I was reading a debate recently about the terms ‘missionary” and “evangelist.” The discussion was over the biblical role of evangelist and whether or not we should use the title “missionary.” Who are the missionaries, who are the evangelists, and who are the revivalists?
We also hear much about those who are concerned about being “Dr This” and “Pastor That” often insisting that people call them by their proper title. Some include and alphabet soup of letters after their names. There seems to be a need to let everyone know how qualified we are to make our point of view.
There were a couple of times when Paul referred to his qualifications, but here in the very first live of the very first letter as we have it in our New Testament is one simple title.
Paul did not say “Dr Paul,” though he was well qualified to do so. He didn’t call himself Pastor Paul. He did call himself “an apostle of Jesus Christ” to evidence that he was one “sent out” but Christ.
However, everything else was built on one title – bondservant, doulos, slave. Wow, what title for the one we often call “The Greatest Missionary Who Ever Lived.” He saw himself as a servant first and foremost. I wonder what we could do for the Lord if our first thought about ourselves was “bondservant”?
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