Well-known author, speaker and pastor, Bryan Loritts, who was just hired by J.D. Greear’s Summit Church, claims to be a “Dr.” on his website, Instagram, and Twitter.
Yet Loritts has no earned doctorate. And the honorary doctorate he does have is from St. Thomas Christian University—a school that seemingly has no accreditation, is not registered by its home state of Florida, and was given an “F” rating by the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
Loritts already is facing criticism for his alleged cover-up of sex crimes committed by his brother-in-law when the two were pastors at a Memphis Church. And this latest revelation raises even more questions about this recently-hired executive pastor at Summit Church, the church of J.D. Greear, president of the Southern Baptist Convention.
Loritts presumably began using the title “Dr.” in January, when he posted a picture of himself in a doctoral robe on Instagram, stating only, “It was a good day…” (A screenshot of Loritts’ website on December 28, 2019, shows he was still going by “Bryan Loritts” at that time.)
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Loritts posted another picture of himself wearing the doctoral robe at a wedding in February.
Yet in neither his Instagram posts, nor on his website, did Loritts mention where he had received his doctorate. He also did not disclose that his doctorate was honorary.
At LinkedIn and also in a 2010 article, it states that Loritts is a candidate for the doctor of philosophy at Oxford Graduate School, now Omega Graduate School. I reached out to Omega Graduate School about two weeks ago and was told that Loritts had been a student in the doctoral program “some years back,” but had withdrawn before finishing.
I contacted Loritts multiple times, asking where he had earned his doctorate, but he did not reply.
I also reached out to Biola University, where Loritts serves on the trustee board, asking the same question, but Biola did not reply either.
However, after it was announced this past weekend that Loritts was hired by Summit Church, I contacted Summit about Loritts’ alleged doctorate. Yesterday, Summit replied that Loritts had gotten an honorary doctorate from St. Thomas Christian University.
Reputable schools ask recipients of honorary degrees to refrain from using the title “Dr.” and to use the initials “h.c.” or “hon” on bios or resumes. For example, Michigan State University states, “For any reference to an honorary degree awarded by Michigan State University: It must be clear the degree is an honorary degree and not an earned degree.”
However, Bryan Loritts’ father, Crawford Loritts, a nationally recognized pastor and board member with Cru, Family Life, and Chick-fil-A, blatantly violates this convention.
On his bio at his church’s website, Crawford Loritts claims to have numerous doctorates, including ones from Biola University, Philadelphia Biblical University (now Cairn University), Moody Theological Seminary, and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. All of these doctorates are honorary. The only earned degree Crawford Loritts has is a bachelor’s degree from Philadelphia Biblical University.
I asked Summit Church if it is okay with Bryan Loritts referring to himself as “doctor” and am still awaiting a response.
A Scam Degree-Conferring Operation?
In 2018, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) investigated St. Thomas University and afterwards, gave the school an “F” rating.
The investigation was prompted by a BBB Scam Tracker report and complaints from religious leaders alleging that the university had contacted them and told them that they were selected to receive an Honorary Doctorate of Divinity Degree. The church leaders said St. Thomas then invited them to a graduation ceremony at its Jacksonville campus and required them to pay $494 for a cap and gown. In addition, the leaders said they had to pay for a banquet dinner, picture, and videos, and had to donate $1,000 to a university scholarship fund.
One such leader mentioned that when he discovered that St. Thomas was not registered with the Florida Education Board, he cancelled his plans to receive the doctorate and asked for a refund.
The school allegedly said it would refund the person’s money but never did. And when the person complained, the chancellor of St. Thomas, Dr. Zamekio Jackson, reportedly told the person that once St. Thomas receives funds from another applicant for the purchase of a robe, the school will refund the man’s money.
I reached out once again to Loritts, asking if he was aware of the issues with St. Thomas Christian University and whether he had paid any money to receive his honorary doctorate, but Loritts did not respond.
