{"id":1740,"date":"2024-06-20T18:24:11","date_gmt":"2024-06-20T23:24:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/closetohome\/?p=1740"},"modified":"2024-06-21T12:58:07","modified_gmt":"2024-06-21T17:58:07","slug":"the-doctor-is-not-in-christian-leaders-and-fake-titles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/closetohome\/2024\/06\/the-doctor-is-not-in-christian-leaders-and-fake-titles\/","title":{"rendered":"The Doctor Is Not In: Christian Leaders and Fake Titles"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

Thousands of years before Jesus Christ was born, there were no \u201cChristian Leaders.<\/strong>\u201d That\u2019s because there was no known Christ on Earth (yet)\u2013only leaders.<\/p>\n

Abraham expanded the nations, Noah ushered in a second chance, Moses led the chosen, and David eventually became their king. These were people God chose to lead His people. For some, He changed their name (see Genesis 17:4-6<\/a>, Genesis 32:22-28<\/a>, Matthew 16:18-20<\/a>). For others, He created a destiny (see 1 Samuel 16:7-12<\/a>, 1 Kings 19:19-21<\/a>, Acts 9:8-14<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Yet, none of them had an illustrious title. <\/strong>And, surprising for many of today\u2019s leaders in the Church, it didn\u2019t matter.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

You know? The coveted alphabet soup that comes after someone\u2019s name on a business card? Those people changed the world for God. They walked alongside Jesus. These individuals called down fire from heaven and opened the door for the Holy Spirit. And, not one individual we read about in the Bible, or even during the first couple of Spiritual Awakenings<\/a>, was a \u201cProphetess,\u201d \u201cBrother Minister,\u201d \u201cArchbishop,\u201d \u201cDisciple,\u201d \u201cHoly Apostle,\u201d or even \u201cDoctor.\u201d<\/p>\n

Maybe the zealousness for titles among Christian leadership found its roots in the Bible.<\/p>\n

\n**
** He that descended is the same also that ascended above all the heavens: that he might fill all things. And he gave some apostles, and some prophets, and other some evangelists, and other some pastors and doctors<\/strong><\/p>\n
** **For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Until we all meet into the unity of faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the age of the fulness of Christ<\/p>\n

(Ephesians 4:10-13 Douay-Rheims Bible<\/strong><\/a>)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

It\u2019s been a thing for decades. God calls a person to their ministry with only a name and a passion for the Lord. Within 12 to 24 months, these called folks want to appear \u201cchosen,\u201d so they flex a shiny title and newfangled clout that seemed to appear as fast as water turned to wine<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Christian Leaders and Much Ado About Nothing<\/h2>\n

Pastor Greg Locke received prayer from Christian leaders. (Image credit: Global Vision Bible Church\u2019s website via Charisma)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n****
** ****Meet Pastor Greg Locke<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

He oversees the thriving Global Vision Bible Church<\/a> in Mount Juliet, Tennessee. The church made its mark when Locke split from the vitriolic and deeply orthodox Independent Fundamentalist Baptist movement<\/a> and renamed his congregation to its present name.<\/p>\n

Fast forward to summer 2024.<\/p>\n

One Sunday, various Christian leaders surround Greg Locke and his wife Taisha<\/a> on the stage, led by Pastor Malachi O\u2019Brien of The Church at Pleasant Ridge in Harrisonville, Missouri, and via Zoom call, Pastor Mike Signorelli of V1 Church in New York City. And together, following a moving corporate prayer, the two were named<\/a> \u201cApostles to the World.\u201d\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

"

Now, just like Romans 1, where Paul says, \u2018I am a servant of Christ called to be an apostle,\u2019 I believe now, Greg Locke, a servant of Christ, called to be a global voice of the gospel to all people, called to be one that assigns tasks to others, that activates and imparts and releases the oil of the anointing to subdue and take territories and nations, and places that your feet have not yet traveled physically, but digitally.<\/p>\n

Pastor Mike Signorelli, V1 Church in New York City, via video message<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

And just like that, two people\u2013one pastor and his wife\u2013are called \u201capostles\u201d in a grandiose fashion. Titles run amuck amid ego regalia\u2013unlike the good ol\u2019 days.<\/p>\n

