questions as to how you beleive this man becomes the pastor of a church. By kicking in the door and annoncing he is called here by God? How does anyone know him, his qualifications, how are they to know if he is even a christian. According to you christians have no responsabilities.
God calls a pastor, and then tells the church which man He wants there(through prayer and seeking Him), then they also call the same man.
You on the other hand have not reveals how you beleive this happens.
If you are a preacher, and are currently at a chruch, how did you get there? Did you kick in the door and say Gos has called me here, it doesn't matter if you know who I am or not, or what I beleive and teach?
This is arrogance.

 

Such questions are asinine. I never suggested any such thing. The church verify's that he is qualified according to scripture alone. Then they wait on God, through prayer and fasting, to reveal His will to them. Many churches today no longer know how to do this nor do they care. In so many cases prayer is only thrown in as good measure rather than the key to dscovering God's will.

 

When I started out, a man was invited to preach for a call by the local church body. Between the two parties, a decision was reached. Nothing mystical about it.

How do we determine a call of God? We measure all human factors including one's training, experience in ministry, personality. We never exclude human factors. In choosing a deacon in Acts, the leaders chose names and even cast lots to determine the winner!

As a matter of interest, I only applied for one pastoral vacancy in all my years of service. That was the one experience that didn't last. Both the church and I were pleased to part company. In all other instances, I was invited to preach for a call, face a pulpit committee and then determine whether or not I would answer that "call".

I preclude that prayer and circumstance played a vital role in the answer. In the early days, a degree was the least important factor. To-day, I fear, it is all important.

In human factors, the local church belongs to the local people and not to the pastor, who is only there for a season. Let them cast the "lot" and decide. I will just preach and teach the word and generally act ex-officio as a member of all committees.

In the end, there are many factors, human and spiritual, that enter into the call of a pastor, and should we ignore any of them we headed for disaster.

Cheers,

Jim

 

Act 6:3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
Act 6:4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.
Act 6:5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:
Act 6:6 Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.


1. Honest Report
2. Full of the Holy Ghost
3. Wisdom
4. Prayer

 

well if your using these verses to apply to pastors, then maybe we should reread a portion of that.
They local church chose which men to appoint. One would hope these were men called of God for these postions. This is still how it should work today.