A Reverend in his official attire, administering the Lord's table

What’s in a title?

by Eric Bosire • 7 December 2023

Last year during the political campaigns I happened to attend one of the many roadside campaign meetings. In the meeting that was attended by so many political aspirants and incumbent political leaders, a scuffle ensued due to a protocol hitch or so it seemed. One of the masters of ceremony ,when introducing the distinguished guests, forgot to address a Member of Parliament honorably. “You should address me honorably,” shouted the MP. The MC had to apologize or else he wouldn’t get any shilling at the end of the meeting. 

For the politicians we can give them a benefit of doubt, because to them it’s the image and outwitting each other in the political arena that matters. If they present themselves honorably and are addressed something else, then that is a recipe for trouble. 

It’s a pity that the politician’s behavior has found its way to the Kenyan church. As told by a pastor in Kenya, a Bishop in one of the Pentecostal churches in Kenya declined an invitation to a church conference for being addressed as a pastor in the invitation letter. The inviting pastor was really shocked; why would a bishop be annoyed for not being addressed as bishop? It defies logic.

It has come to a point that church leaders want recognition by the titles they hold, failure to which they take offense

Titles are a source of honor and respect in the church and the society at large. But true honor does not come by demanding it, it comes by servanthood to the body of Christ. Jesus told the disciples: “The one who is least among you is the greatest”, meaning that the one who offers more of their lives into the service of men is the greatest.

Pastor Benson Weru of Harvesters Church in Nairobi had a brief stint in Mauritius as a student where he studied the Bible under a scholarship programme by Church Team Ministries International (CTMI). He said that the leader of CTMI, Pastor Miki taught them the message of Christ and so the church leaders do not have any distinguished aspect of elevating themselves. The sitting arrangement in the auditorium is the same: No special seats for church leaders, all the seats are the same. When food is served, everybody will queue and no one is served better than the other. “Sometimes you would find the members seated and pastors and elders serving them. This has made the congregation appreciate the leadership even more. Elders are treated with honor because they have offered their lives to the members,” said Pastor Benson while giving his account about his experience in Mauritius.

Titles are important, they help people to know what one is supposed to do and so on. “The pastor is supposed to take care of the sheep, the teacher is supposed to teach the word, the prophet to bring the mind of God to the people to download what God wants now and the future. It becomes a problem when one seeks to gain honor and pushes to be recognized by his or her title because then it ceases to be the work one does for the kingdom and becomes now a place of authority,” said Pastor Benson.

According to Pastor Benson, the title is all about what God has entrusted the holder of the title to do. “Paul says I am an apostle to the Gentiles and he gives his job description as an apostle which is to spearhead what God is doing to a generation, bringing revelation and planting churches. Paul does not elevate himself to that position, he insists that it was a job that he was given by Christ and emphasizes that he is the least of the apostles. In all we do we should carry a humble heart, the Bible says the pride the Lord shall resist, the lowly the Lord shall lift”.

When it comes to Kenya, Pastor Benson said that the men and women of God are seeking honor and authority through their titles. They are not letting their works bring honor to themselves, they are pushing for it down the throats of the people. For instance, when you refer to some bishops as pastors, they feel you have not addressed them right and that you are demeaning them. 

“Just because of the desire to look bigger than others, men of God have created positions other than the Biblical fivefold ministry. For example, arc bishops who place themselves above everyone. This is just to show how big they are. Bishops are elders according to Paul,” said Pastor Benson. It brings a show of might which jeopardizes the body of Christ, and which will in the long run lead to a disunited church. 

Pastor Benson continued and said that when one is concerned about the title so much, he or she will tend to deviate from the original duty to the people of God because it will no longer be about the message of Christ rather about themselves. One should concentrate on the works and not the title. Church leaders should work with a heart that is submitted to Christ. He quoted Mathew 7:22-23 that says,

On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

“Jesus is talking about the servants who are busy clamoring for titles and forgetting the real assignment. The intention of their hearts was not right, Christ says He is the discerner of hearts and therefore in whatever one does the spirit of Christ should be portrayed. God calls us to do a good work that's why He says, I make vessels of honor for every good work working in the right attitude and spirit to accomplish the purpose of God,” concluded Pastor Benson. 

Reverend Joseph Ondieki of Grace Revival Church, Kisii said that the titles that church leaders hold for example bishop, reverend and doctors depending on the structure of specific churches are administrative but the Bible has gifts. It is recorded in Galatians 22 that Jesus Christ our Lord gave the positions of apostles, prophets, teachers, evangelists and pastors. These are offices which carry functions that are clearly described. “I have a problem with people who have titles and positions whose functionality is not well defined or rather these positions don’t have a function in the development of the Body of Christ. It is important for every position to have a function”. 

According to Reverend Joseph, there are a category of people that have used these titles as a way of fitting in a particular class because they feel inferior without a title, they feel they are not important and their presence won’t be felt. Some don’t even qualify to hold specific titles, but have elevated themselves to those positions. They have self-proclaimed titles which in the long run bring issues in the church. 

Kenyan church leaders are so much concerned about titles because of the influence that comes with it. Through this some fake church leaders have managed to manipulate church members and the community. “They know if they come with the normal pastor title, they won’t be taken seriously and therefore they come with the big ones, bishop, doctor etc,” said Rev. Joseph. 

The church titles, as Rev Joseph sees it, have made church leaders assume positions that they are final, such they have gone to an extent of wanting to take the position of God and that they are the final say but true believers know that Jesus Christ remains as the final person. The church leaders are supposed to point people to Christ who is our perfect example.

Nevertheless, Rev. Joseph was quick to point out that titles are not bad but people have used these titles in a wrong way. “If you are a pastor, it may look like it is a small name but if you carry out your duties properly then you are able to affect and transform a society to be the image of Christ. It is high time that those who are misusing titles change before things get worse. Those serving faithfully should not feel inferior because of not having a big title. There is no one who is great, Jesus while talking about the greatest, his disciples asked him who among them was the greatest and Jesus answered and said the least among you is the greatest,” said Rev. Joseph.

Next: Dowry, by Eric Bosire.

Notes:

About the author:
Eric Bosire is a Kenyan Journalist. He is based in Kisii.

About the image:
Photo credits: Media team of Grace Revival Church, Kisii.

Suggested citation:
Eric Bosire: What’s in a title? MissionField News (ISSN 2813-2270)
https://missionfield.news/2023/24_Title 2023-12-07.