What is in a title? Who do you say that I am? Does it matter?

October 8th, 2019

By: David Hoskins

Jesus asked His disciples, “who do you say that I am” there response was well some say a prophet, others a teacher and so forth but then he asked Peter, who do you say that I am. 

I find it is interesting in this day of Pope, Potentate, Cardinal, Pastor, Bishop, Apostle, Reverend, and so forth that many are still looking for titles to boost their egos. It is kind of sad that anyone would “need” to be called something that would posture them above the rest especially when Jesus made it very clear that to be the greatest in the Kingdom you must be the best at serving.  The word makes it very clear that we are not to Lord over one another the way the gentiles do and yet there is something to be said about understanding and bringing definition to the way we relate to one another.  Are titles a good thing or a bad thing seems to be a question I hear in many circles. 

A while ago, I was ministering in a church and had a person introduce me as a great prophet to the congregation where I was to be speaking.  I have to be honest, It made me cringe a little.  The person had spent the weekend under our ministry and was very blessed to have received from us so even though his introduction was accurate it still made me uncomfortable.  There was certainly no malice in this precious saint however the elitism associated with the phrase still bothered me.  The phrase a great prophet, man of God, Reverend, all of these have the power to emote feelings in people and an idea which I have spent much of the ministry working hard to tear down.  There is a wrong idea which has been perpetuated that says leaders are to be esteemed as those at the right hand of God, as if they have more access to the throne room of grace as anyone else.  It is almost as if they are to be worshiped or revered rather than simply appreciated.  I despise this way of thinking and I believe it to be very counterproductive moving forward.  The five-fold ascension gifts of apostle, prophet, pastor, teacher and evangelist are functions of service and they are to be walked out with humility and love.  I am reticent to wear a title in front of my name and yet I do not mind it at all if people call me by my function if they have a true perspective of what they are saying.  When people ask me what I would like to be referred to as, I normally respond for them to call me Dave or if necessary, brother Dave.  I do this because it is my attempt to right the abuses of the past.  

You might think having read the above paragraph that I am against using titles but that is not the case.  I am ok with titles as they are used to describe an act of service.  What I am against is the need people have who use titles to posture themselves hierarchically thereby stroking their own egos.  

In the last Era it seems that all the titles listed above were in many ways connected to hierarchy rather than service.   The result is that many people have been encouraged and conditioned to place these leaders on an inordinate lofty pedestal rather than simply appreciating them or valuing them for the grace of God moving through their lives.   

Title from a Kingdom perspective is simply a description of a grace which is designed to be clothed in the action of service.  To have a description for how leaders operate is a good thing!  Understanding how we relate and align with the different graces around us is very helpful and important.  Titles were never actually the problem.  The problem has been tied to the way we have elevated leaders in our hearts to the point of esteeming them in a God way rather than as equippers and the servants they were called to be.  In truth, the very action of receiving a prophet in the “name” of a prophet is the precursor to entering into the prophet’s reward.  Recognizing the grace in one another is a covenantal necessity.

Matthew 10:40-42 (KJV) 40 He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. 41 He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. 42 And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.

There is something of significance to be said about receiving a prophet in the “name” of a prophet.  I understand this to be true because having worked with many leaders in the body of Christ from a prophetic posture and grace, I have witnessed some who receive the word of God as bread from heaven while others simply mark it down as the opinion of man.  Sometimes I throw the ball prophetically to find that those on the receiving end not only fail to catch the ball but often they fumble it all together.  I believe this is due to a simple truth.  They failed to receive a prophet in the name of a prophet.  I understand there is a balance in this as all prophecy is to be judged however, I am not focused on working the balance into this article.  My point is that we need to understand and be ready to discern and respond well when God is speaking to us through other leaders and especially the ones we are aligned with.  Not only should we not despise prophecy, but we should not despise His prophets.   What we should be placing weight upon is the word of the Lord.  

We should never raise people up in an inordinate way, but we should value greatly the grace of God in them and their sacrifice to serve His body.  Appreciate rather than worship, heed rather than fear, 

2 Chronicles 20:20 (KJV) …Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.

If we do not understand titles and function, then we will struggle with the idea of aligning for kingdom purpose.  God has placed certain governing graces within his body, and we must learn to align with them even as they learn to align one with another. 

I believe one of the things which has confused many is that we have tended to look at the five-fold graces of individuals as offices.  The office of Apostle, Prophet, Pastor, Teacher and Evangelist and so forth.  These are not actually referred in scripture as being offices but instead they are referred to as people who are a gift to the body.  The office which each of them is to actually occupy is the office of an Elder.  There is no biblical qualification to be an apostle but there are many qualifications to be an elder.  We know this because the apostles referred to themselves as fellow elders.

1 Peter 5:1-3 (NASB Strong’s) 1  Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, 2 shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; 3 nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock.

So, in closing, If you are introducing me simply call me Dave, brother Dave or a Custodian of the faith.  I kind of like Service Engineer.  Sorry, I couldn’t resist.  If you are needing to describe my role in the body, feel free to call me a prophet, apostle or teacher.  I am not so good at anything else.  And more importantly, if you receive me as a prophet I will know so because you will catch the ball and run with it.