Interestingly, “Dr. Zamekio Jackson” doesn’t appear to have a doctorate himself. At his LinkedIn profile, Jackson claims he got his education at Texas Christian University (TCU). However, I contacted TCU’s registrar’s office and it said Jackson has never attended TCU.
The BBB said it contacted St. Thomas Christian University for a response to its complaints, but St. Thomas never responded. The BBB also said it found no evidence that St. Thomas is accredited by any outside accrediting body despite the school’s claims to the contrary.
On its website, St. Thomas says it’s accredited by The North American Association of Christian Schools and Colleges. However, I couldn’t find any evidence that such an organization exists. The phone number posted on St. Thomas’ website for the alleged accrediting body is not in service. The address listed for the association matches Post Net in Draper, Utah.
The BBB said it found that St. Thomas was registered with the Commission for Independent Education of the Florida Department of Education as a religious institution and therefore was exempt from licensure. However, that was in 2018.
St. Thomas currently is not listed as a registered religious institution at the commission’s website. When I called the commission, I was told that St. Thomas failed to renew its religious exemption, which expired in November 2019.
St. Thomas Christian University is also listed with the state of Florida as an inactive not-for-profit corporation. The organization has never filed an annual report and was dissolved by the state in 2013. According to CorporationWiki, Zamekio Jackson has been associated with 12 companies over a 13-year period, but none are still active.
Over the years, St. Thomas has had numerous addresses. It’s currently listed as 103 Century Dr., Suite 201, in Jacksonville. This building is also where a church Jackson pastors, called The Hospital Church, meets.
However, at the “About” page on St. Thomas’ website is a picture of a building, which is located at a former address of St. Thomas’—6620 Arlington Expressway in Jacksonville. This building is owned by Holy Cross Lutheran Church.
I spoke with the president of Holy Cross’ congregation, Jerry Nowak. He told me that Jackson’s church, The Hospital Church, rented space from Holy Cross from March 2015, to sometime in 2016. Nowak added that St. Thomas Christian University is not authorized to use pictures of Holy Cross’ building and still owes Holy Cross in excess of $5,000.
I reached out to Jackson for more information and comment on these issues, but he did not respond.
Loritts begins his new job at Summit Church on June 1.
On June 2, Moody Publishers will be releasing Loritts’ new book, The Dad Difference: The 4 Most Important Gifts You Can Give to Your Kids.
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57 Responses
One would hope that the criteria for integrity for pastoral staff at a church (or any position) would be much higher. While this hire already reveals a lot, how they respond will tell everyone all that we need to know.
Just when you think you’ve heard it all. Why do people of God (supposedly) preachers in particular, think they have to put on a facade in order to impress people, believing all the while they can get away with it and then lie and hide to escape accountability? What is going on in the church today? I’m confused and even scared. May God have mercy on us.
Totally agree. Maranatha!
I’m sorry but this is just plain stupid. My Lord would have NEVER carried the name of
“Rev.Dr Jesus…” Honorary” Doctorates are just that – Honorary. And takes away from those who did the REAL work to attain it.
“LEADERS” PLEASE….far better it is to be known as “SERVANT” anyway.
While I completely agree with and enjoy your sentiment. Jesus did have the authority to go by “the Christ” Lol
Amen!
Well said. Matthew 23:1-12.
Here’s another one worth looking into: A. Michael Black. I think his is from the same school. Notice Lancaster Bible College doesn’t mention anything about his doctorate in the academic section.
https://www.lbc.edu/about/our-staff/michael-black/
Why say Dr. if it isn’t real?
Julie, will you ask about it? I think it hurts the academic reputation of the school, but even more, this makes Christians look terrible.
The photo with him wearing a doctoral robe at a wedding….is that something people actually do? I’ve never seen nor heard of that.
Me either.?
Did he marry the couple? I have seen pastors wear robes for marriage ceremonies (but never paid attention to what kind of robe it was).
Absolutely appalling!! Another layer of the corrupt “Christian” men’s club. So, so, so sad to see the web of deceit amongst the church leadership in America. A confirmation of the MANY reservations I have about returning to my previous Evangelical/Calvary/Baptist/Non-Denominational (or whatever) churches after the Covid-19 stay home order ends.
