…The HARD TRUTH with Dr. Kennedy Musonda, Ph.D.
I opened the series of articles entitled why you should not call your pastor Papa with the following statement, a month ago: “The controversy concerning Jesus’ prohibition in Mathew 23:9 not to call anyone on earth father because there is only one Father who is heaven” continues to rage unabated. My statement proved true that this topic is controversial in that there is no agreed-upon position. It was evident in the way some readers responded to the articles with anger and with some using unpalatable language against the author. As I conclude this topic today, I want to address the most commonly quoted Scriptures or justification for calling a pastor Papa.
There is scriptural evidence in the Old Testament where two people called a prophet Father. In 2 Kings 2:12, Elisha called Elijah, Father; in 2 Kings 6:21 &13:14, the King of Israel called Elisha Father. There is also scriptural evidence in which Paul called the Corinthian Church as a father (1 Corinthians 4:14-15) to them and he also called Timothy and others as sons 1 Timothy 1:2; 2 Timothy 1:2; Tit.us 1:4; Philemon. 1:10). How do we reconcile with Jesus forbidding his disciples and the followers to call religious leaders, father?
Paul used the title father metaphorically when referring to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 4:15). He also used the metaphor of a mother, referring to how he took care of the Thessalonian church like a mother takes care of her young (1Thes. 2:7-8 NIV). The implications here are that just like a normal father protects and provides for his children or a mother cares for her children, ‘spiritual fathers/mothers’ should have the same attitude towards the people they pastor and not take advantage of them for financial or personal gain. Paul called the same spiritual children as brothers and sisters more than 100 times in his writings, but he only called them his children once in 1 Corinthians 4:14-15. These days, I never hear men and women of God calling church members brothers and sisters, and yet this is the basic relationship in the Kingdom of God and not the position. Jesus said, “be ye not called Rabbi because you are all brothers and sisters” (Matthew 23:8).
It is also important to note that Paul was using the ancient Jewish father/son relationship concept for the metaphoric spiritual father/son and not the Papa concept used by the Scribes and Pharisees as it is being used today. Based on the Jewish culture of the father/son relationship, Paul called Timothy “my dear son.” Paul explained his calling of Timothy as a son in Philippians 2:22-(NIV) that “but you know that Timothy has proved himself because as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the gospel.” Calling a believer, a spiritual son or even a spiritual daughter is not a casual statement. It is a statement laden with responsibility and long-term commitment to seeing that that person matures and takes over responsibility from you or takes over a significant portion of your ministry responsibility.
Paul never called Timothy as a son in public letters like many of today’s papas do, except in personal letters to Timothy. In public letters, Paul called Timothy by ‘respectable’ titles that show equality in ministry responsibility. He called him “my fellow bond-servant of Jesus Christ” (Phi. 1:1) – a term that has profound implications. He also called him “our brother, minister of God and fellow labourer in the Gospel” (1 The. 3:2). In Romans 16:21, Paul called Timothy “my co-worker.”
To reconcile the two opposing views, I believe that spiritual fatherhood should not be a title but should reflect a long-term relationship between a spiritual leader and those being discipled. Pharisees and Scribes demanded to be called Papas, Rabbi, and Masters as titles just like many of today’s Papas are doing. Is it not enough to be called pastor, prophet, or Bishop? What is the motive behind insisting on being called Papa if there are no ulterior motives? Spiritual father/son should reflect a leaders’ influence on the lives of those he is discipling as he genuinely demonstrates the life of Christ in his life. This is only possible when he has a close relationship with ‘spiritual sons’ like biological children have a close relationship with their parents in a normal family. But there are many religious leaders today who are spiritual bosses and not servant leaders – a leadership model Jesus instituted in His Church. As a Christian, you should avoid being gullible and believing everything you hear without scriptural evidence. It will help if you adopt a healthy scepticism that questions what you hear in light of Scripture, like the Bereans. If Bereans could question what the great Apostle Paul taught, why should you not verify in light of Scripture (Acts 17:11) what you hear from your Papa? Today, many religious leaders ring-fence themselves against criticism with “touch not anointed one,” spoken out of context, as a threat when they know they are doing something wrong.
I have been in a father/son relationship with my pastor for a long time, but he has never called me son, neither have I called him Papa, yet I respect him just as much. When he went overseas for ministry for more than three months, he left the church in my hands, and he found it intact. Therefore, in spiritual matters, call no one on earth papa, except God, said Jesus.
Author: Dr. Kennedy Musonda an international development consultant holds a Bachelor and Master of Social Work, a Bachelor of Arts in Theology, a Postgraduate Diploma in Management Studies, a Master of Business Administration (MBA) and a Ph.D. in Business Administration.
For feedback contact email: kmusonda@gmail.com, WhatsApp/Telegram line +260977526404 or Skype: kmusonda45