I have recently been made aware that some Baptist Pastors began to start calling themselves Bishop.

Can you hear me now?

I said began calling themselves because it was not through a special service, ordination or the laying of hands but they just started calling themselves Bishop.

Now you can ask them why as they could probably give you at least one or two reasons. I am sure that anyone who would give themselves a title would have done the research as the Bible says:1Pe 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: I would assume that would also apply to being able to defend all spiritual positions that we take.

The word Bishop means “Superintendent” so why they just did not call themselves superintendent or super or super Pastor is beyond me.

Of course the Catholic and other churches used the term to mean Apostolic Succession so perhaps these men can trace themselves back to Peter or at least one of the Superintendents of that time.

The Bishop eventually led to the title of Pope so if someone wanted to get a jump on it they could start calling them self Pope—the baptist (as to distinguish themselves from the Pope in Rome)

I myself get this weird feeling when someone introduces themselves as “Bishop” so and so. It is eery.

My thought is these folks may be seeking a higher honor than perhaps the title “Pastor” can give them.

The Bible and I concur , Gal 2:6 But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man’s person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me:

If I were going to choose another title it would probably be shepherd or Servant or something to that effect.

In any event, if too many Baptists give themselves this title it will be inevitable that they will also take the title of Pope.

The only question is, who will be brazen enough to take it first?

Some facts:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bishop