"

The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 12:28, \u2018the Lord has appointed to the church, first, apostles, second, prophets, third, teachers.\u2019 We are here today, Pastor Greg, Pastor Tai, today also to say, Apostle Greg, and Apostle Tai. To officially recognize what so many have recognized for many years.<\/p>\n

Pastor Malachi O\u2019Brien of The Church at Pleasant Ridge of Harrisonville, Missouri<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u201cApostles to the World.\u201d That must look fine on the letterhead, right? Unfortunately, this is a microcosm of what has been wrong in the Church for many years.<\/p>\n

Not Quite What the \u201cDoctor\u201d Ordered<\/h2>\n

This is the cause or the effect of Christian leaders and their lust for titles. (Image credit: Stefan Kunze via Unsplash)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n******
** ******The time for being finite about Christian leaders with these fabricated and lofty titles must stop. Look at the scripture previously mentioned in the letter to the Ephesians. What are those titles really?<\/p>\n

\nPastor<\/strong> \u2014 Someone responsible for the spiritual guidance of a gathering of people or a church<\/li>\nEvangelist<\/strong> \u2014 In the Christian faith, this is a person who travels to proclaim the truth of Jesus and share the message of salvation<\/li>\nTeacher<\/strong> \u2014 This is a wise and astute person who instructs others on complex issues related to the Lord<\/li>\nProphet<\/strong> \u2014 An \u201cinspired\u201d person who proclaims the future will or works of God<\/li>\nApostle<\/strong> \u2014 One of those mentioned above, usually commissioned by a body of believers, tasked with creating new churches and uplifting respective bodies of believers<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n******
** ******Other well-known titles for Christian leadership are:<\/p>\n

\nElder<\/strong> \u2014 An older person, in age and the Christian faith, honored for their wisdom of Christian truth (1 Timothy 3:1-7)<\/li>\nDeacon<\/strong> \u2014 Someone designated to serve the physical, emotional, and fiscal needs of the Church and its leaders (Acts 6:1-3)<\/li>\nBishop<\/strong> \u2014 Considered a \u201cpastor of pastors,\u201d this \u201cpresbyter\u201d is an overseer of several churches connected with a shared vision (Acts 1:20)<\/li>\nRabbi<\/strong> or Priest<\/strong> \u2014 See \u201cPastor\u201d for Judaic and Catholic honorifics, respectively<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n******
** Yet, most of those titles don\u2019t belong on a business card. You don\u2019t need a title to lead in a church or even to minister in one. <\/strong>If you didn\u2019t go through some registered appointments and complete rigorous curricula, you\u2019re not a [insert title here, including \u201cDoctor\u201d].<\/p>\n
** Likewise, having a title\u2013or fictitiously adopting one\u2013doesn\u2019t make you a leader. These titles help others to understand an office. Today, these once-earned or bestowed honors are synonymous. Even worse, they\u2019re dropped, and your spiritual is called \u201cDave\u201d by some dude wearing flip-flops passing a plate for the tithe.<\/p>\n
** Titles are for governance in the Church, not for ego to have one. They create accountability and responsibility. Today, they\u2019re mainly about \u201clook at me.\u201d Word of note:<\/strong> If you want to be called \u201cApostle to the World,\u201d join the international mission field and get off stage. Your narcissism is showing.<\/p>\n
** ******\nWant to stay in touch with the faith-based issues that affect us close to home?\u00a0Subscribe to our free newsletter<\/a>\u00a0and never miss what\u2019s said about the Church and how Christians should talk back.<\/h5>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"********
** ********Titles, or earned honorifics, are everywhere in the business world. They connect people to perceived tasks. It used to be that way in the Church, but now, everyone has a fancy title. And for what again? <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5303,"featured_media":1743,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[246,95,44,53,116,200],"class_list":["post-1740","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-church","tag-christian-leadership","tag-church","tag-evangelism","tag-hypocrisy","tag-religion","tag-witnessing"],"yoast_head":"\nThe Doctor Is Not In: Christian Leaders and Fake Titles<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Titles, or earned honorifics, are everywhere in the business world. They connect people to perceived tasks. It used to be that way in the Church, but now, everyone has a fancy title. 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