October is Pastor Appreciation Month — a fitting time to reflect not only on our gratitude for ministers but also on the sacred office they hold. On several occasions during my ministry, I have been encouraged to drop the title “reverend.” Among Baptists, which is my background, the title has been considered inappropriate, even presumptuous.
The objection usually rests on Psalm 111:9, where the King James Version declares of God, “holy and reverend is his name.” I understood the concern. No minister should claim the reverence due to God alone. Yet I came to believe this objection conflated divine worship with the honor due to those called to sacred service. I accepted the title, and after decades in ministry, I have never seen reason to apologize for it.
My reasons are threefold. First, “reverend” does not mean a minister is inherently holier or spiritually superior to others. He is a sinner saved by grace, with weaknesses like every believer. Nevertheless, his office is no ordinary position. He is entrusted with preaching God's Word, shepherding His people, and caring for immortal souls.
Paul admonished the Ephesian elders to care for the flock “over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood” (Acts 20:28). The Church belongs to God. Its people were purchased with Christ's blood, and the Holy Spirit appoints overseers to care for them. Surely, such an office deserves extraordinary respect.
The title does not magnify the man; it acknowledges the dignity of his calling. Second, the title reminds the minister of his solemn responsibility. If his office is worthy of honor, he must strive to conduct himself honorably. The designation should never inflate his pride but only deepen his humility.