{"id":49118,"date":"2005-07-01T21:13:00","date_gmt":"2005-07-02T02:13:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/?p=49118"},"modified":"2022-07-01T21:15:45","modified_gmt":"2022-07-02T02:15:45","slug":"dont-reverend-me-its-forbidden","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/dont-reverend-me-its-forbidden\/","title":{"rendered":"Don’t “Reverend” Me \u2014 It’s Forbidden!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\tby Hayse Reneau\n

The English word ‘Reverend’ is used but once in our Bible; and it references, The Creator, Jehovah God (Psalms 111:9.) “He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name.<\/em>” Anyone who accepts this title is filled with unholy pride or is ignorant of Bible teaching. Mortal man must not allow himself to be addressed with such a title: it is reserved for God alone.<\/p>\n

Christ taught His disciples of their equality toward one another:\u00a0Matthew 20:25-28: “But Jesus called them to Himself and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave – just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.’<\/em>“<\/p>\n

He further admonished everyone against assuming titles of distinction. In\u00a0Matthew 23:8-10: “But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.<\/em>“<\/p>\n

All ‘in Christ’ are brethren, thus such titles as The Reverend, Doctor James, Father John, His Eminence Paul, and such like, are all foreign to the teaching of Christ and stand condemned. Preachers were known simply as ministers, preachers, and evangelists. “How shall they hear without a preacher?<\/em>” (Romans 10:14.) “Whereof I was made a minister<\/em>” (Ephesians 3:7.) “Do the work of an evangelist” (II Timothy 4:5.)<\/p>\n

Also, every follower of Jesus is a priest. Peter said it in I Peter 2:9. There is no Bible authorization for priestly robes, reversed collars, or special religious titles to distinguish the so-called “clergy” from the so-called “laity,” for no such distinction is allowed by the inspired writers. Neither can God’s faithful children be called “Master” nor “Worshipful Master.” “Neither be ye called Masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.<\/em>“<\/p>\n

Job set the tenor long ago, and a warning, with the inspired words:\u00a0Job 32:21-22: “Let me not, I pray you, accept any man’s person, neither let me give flattering titles unto man. For I know not to give flattering titles; in so doing my Maker would soon take me away.<\/em>” Do you want to be “taken away?” I don’t!<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by Hayse Reneau The English word ‘Reverend’ is used but once in our Bible; and it references, The Creator, Jehovah God (Psalms 111:9.) “He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name.” Anyone who accepts this title is filled with unholy pride or is ignorant…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[27],"tags":[1511,125],"class_list":["post-49118","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-preachers","tag-titles"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":3981,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/should-a-preacher-be-referred-to-as-reverend\/","url_meta":{"origin":49118,"position":0},"title":"Should a preacher be referred to as “reverend?”","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 16, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Very often here preachers are referred to as reverend.\u00a0 Is it correct to refer to a preacher, minister or elder as reverend? Answer: The word reverend indicates that a person is worthy of adoration or reverence, entitled to respect mingled with fear and affection. Such a description would apply\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":87534,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/no-titles-please\/","url_meta":{"origin":49118,"position":1},"title":"No Titles, Please","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 6, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by Joe Slater One of the minor annoyances of being a preacher is that well-meaning people frequently put some title before your name. It may be Reverend, Pastor, Father, or some other title. They are trying to be respectful, which I appreciate even though I repudiate the titles. I tell\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":41662,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/why-do-some-use-titles\/","url_meta":{"origin":49118,"position":2},"title":"Why do some use titles?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 23, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hello brother Hamilton. Hope you're doing well. I have a question that pertains to \"titles\" given to those in position in the church and mainly I'm speaking on preachers and the title that some give themselves such as reverend, pastor, evangelist, etc. Now, I read some of your articles\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":59334,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/reverend-is-his-name\/","url_meta":{"origin":49118,"position":3},"title":"Reverend Is His Name","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 16, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"by Kent Heaton The book of Psalms is a powerful testimony to the majesty, praise, glory, and awesome power of Jehovah God. Isaiah wrote the words of the Lord, \"To whom would you liken Me and make Me equal and compare Me, that we would be alike . Remember the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":60888,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-is-the-proper-way-to-refer-to-a-preacher\/","url_meta":{"origin":49118,"position":4},"title":"What Is the Proper Way to Refer to a Preacher?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 27, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Adapted from an article by Clem Thurman via Gospel Minutes, Vol. 58, No. 34, Aug. 21, 2009. Question: My denominational friends refer to their preacher as \"Pastor\" or \"Reverend.\" What is the proper way to address the preacher, or how do you refer to him as you speak of him\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":44677,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/do-i-have-to-marry-my-brothers-widow\/","url_meta":{"origin":49118,"position":5},"title":"Do I have to marry my brother’s widow?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"February 14, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Please help. My pastor told me that God spoke to her that I should marry my elder brother's widow with four children. I have a fiancee whom I dearly love but my pastor says she is being used by devil worshippers to capture me. My dad joined in devil\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49118","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=49118"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49118\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=49118"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=49118"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=49118"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}