Apparently 23% of people surveyed also said they’re checking out other churches during the pandemic. Would like to know the reasons behind that and why they feel the need to do it in secret.
https://www.christianpost.com/news/nearly-half-of-churchgoers-say-they-havent-watched-any-online-service-in-past-4-weeks.html
What I find absolutely amazing about Christian leadership nowadays is they seem to forget about this thing called the internet, where anyone with a wifi connection can look up all kinds of things about you (which is why I am very careful with the internet!).
In the United States, honorary doctorates are awards. Typical academic and public life protocols dictate that recipients refrain from being called “Dr.” if their only doctorate(s) are honorary versus earned. One “exception” is if the recipient is awarded the honorary doctorate at the university he/she is serving at or leading. He/she might be called “Dr.” by that university when on campus, etc. Even then, it’s generally frowned upon and is in no way equivalent to an earned degree.
Note that honorary doctorates have different letter designations. In other words, there is no “honorary” PhD, ThD, DMin, etc. Some universities – University of Virginia, Cornell, and M.I.T. among them – don’t give honorary doctorates at all.
Most secular celebrities who receive such awards don’t start calling themselves “Dr.” (e.g., Dr. Oprah Winfrey). In evangelical circles, by contrast, going by “Dr.” upon receiving one or more honorary doctorates is an epidemic. Consider some examples:
David Jeremiah
John MacArthur
Joe Stowell III
Erwin Lutzer
Ravi Zacharias
Chuck Swindoll
Jerry Falwell, Sr.
Alistair Begg
Pat Robertson
Lois Evans
Billy Graham (never used it himself, reportedly, but others did)
There are many great teachers and expositors of God’s Word, past and present – including Jesus Christ himself – who didn’t have earned doctorates. And goodness knows earned doctorates don’t protect against false teachers and wolves eventually showing us who they are (e.g., James MacDonald). But using a title that misleads others about the nature your achievements is wrong.
As for Bryan Loritts, PAYING a university with specious credentials for an honorary doctorate puts him in the category of “fraud”. Loritts has had a lot to say lately about treatment of disgraced pastors. Sounds like a video confession and apology of his own is in order.
Jessica, I agree with your overall assessment here. For the record, though, Erwin Lutzer at least finished all his PhD work at Loyola University, but he didn’t finish his dissertation. Also, in fairness to him, on The Moody Church’s website, the bio for Lutzer clearly states that he has an honorary doctorate, along with his two earned master’s degrees.
Most of the folks I listed are transparent to varying degrees about their “doctorates” being honorary. Still the case that the use of the title is generally frowned-upon, unless one’s doctorate is earned, i.e., you finished the dissertation – or whatever culminating paper/project is required for the degree – and have the earned doctorate diploma and transcripts to prove it.
Odd pattern in Evangelicalism, indeed.
I agree, it is odd for sure. I would think that people would want to error on the side of humility, especially people in any kind of pastoral ministry. One remedy for this dilemma would be for every Evangelical university or seminary to simply do away with awarding people honorary doctorates. I realize this is a pipe dream, but just making a point. It seems to be mostly a “prestige” type of thing, which gives more prestige to the particular university and more prestige to the recipient. But where in the New Testament does it say that pastors and evangelists are to be seeking prestige? Also, awarding someone an honorary doctorate degree is like awarding someone an honorary black belt in karate, even though they never took any karate classes.
David Barton’s PhD is purchased, and RC Sproul didn’t complete his dissertation either. I wonder if doctoral candidates in the religious world realize that in the secular realm a PhD candidate may very well complete and submit a dissertation but unless it is approved that title isn’t awarded. There’s a bit of Christian presumption (and I mean entitlement) that borders on theft.
Seems like an investigation into the degree pedigrees of well known leaders and authors in the Christian Industrial Complex would be a worthwhile endeavor-Julie? It’s a reoccurring issue.
