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Did you know I am an ordained pastor? Well, I believe I would officially be called a minister by the group of churches who ordained me. It’s true! One of my aunts even calls me Rev. Campbell. (In written correspondence.) If I was to take a pastorate somewhere, you might see on the sign out front…

First Church of Somewhere

Pastor: Rev. Greg Campbell

Wouldn’t that be odd???

There is a road in FL where literally every third building is a church. That could be considered overkill. 🙂 They definitely have that road covered….

But I was noticing as we passed all the cleverly frocked marquees that usually placed somewhere in plain view was (or were) the name(s) of the Main Dude. The senior pastor, minister, reverend, head apostle, or what have you. There was even a billboard advertising one church that had a photo of a glowing husband and wife team with the name of the church at the top and “Rev. _______ & ________ Smith” in big bold letters at the bottom. Even the church vans are not immune as one church proudly proclaimed the name of their pastor on the side of their moving advertisement.

What are we doing? Why do we so long to glorify people? To place them on their high pedestals? To elevate them above ourselves so that we can feel privileged to follow?

Perhaps that is it? Perhaps we need to quasi-deify our leaders so that we can feel a greater desire to follow them. Perhaps it is even a prestige thing. To claim the name of some great leader as “our own”.

Whatever it is, Paul addressed it in 1 Corinthians. The church had begun to proudly post the names of their pastors. “One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas” or “I follow only Christ”. (1 Cor 1:12 NIV)

Paul’s question immediately following that verse is “Is Christ divided?” And of course, the answer is no. There is one body, one Head. But we are so good at lifting up and exalting our leaders. After these couple millenia, we not only follow men, but we segregate into larger denominations. Many with the names of men attached to them. Lutherans, Wesleyans (many follow this man, including many branches of Methodists), etc.

Paul even sends a sharp remark in the direction of the people we would think have it right when he says, “or, ‘I follow Christ.'” What’s wrong with that? Isn’t that the right answer? Yes, but when used as a delineator, no. That is Paul’s point. We are not to separate ourselves. We are one body. We all follow one Head. (And not divisively as though another faction who thinks otherwise is wrong.) From my reading of the new testament, unity was a main concern of our Father.

I wish we could eliminate our names altogether. Our names are not needed. They are not important. In fact, you could even say they are dead. Galatians 2:20 says, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” I am no longer just Greg. I am Christ-In-Greg.

There is one Name. Let’s stop pretending there are others and help everyone focus on that name.