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"Brother" Bill and "Pastor"

 

Small items are often important (such as a key in a car, or a clamp on an elevator cable). As negative examples of small - but important - items, dust in a marksman's eye, a pebble in an athlete's shoe, or an overlooked "not" preceding "guilty" in a court plea can all lead to undesirable consequences.

 

Small things are often important in church fellowships too. So, although the questionable practice of calling men "Brother (Bill)" and calling pastors "Pastor" (as a name; not as a title) - and referring to them in the third person as "Pastor" (as a name; not as a title) may be a 'small' issue to some, we would like to remind the reader why it is not.  We need to search the scriptures daily whether these things are so, we need to uphold God's word as our final authority in all matters of faith and practice, and we need to believe that he has good reason for every word he wrote.

 

In some fellowships, the word "Brother" is attached as a title to proper nouns (such as "Bill", as in "Brother Bill"). Does scripture instruct us to do this? Does it matter one way or the other?

 

In God's word, fellow believers are referred to by their first names numerous times, in the third person. In all cases, the titles "Brother" or "Sister" do not precede the name, except for three cases which we will examine, as follows:

 

1. In several instances, (such as in I Cor 16:12 - "our brother Apollos") a possessive personal pronoun ("my" brother; "thy" brother, "their" brother) precedes the noun (which is used in these cases as an adjective) 'brother' which disqualifies this example as scriptural proof for using this term as a title. Also, in this example, "brother" is not capitalized - which also disqualifies it.

 

2. In only two instances, (both referring to the same event), the pronominal adjective is used as if to validate this practice, which leads us to wonder why "Brother Saul" is used here at all when hundreds of other opportunities fail to indicate the validity of this practice.

Acts 9:17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.

Acts 22:13 Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me, Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him.

a. This example demonstrates use of the term - only once, and - in the second person; not in the third person.

 

b. There are several reasons why Ananias may have used the title "Brother Saul", including the fact that he was somewhat afraid of Saul and perhaps wished him to know that he received him as family.

 

c. This example stands alone in possible support of the practice, and even then only under narrow conditions (including direct commissioning by God to bestow sight to the blind.)

3. The only other instance, wherein "Brother" is used as a name or title, occurs in Luke chapter nine. In this case, the pronominal adjective is used without a proper noun (person's name in this case) following it - or more correctly - the word is used itself as a proper noun, in lieu of a person's name.

Luke 6:42 Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye.

a. Interestingly, this example also pertains to the receiving of someone's sight; but it is spoken by a hypocrite who presumes to judge himself to be superior to his brother. (Jesus hates the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes.)

 

b. If there is not a condescending air of superiority, there often seems to be an air of (feigned) spirituality associated with the use of such religious terminology - "Brother Bill", "Sister Betty". Could this be the same attitude that motivated the Pharisees to enlarge the borders of their garments and to make long prayers in public?

In summary, if a person wants to ignore 99.9% of the examples where "Brother" is not used in God's word, then let him at least practice the 0.1% scripturally.

 

If the person is not a condescending hypocrite in violation of Luke chapter six, and if God directly commissions him to enable the receiving of sight, as in Acts chapter nine, then let him address that person as "Brother...(Bill)".

 

Perhaps this issue really doesn't matter much. But let's strive to be scriptural in everything that we do, and in everything that we say, and in everything that we think.

 

Concurrently, let all those who use the term "Pastor" as a proper name, cease from doing so. The bible provides no justification for this practice. Let us cease from all man-made traditions/practices that add to God's word in matters that pertain to spiritual faith and practice.