Isaac,
It is. I think some other blogs I have ran across over the years have done it:
One well known leader, John Piper did receive a Doctorate in Theology (ThD) [NOT a DMin or DDiv degree] in New Testament Studies at the University of Munich, Germany (1971–1974) under Leonhard Goppelt.
Janet,
You are correct about RC Sproul.
Minor addendum to RC Sproul. He attended Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (1969) and received the title “Doctorandus” (drs.). The title is acquired by passing the doctoraalexamen, the exam which usually concludes university study. Some students will continue to do research under the supervision of a professor, which eventually allows them to obtain the title of doctor.
In Dutch, the words doctoraal and doctoraat have different meanings, the first referring to the doctorandus, the second word referring to the doctorate phase or title. The word ‘doctorandus’ is based on the traditional principle that this degree is a prerequisite and intermediate step for obtaining a doctorate title.
According to Dutch legislation, the Dutch doctorandus degree is equivalent to the MA or MSc degree in English-speaking countries, with the difference that the coursework and comprehensive exams for a doctorate are included in the academic study. After being graduated to “drs.”, the candidate can start with PhD-level research and writing the dissertation without any further exams.
There is more information at this link (from which I have copied above):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctorandus
So Sproul did not have an earned doctorate as he did not finish the course of study/dissertation in the Netherlands. Wikipedia shows Sproul also had a PhD from Whitefield Theological Seminary in 2001. Never heard of that institution and it’s certainly not accredited as far as I can tell. Yet he used the title doctor. Which brings up another issue – there seems to be a lot of churches/christians that open up unaccredited schools (K-12, universities) that have suspect credentials and lack accreditation. Diploma mills and insular institutions.
Sproul should have stuck with Doctorandus and if asked what that meant, explain honestly what it is. Passing the PhD qualifying exam is not a trivial ask. The stunt for a PhD from a spurious Whitefield Theological Seminary causes his stock to go down in IMHO.
Sorry, maybe I a wrong about this. I thought John MacArthur had an earned doctorate. Does anyone know for sure?
Also, the story I heard with Lutzer was that he did all the academic work for a doctorate, but they didn’t award it to him because they didn’t like some of his Christian beliefs, so they didn’t pass him. Is that true?
John MacArthur was awarded two D.D.s (Doctorate of Divinity), which are honorary degrees.
As for Erwin Lutzer, per his autobiography “He Will Be the Preacher,” he completed coursework at Loyola University for a Ph.D. in Philosophy while he was pastor of Edgewater Baptist Church. Lutzer resigned Edgewater and accepted a position to teach at Moody Bible Institute for fall 1977. He anticipated taking his comprehensive exams that summer. (Most PhD require a thesis or dissertation as well. He doesn’t mention that component, but says, “[In March 1977] I had resigned to devote myself to my graduate studies at Loyola University and I was slated to tell full-time at Moody Bible Institute in the fall,” which suggests he would’ve been working on a final thesis after passing the exams.
But God had other plans. On April 3, 1977 – a week after saying farewell to EBC – Lutzer and his wife visited Moody Church. Lead pastor Warren Wiersbe saw Lutzer in the lobby, and asked Lutzer to stand in that morning as preached, because Wiersbe wasn’t feeling well. The rest is history.
As far as I can see, Lutzer does not mention sitting for exams, working on a thesis, or anything else about the Loyola PhD in the rest of the book. Like MacArhur, he’s been awarded two honorary doctorates.
To be clear, I consider MacArthur and Lutzer excellent expositors & preachers. It appears their respective churches and ministries have referred or do refer to them as “Dr., but I can’t speak to how they self-introduce. Neither man’s books use the Dr. title.
Thanks for the information, Jessica. Very helpful.
I know that MacArthur is sometimes introduced at engagements as Doctor, but in his church I think he’s happy just to called Pastor John or even just John.
I remember at Moody, when Joe Stowell was president, that his doctorate was honorary. None of us as students had a problem calling him Doctor and we all knew that it was honorary.
He should’ve had a problem with it.
