We
are finally convinced that personal work, one-on-one, is the best
way to teach our neighbor the gospel, so we call on our friendly
barber who lives just down the street. He greets us with a smile,
and the conversation goes something like this.
"Glad
to see you, Reverend! I have intended to talk with you for some
time but...." But, we cut him off—.
"If
you read your Bible you would know that 'Holy and Reverend is
God's name' (Psm. 111:9), and we should not give flattering titles
to any man."
"Sorry,
Pastor. I just meant..." "Pastor? Don't you know
'pastor' means 'shepherd,' and the shepherds of a church are the
bishops? I'm no pastor, I'm just a soul-loving preacher, taking
the blessed gospel to poor lost souls in this wicked world."
"Well
now, uh... preacher, I didn't mean any harm. You see in our church
we.... "
"OUR
church? You folk talk about YOUR church as if the Lord didn't have
a church. The church belongs to Jesus Christ, who purchased it
with His precious blood. The