Twenty-eight
What Title to Use
“How shall we refer to you on the wedding
announcement?”
“I like ‘Most Holy Reverend Doctor’. It has a ring
to it don’t you think?”
Just what or who are we? The usual titles are
“reverend,” “minister,” or “pastor,” and some like
to use “Doctor” if they have an earned doctorate.
Though I have an earned doctorate, a DMin., (not an
academic, but practical degree) I do not use it. It sounds
pretentious. I reserve “Doctor” for medical doctors,
dentists, and other medical specialists. But I will use
the term, also, for university, college, or seminary
professors if they have an earned Ph.D. or Th.D., but
that is about it. I restrict my use of the title because I
noticed that I was too pleased with being called “Dr.
Philpott”.
One day I introduced myself as Doctor Philpott to
a small group that included a rather well known medical
doctor. The M.D. gave his name, Doctor so-and-so. It
embarrassed me. He intended, I felt, to embarrass me.
He knew my doctorate had something to do with
133
What Title to Use
theology, and he could, I think, sense the kind of selfimportant
way in which I announced myself. That was
the last time I pulled that. I do not use the title in the
Yellow Pages of the telephone book, and I do not use
the term on my stationary or my business card. I have
no quarrel with others who do use it, however.
“Pastor” is the designation I use. I do not like the
title “reverend” maybe because I do not feel very
reverent most of the time. And I do not know what
“reverend” means exactly except that it is a ministerial
designation. The term “minister” is appropriate. When
I sign a wedding document (at least the ceremonial
certificate) I declare that I am a “Minister of the
Gospel.”
Essentially my function is to pastor a church, so
that is the title I use. When I meet people for the first
time they often don’t know how to address me. I will
generally extend my hand and say, “My name is Kent
Philpott” thereby letting them know how I prefer to
be called. If people ask “How am I to introduce you?”
or “How am I to list you on the program?” I will say,
“After my name should read, ‘pastor.’” And if they
want more than that I say, “Pastor of Miller Avenue
Baptist Church.” But generally, upon introduction, I
give my full name without title.
The question comes up, “How are kids to refer to
you?” I may not have the right spin on this, but I just
introduce myself to them as “Kent”. If a parent wants
to say, “This is Pastor Philpott”, or “Pastor Kent”, or
“Reverend Philpott” I let it go at that. However parents
wants to instruct their child to refer to me I will accept.
I will not correct a child but will let them call me
anything they want to.
Robes, clerical robes—though not the subject of
this chapter, I do not want to come up with a separate
134
For Pastors
chapter about robes—deserve some comment. I have
worn robes yet never felt comfortable with them. One
Sunday morning I tripped on the stole on my way up
to the pulpit and thereby generated a chorus of giggles.
I would not mention this topic except that I have met
too many ministers who take what I consider to be too
great a delight in dressing up in robes and other
religious garments. Robes were developed in an era
when the office of minister was undergoing a transition
from servant to shaman, or servant to magician. Special
garments symbolized extra ordinary powers. That is
one theory anyway, and another is that robes help set
the ministry apart or call attention to the specialness
of Christian ministry. I have little objection to this latter
view, but clothes should not be what makes the
ministry special.
If a particular denomination or church traditionally
uses robes, fine, ignore what I have said here all the
while keeping in mind our tendency to think of
ourselves more highly than we ought.
What title do you prefer?
What does the old term, “puffed up” mean to you?