Looks like Bryan had to buy his honorary degree. He couldn’t even complete a program from that degree mill that doesn’t know how to spell “theological” or use spellcheck.
https://ogs.edu/about/administration-and-faculty/
Ward, David C. (Full-time)
DPhil, Omega (Oxford) Graduate School (2009)
ThM, Dallas Theologyica Seminary (1998)
BA, English, College of Charleston (1982)
What happened to the Christian grace of humility? When you receive an honor that you never earned wouldn’t the one who is truly deserving downplay rather than broadly display it? And that’s aside from the concern about the credibility of who is bestowing the honor in the first place, as is the case here.
Jesus’ parable of Luke 14 comes to mind “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. 9If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. 10But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all the other guests. 11For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
Christian Big Shots? Humbling themselves? That’ll be the day. (Apologies to Buddy Holly.) I do appreciate your comments, Lois. You’re right. DWCF
I have an earned doctorate – took me four years of admissions, coursework, dissertation research, blood, sweat, tears, and dollars. The use of the title “Dr.” for an honorary, unearned doctorate is very unethical and smacks of self promotion and I take great offense at it. And sadly it’s so common in the church when it’s not outside the church. Even worse is that a church led by a well known leader would hire someone who engages in such behavior because it speaks of the person’s underlying morals. Why is the church not setting the standard?
I have a masters degree from Marquette University in Milwaukee. That was difficult and brutal. Due to watching PhD students working on doctorates I knew that it was not for me. Doctorates are about blood, sweat tears. Some of the people I knew who lived in that program lived in their small study space in the library when they didn’t teach. Loritts is a mockey of academia, honesty and more.
Tell me about it. My masters degree is in engineering. I took the money and ran after the More S*** level instead of staying on and getting it Piled Higher and Deeper.
Isaac,
You got it Piled Higher and Deeper then? I took the money and ran after the More S*** level. See my other post in this thread on the various steps in getting a PhD.
CM, I’ve been in academia for years so a PhD was required. I wouldn’t denigrate an earned doctorate as it prepared me well for critical analysis, conducting research, reviewing literature, teaching, and I had an excellent mentor as a dissertation advisor who prepared me for many aspects of life. All things that an honorary doctorate can’t do which is why it’s unethical to use the label “Dr.”
I am not denigrating a PhD at all. All of the PhD friends and colleagues I knew in grad school (all engineering and science types) jokingly referred to it as Piled higher Deeper or as a Post hole Digger.
I also agree 100% about honorary degrees.
He was a frequent chapel speaker at Cedarville University.
I saw Bryan Loritts preach in Campus Crusade for Christ as he was on the Crusade preaching circuit. I saw him in both Minneapolis and San Diego. To watch him go off the rails from 2000 until now is hard. He is one of the people that has taught me that evangelicalism can be a business. I used to look up to him when I was a grad student in Marquette, what a fool I was. I wrote about my experience and watching Loritts over the years.
https://wonderingeagle.wordpress.com/2020/05/13/of-all-the-scandals-written-about-at-the-wondering-eagle-bryan-loritts-was-the-most-disturbing-heres-why/
Thank you Julie!
Men and their egos trying to fool people into thinking they are something they are not which of course is true. And what kind of doctorates do they have anyway? That is what I like about Jesus and his disciples. They had no doctorates. God cares nothing about one’s schooling credentials.
I get your point, but your argument is both factually untrue and unfair in comparison. There were not doctoral programs in the time of the disciples. Furthermore, the apostle Paul was VERY well educated, specifically in ancestral law, after having attended a school of one of the most notable rabbis in Jerusalem. The very language used in his epistles speak to his level of education. While Paul counted that as “nothing” for the cause of Christ, it did help him evangelize because he was well equipped and able to relate to many religious leaders of the time. God will use our education to win others to Christ if we let Him. Paul is proof of this.
M H,
Not to mention Paul was from Tarsus, a center of learning in the 1st century AD. I fully expect that he had a classical education in addition to his Rabbinical one. This is he was quite able to discuss and debate the philosophers in Athens as shown in the book of Acts.
