Brothers don’t use titles

If you were the actual flesh and blood half-brother of Jesus Christ (same mother, different father), and you were introducing yourself to others, how would you introduce yourself? James – who wrote the epistle of James, was such a brother. The other James – the brother of John, was martyred remember (Acts 12:1-3).

Here’s what he said. Unlike the epistles written by Paul and Peter – he doesn’t even bother mentioning that he also is an apostle.

James 1:1   “James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings.” 

WOW! “I’m just a bondservant of my Lord Jesus the Messiah!” Several translations take the word “bondservant’ and simply say “SLAVE of God and the Lord Jesus Christ” – as in the LEGACY translation, Holman and New Living Translation.

Here’s someone who was born from the same mother as Jesus was, and who is an apostle and leader of the Jerusalem Headquarters church – but all he says about himself is – “I am a SLAVE of God and of our Master Jesus the Messiah.” 

He didn’t focus on his titles or “qualifications” at all, except being a slave of his half-brother. 

James had another brother who was also half-brother to Jesus (they had a different father). That brother was JUDE. Notice how Jude also starts HIS letter. 

Jude 1  “Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, To those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ…”

I love this. He also is the SLAVE or servant of Jesus Christ. He also doesn’t add “and brother of Jesus.” No, he only mentions he is the brother of James. He also became an apostle like his brother. But no mention even of their titles from either one of them.

In your church, perhaps you all call your pastor by some title like “Pastor,” or “Elder.” Or if they were to write an email to someone, they’d feel they must sign off as Elder so-and-so, or Pastor so-and-so. 

I bring all this up because we have decided in Light on the Rock that we shouldn’t call members of our own family – including leaders in the church, our spiritual family -- by big titles.

My physical brother is Loren. I don’t call him by some big title. Just simply Loren. He simply calls me Philip. And when I sign off on an email or note to anyone in our fellowship, I’m simply Philip. When I write to our pastors in Kenya, I simply use their first name. I’ve instructed them that even in Church services, all the brethren are simply to refer to them also by just their first name. That’s what Jesus taught. That’s the example we have throughout the New Testament as we’ll see.

But somehow, it’s become the norm in many congregations and churches to call the church pastor by some title – Elder so-and-so, or Pastor so-and-so or Bishop, Overseer, Apostle, Coordinator, or people will at least refer to their leader, regardless of his age, as “Mr. so-and so” – ostensibly to show respect.

When Paul spoke of the other leaders in the church – Peter, James and John and other apostles, he simply referred to them as Peter, James, John, Barnabas, Apollos. He usually used no titles when referring to them. So why do we? When Luke wrote the Book of Acts, he simply used their first names also, not big titles. So why do we think we have to have even our older brethren refer to even a young church pastor as Mr. so-and-so when he’s hardly 30 or 35 years old, or even younger? Where are the scriptures to support that?

If anything, Jesus tells us NOT to be called “rabbi” or “father” in a religious way. So why do Catholics refer to their priest as “Father” this or that. Let’s read what our Savior said. The context is warning his disciples about the way the religious leaders of their day – the Scribes and Pharisees liked to be treated and addressed.

Matthew 23:6-12   “They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues,  7 greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, 'Rabbi, Rabbi.' 

8 But you, do NOT be called 'Rabbi'; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all BRETHREN.

9 Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven.

10 And do not be called Teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ.

11 But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant.

12 And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” 

Read and re-read that please until you have resolved to obey Jesus. DO NOT call someone “Teacher, Father, or Rabbi” – because you’re all brothers! I hope you Catholics and Jews are reading this too. You’re all family members. And we don’t call family members by titles – titles that belong frankly, HE says, either to him (Jesus/Yeshua) or to our Father in heaven. And so I tell our ministers I work with: “cut out the use of titles when you send emails. Don’t let yourselves be addressed by religious titles. Just use your first name. We’re all brothers and sisters. Speak as if that is what you are.”

Titles tend to elevate someone’s opinion of themselves. So he concludes that section by reminding his disciples to stay low – like a servant or slave, just like James and Jude did. I’ve seen those trying to exalt themselves just end up demoted or outright removed. Jesus was a perfect Servant Leader. He did lead. He did show the way, but he also constantly found ways to serve others – he healed the sick, fed the hungry, and encouraged the downtrodden. That’s our example.

“Father” – of course we can call our earthly fathers our father. And symbolically, Paul even called himself the father of some congregations, but he didn’t tell anyone to call him “father,’ like Catholic priests do. The priests in Catholicism wield extraordinary power. As one Catholic told me, “they can consign you to hell, if they wish.”  True or not, it conveys the power they wield. The ONLY One we should call “Holy Father” is God Most High, Father of Jesus Christ and our father. NO MAN should ever be called “holy father.”

This also applies to the many other titles we find in churches, especially the Catholic Church. Vicar of Christ. Cardinal (meaning the main one).

“Rabbi” – means “teacher.”  Jesus also tells us to call no one “rabbi” except himself (Matt.23:8). The “rabbis” loved being called the teacher. Many of us ministers can fall into that way of thinking. ALL our teaching must come from THE Teacher, Yeshua. HE is the ONE Teacher overall (v. 10).

What about respect for their office? Shouldn’t we exalt them with titles like “elder,” “Pastor” or even “Mr.”? 

Using a title is not what grants respect. Respect for someone comes from the way they live, interact with people, run their ministry, with loving kindness and patience and being led by the Holy spirit. 

I first wrote a blog on this topic in 2011. IN there I also remind readers that there are in fact elders, teachers and shepherds in the church. They were put into the Body of Christ for the perfecting of the saints and for the work of ministry (Ephesians 4:11-12) Positions in the Body of Christ are functions, they’re there for a reason. We all have different functions (Romans 12:4-5), and yet we are all part of the body of Christ. He’s the Head, the Chief Shepherd, the Leader.

We respect and honor them – but not any more than we would a widow or orphan. All with God’s spirit are members of the body of Christ and deserve respect – without needing a fancy title. We all are the holy sanctuary of God’s spirit. 

In the end, it’s vital we simply obey Jesus’ commands. He said to cut out the

titles and focus instead on serving one another. Read Luke 22:26-30.

Luke 22:24-27  “Now there was also a dispute among them, as to which of them should be considered the greatest. 25 And He said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called 'benefactors.'  26 But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves. 27 For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as the One who serves.”

He goes on to explain  in verses 28-30, that when we learn this in this life, he can trust us with truly great positions he will give us in his kingdom. 

Luke 22:28-30  "But you are those who have continued with Me in My trials. 29 And I bestow upon you a kingdom, just as My Father bestowed one upon Me,  30 that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel."

We remember Jesus’ words: you are brethren, all part of God’s family. Brothers and sisters just call each other by first name, nothing more. We don’t focus on title but on serving and loving one another. So if you see me as your brother, I’m simply Philip. Nothing more.