Lesson #6: Ministry Authority

Figure out how you are prepared

When I was newly ordained and serving a large church in New York City, I spent one summer being the director of the church’s day camp. Over 100 children, aged 6-12, spent all day with me and a staff of teenage counselors. They all knew me as ‘Father Cathie’.

Every morning we had an assembly, and time for prayer. When I stepped up on the stage, I would say, ‘Good morning, everybody!’, and they would all shout back: ‘Good morning, Father Cathie!’

I loved it. And no one ever seemed to have a problem with it. Occasionally, though, a parent would question my title, or tell their child that they must have misunderstood, because ‘Father’ is a title for a man.

And I would say, ‘Actually, ‘Father’ is a title for a priest. That’s what I am. Just like we call God ‘Father’, and don’t necessarily mean that God is a man, we can also call priests ‘Father’ and not mean they are men.’

Lots of other clergy - male and female - tell me they don’t like titles. ‘Just call me Jay’, they say, or you can call me ‘Pastor Sarah’ if you must, but I don’t claim any particular title.