One more thing Paul was trained by Gamaliel , who was the son of Simeon ben Hillel and in turn the grandson of the greatest Rabbinical scholar of the ancient world, Hillel the Elder. I would not be surprised that if Paul wrote, read, and spoke 4 languages as a minimum (Greek, Latin, Hebrew, and Aramaic).
Most of the New Testament was written by Paul, most of the theology and most of the didactic books were written by Paul.
What is important to note is that Jesus chose *one* Paul and twelve *unschooled* men. Paul identified himself as one “abnormally born,” the least of all the apostles. His intelligence and achievement seem to be the exception rather than the rule… There is something to all that “foolish things confounding the wise” jazz.
God is certainly a God of excellence and high achievement, but He does not require our human credentialing to perform His work in the earth.
As I see it one reason these fabricators are fabricating is because we (the world, Christendom?) are so enamored with the praise of self and the praise of men. It seems not to be enough that God has called and appointed. It is all very sad.
I am not disputing that at all. Conversely, to minimize and degrade scholarship,and education which is very common in Evangelical and IFB circles is also a fallacy. If one reads Paul’s letters like Galatians or Romans especially, you see he organizes them the same way. Paul starts with the fundamental truths, building up his case, reasoning and developing his point to the peak. From that he said because of X, therefore Y application.
Every time one sees a therefore by Paul in Scripture, he is referring back to the point of truth he’s trying to make.
Read 2 Corinthians 5 (entire chapter to see this). This is classic rhetoric and logic.
This is the reason why the specific teaching about the Christian walk, characteristics of members of the Godhead (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), etc. comes out of Paul’s Letters.
This is not the first time this “school” has been blogged about. Three years ago, Warren Throckmorton blogged about it here: https://www.wthrockmorton.com/category/st-thomas-christian-university/
What’s up, doc? The image of that carrot-munching rabbit from Warner Brothers Cartoons popped into my head as I read about Doc Lorrits and his “doctorate.” And here I sit, with my lowly M-Div from a respected Reformed seminary. Maybe if I contacted Parker Brothers and got a doctorate from them or some diploma mill in the Caribbean I’d feel better about myself. Seriously, what is with these people? And Doc Loritts– let’s call him “Doc” for short– lectures Christian reporters for reporting the news and asking tough questions? As some of the commenters have already noted, there seems to be a real integrity problem in the church.
I have a friend who was given an honorary doctorate and I heard him being introduced as “Dr…..” He stood up and let everyone know it was an honorary doctorate and then went on to say, that an honorary doctorate is “like the corkscrew in a pigs tail, it is of no earthly good but sure tickles the ham in front of it.” He got a good laugh.
Don,
That was pretty funny and your friend is spot on.
Matthew 23:5-7
5 “But they do all their deeds to be noticed by men; for they broaden their phylacteries and lengthen the tassels of their garments.
6 “They love the place of honor at banquets and the chief seats in the synagogues,
7 and respectful greetings in the market places, and being called Rabbi by men.
Matthew 23:12 “Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.
I find it ironic that all these Evangelical, Prosperity Gospel, and IFB Fundie types constantly berate academics, scholarship, and the like (calling seminaries cemeteries for example), but still go out of their way to get a bogus degree or honorary degree from a diploma mill so they can fool people into calling them “Dr.”
For engineering in the US, one has to take the PhD qualifying exam in the beginning (though you have already been preparing for and an doing your initial research/investigations when you start the academic year). Since a PhD is for an original contribution to the field, then one has to come up a PhD research proposal and then submit it. Then you have your research proposal defense. At some point you research is completed and you submit your dissertation. This is followed by a dissertation defense with your advisors which typically consists of 5 members (one of which is always someone from outside your academic department). Once that passes, then you can submit your dissertation.
