Title or Tag, which are you?

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia: (2 Corinthians 1:1)

Dr. Jamal Bryant, his website is full of many flashy things. You can play Pacman and give a donation to him. Check out his website, he gives you who he is just by his title Doctor Jamal Harrison Bryant. But does he serve as one? Take a look and see (www.jamalbryant.org ). What about your favorite bible theologian hero? Oh you didn’t think the Apologist, Reformed, Calvinist, or Biblically sound scholar hold up titles either? What is on his website? Is his title up there like this, “Pastor John MacArthur”? Here’s what I am getting at. Is your leader in the church known by his title, or by his tag? Is your pastor just holding a title as pastor or is his tag a pastor. Let me be even more clear, is he just carrying the title of a pastor instead of being labeled a pastor by how he serves God and the Body of Jesus Christ. I came to these thoughts about tags and titles conversing with my friend John Coleman, a pastor for God (I say that not as a compliment, but by what I’ve seen him do). I was talking with John telling him of my new church pastor, and I mentioned to him how I am watching my pastor like a hawk. John gently corrected me saying, “Why are you watching him? He is trying to live as God has called him to live.” I started thinking, are all pastor’s doing that, or are they just carrying the name of pastor, or bishop, apostle, whatever? You see today, some men, reformed or not, have gotten caught up the titles, when we should be tagged as servants. We even love to wave our rights of passage around the sacred cow of the day (the pulpit as brother Lionel Woods would put it), our whatever place we are at.

Do a bible search and see how God’s servants are described. I have not even seen where one puts the name of where they are serving in front of there name. I do see their service tagged after their name. Now I am not advocating, people start switching their names from “pastor so-so” to “so-so, the pastor”. Apparently, titles today seem to be more important than the service, and even loving one another. A real true servant of the Lord Jesus Christ ministers and loves with their all. Do you see that in your church leaders? Do we do that as well as Christians? Do we give our all to Jesus Christ, or are we just acquiring the title? Hmmmmm!!!!! Should we not be tagged or label fellow servants of the Most High.

But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. (Mark 10:42-45)

Look at how the Greek transliteration is defined for minister in this verse:

diakonos dee-ak'-on-os probably from an obsolete diako (to run on errands; compare 1377); an attendant, i.e. (genitive case) a waiter (at table or in other menial duties); specially, a Christian teacher and pastor (technically, a deacon or deaconess):--deacon, minister, servant.

In the definition alone you see the qualities of service. This is not something that can be just put by a name as a title. This is a label of what a minister does. This was Epaphras who Paul spoke of in Colossians:

Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth: As ye also learned of Epaphras our dear fellowservant, who is for you a faithful minister of Christ; (Colossians 1:6-7)

And of Tychicus:

But that ye also may know my affairs, and how I do, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, shall make known to you all things: (Ephesians 6:21)

We as Christians should be known be this. If you are a pastor, you should be a servant-leader. You should be hospitable, caring, putting on the deeds of our Lord and Savior. For those of you seeking a title, why do you want to preach? Is that what being a pastor-teacher really is? Is it giving your 5-point sermon exposing the scripture? Or is it being a living epistle before God’s church. If you are a good at baking cookies, serve and minister well for Jesus Christ. If you’re a Christian who coaches basketball, coach and serve your team. Let’s stop looking at the titles, and start building on our service in the Lord Jesus Christ. As always, I leave you with scripture. Love you, my beloved

And David said, Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may shew him kindness for Jonathan's sake? And there was of the house of Saul a servant whose name was Ziba. And when they had called him unto David, the king said unto him, Art thou Ziba? And he said, Thy servant is he. And the king said, Is there not yet any of the house of Saul, that I may shew the kindness of God unto him? And Ziba said unto the king, Jonathan hath yet a son, which is lame on his feet. And the king said unto him, Where is he? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he is in the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, in Lodebar. Then king David sent, and fetched him out of the house of Machir, the son of Ammiel, from Lodebar. Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, was come unto David, he fell on his face, and did reverence. And David said, Mephibosheth. And he answered, Behold thy servant! And David said unto him, Fear not: for I will surely shew thee kindness for Jonathan thy father's sake, and will restore thee all the land of Saul thy father; and thou shalt eat bread at my table continually. (2 Samuel 9:1-7)