Talking About Pride

There is a popular notion that ministers have emptied themselves of ambition and that they do what they do without regard or consideration for position or prestige. It is a myth.

The truth is that most of us who are “people of the cloth” struggle far more with pride and selfish ambition than we do with greed or lust. It’s just that those who succumb to those latter temptations make the front page of the newspaper while those who harbor desires to be someone great can go, for the most part, undetected.

When I was a 23-year-old licensed lay pastor, I greatly desired to be a “reverend.” To be called “The Reverend David Epps” required one to be ordained, not licensed. If people called me “reverend” by mistake, I did nothing to disabuse them of the notion. Later, when I was a “reverend,” I wanted to be a senior pastor, not just a pastor. So, I thought nothing of introducing myself as a “senior pastor,” even though the church had an average of 23 on Sunday morning.

I discovered that I was not alone in the search for titles that made me appear much more important and significant than I really was. I visited one denomination’s website a few years ago and discovered that the teeny-tiny denomination had six or seven bishops and only three churches. None of these churches even owned a building but the guys had big sounding titles.

There was a trend in charismatic circles a few years ago to discard the word “church” and substitute the phrase, “world outreach center.” Thus, a church of 25 people that met in a rented barn could boast a name something like “Greater Miami World Outreach Center.” I met a lot of pastors under the age of 30 that were the “senior pastors” of “world outreach centers.”

I have also encountered ministers who desired to be referred to as “doctor.” There are several types of “doctorates” that are attached to the names of clergy.

The first is the legitimate degree earned from a recognized, accredited school. A “doctor of ministry” requires about four years of higher study, including seminary.

A Ph.D., the “Doctor of Philosophy,” the highest doctorate, requires four or five years of study all by itself beyond the master’s degree. A legitimate “Doctor of Theology” is the equivalent of a Ph.D.

Then there are the legitimate, but unaccredited, schools that require the person to do the actual work for the degree. A number of denominational schools who train people for ministry within their own communion do not feel the need for outside recognition.

Low on the scale are the diploma mills where a “degree” may be purchased with little or no effort needed on the part of the recipient.

Beyond that, there are “schools” that seem to have little reason to exist other than to grant “degrees” so that pastors and their friends can claim the title of “doctor.” The difference in these “schools” and diploma mills is insignificant.

The latest trend, if one reads some Christian magazines, seems to be the desire to acquire titles such as “prophet,” “apostle,” “bishop,” “archbishop,” and the like. Just find someone, somewhere, to lay hands on you and “poof!” — thou art an apostle (prophet, bishop, or whatever).

It’s hard for me to be too critical because I have been one of those men who sought for some sort of external affirmation for much of my ministry. Today, if one does not serve as a mega-church pastor or have a huge sanctuary, one can still be a “prophet, apostle, or bishop.” We feel better about ourselves.

I’ve thought about declaring my acre and a half where I live as a separate nation. “Eppsonia” has a nice ring to it. I would, of course be the president and the commanding general of all armed forces. I could strut about in a general’s uniform and wear all sorts of ribbons and badges.

Those who knew me would think I was daft, of course. If I play the role well, strangers might actually think that I was a real general. Or maybe I’ll just form my own denomination and declare myself a bishop. Or Pope. Pope has a nice ring to it.

Abraham, on the other hand was simply known as a “friend of God,” while the greatest king in Israel was content to be known as “a man after God’s own heart.”

Jesus told those who were to actually become real apostles that if one aspires to great in the Kingdom, one is to be “the servant of all.”

Those who are truly “somebody,” and those who are achieving true greatness, need no titles at all.