I completely agree with you, CM. As someone who attended Ivy Leagues for both my undergrad and grad degrees, I have been berated consistently by Christian fundamentalists who slam my education or even my desire to attend those “liberal” schools. (The definitions and values of “liberal” and “conservative” have shifted quite a bit, so I don’t even pretend to know what those labels mean anymore….but that’s another thread). Many seem to forget that many Ivy League schools have EXCELLENT theology and seminary programs, as they were founded on Christian principles to educate business, religious AND political leaders – just read the Latin on the school crests!
As Julie points out in many of her posts, when you throw a stone, you better have a clean hand! Reading about scandal after scandal on Christian school campuses….and downright FRAUD by leaders….I’d say that there are a lot who are throwing stones in glass houses.
Hmmm? “Titles?”
Don’t be to hard on Loritts…
He grew up in a Religious System… Christian-dumb…
That promotes many “Titles” NOT found in the scriptures….
Just like the rest of us…
Hasn’t anyone ever wondered about ALL the special “Titles?”
The Special ones have invented in christian-dumb?
That do NOT exist in the Bible?
For one of **His Disciples**?
In the Bible?
Did any of His Disciples?
Ever take the ‘Title?”
1 – Pastor. 1a -Pastor/Leader/Reverend?
2 – Shepherd. 2a – Under Shepherd?
3 – Senior Pastor?
4 – Lead Pastor?
5 – Teaching Pastor?
6 – Executive Pastor?
7 – Youth Pastor?
8 – Singles Pastor?
9 – Worship Pastor?
10 – Reverend?
11 – Holy Reverend?
12 – Most Holy Right Reverend?
13 – ArchBishop?
14 – ArchDeacon?
15 – Canon?
16 – Prelate?
17 – Rector?
18 – Cardinal?
19 – Pope?
20 – Doctor?
21 – M.Div?
22 – Chief Executive Apostle?
NO kidding. There really is a, Chief Executive Apostle.
Saw him with my own eyes.
——-
“Titles” are popular, and desired, because…
“Titles” come with something a little bit extra…
Power, Profit, Prestige, Honor, Glory, Recognition, Reputation…
ALL those things Jesus spoke against.
ALL those things “Highly Esteemed Among Men”…
BUT, is abomination in the sight of God. Lu 16:15.
——-
Houston – We have a Problem
Titles – Titles – Everywhere
Except in the Bible…
“Titles” become “Idols”
In my experience…
With the “Title/Position” of *Today’s* pastor/leader…
1 – “Titles” become “Idols”
2 – “Pastors” become “Masters”
3 – “Leaders” become “Deceivers”
1 – “Titles” become “Idols”
“Idols” of the heart – Ezek14:1-11 KJV
2 – “Pastors” become “Masters”
A big No, No. Mat 23:10 KJV, Mat 6:24 KJV
3 – “Leaders” become “Deceivers”
Isa 3:12 KJV, Isa 9:16 KJV, Mat 15:14 KJV
——-
“Titles” will be used to “Separate” the brethren.
I have a Title, you do NOT. I am – You’re NOT…
“Titles” will be used to “Elevate”
one brethren over another brethren.
I’m the shepherd, clergy. You are sheep, laity.
“Titles” will be used to
“Control” and “Manipulate.”
Because I’m “The Pastor,” “The Shepherd.”
Don’t touch the head of God’s anointed.
Your God ordained authority.
“Titles” – Will Separate
“Titles” – Will Elevate
“Titles” – Will be used to Control and Manipulate.
——-
Job 32:21-22 KJV
Let me not, I pray you, accept any man’s person,
neither let me give “Flattering Titles” unto man.
For I know not to give “Flattering Titles;”
in so doing my maker would soon take me away.
Jer 50:6 KJV
“My people” hath been “lost sheep:”
**THEIR shepherds**
have caused them to *go astray,*
1 Pet 2:25 KJV
For ye were as *sheep going astray;*
BUT are now returned to
the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.
{{{{{{ Jesus }}}}}}
I remember hearing someone say DD stood for – Didn’t Do it!
“Pastor” Bryan Loritts makes Creflo Dollar and Kenneth Hagin look like orthodox scholars of the faith.