Alright I need to get this off my chest. Im a christian and a proud one at dat. There are sum things about the church dat I find puzzling but the one that really gets to me is this manner of calling pastors 'Daddy'. Im a member of the Redeemed Church but I have neva understood why our General Overseer should be called 'Daddy' & his wife 'Mummy' or 'Mother-in-Israel  ( I particularly find dis funny). I always dismiss dis as a trend common & peculiar to our churches only. Of recent I got admission into the university & started attending campus fellowships. I was surprised to learn that the leaders, who are all fellow students, are called Papa and Mama by oda students. I wuld luv to know if dis is a biblical doctrine, fad or just a Nigerian thingy. Do u call ur pastors daddy?  If so why?

Coolabbie:

Alright I need to get this off my chest. Im a christian and a proud one at dat. There are sum things about the church dat I find puzzling but the one that really gets to me is this manner of calling pastors 'Daddy'. Im a member of the Redeemed Church but I have neva understood why our General Overseer should be called 'Daddy' & his wife 'Mummy' or 'Mother-in-Israel ( I particularly find dis funny). I always dismiss dis as a trend common & peculiar to our churches only. Of recent I got admission into the university & started attending campus fellowships. I was surprised to learn that the leaders, who are all fellow students, are called Papa and Mama by oda students. I wuld luv to know if dis is a biblical doctrine, fad or just a Nigerian thingy. Do u call your pastors daddy? If so why?

U no get work!! berra to expend your energy on how to get good grades in university than on this type of non-issues

Coolabbie

Do u call your pastors daddy?  If so why? 

Please always watch your back when you are in these campus fellowships. These guys carrying Bible a very dangerous O.

Tee_Jay:

U no get work!! berra to expend your energy on how to get good grades in university than on this type of non-issues

Ur type plenty for this nairaland, when person ask question, na to attack the person instead of to answer question.

@OP: surprisingly I' m also a member of the RCCG and I never refer to them as that. Not out of disrespect, but simply I do not see any need to. For those who will prefer doing this, there's no point arguing with them or trying to change them. Paul's opening chapter in 1 Corinthians comes to mind

10 I appeal to you, brothers and sisters,[a] in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. 11 My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. 12 What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas[b]”; still another, “I follow Christ.”
13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14 I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so no one can say that you were baptized in my name. 16 (Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don’t remember if I baptized anyone else.) 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.


Keep your focus on Christ. Ignore all the 'godly' and 'worldly' distractions

"Personality cult"

^ thanks 4 dat. The thing is everyone around me refers 2 dem as daddy & mummy. Since im yet to catch up wit the trend, I am made to feel out of place as if by calling dem pastors I am uttering a disrespectful word. So I wuld lyk to kno if dere is a bible verse supporting dis so I know im not sinning.

Edited

,

Matthew 23:9-12
9. And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven.
10. Nor are you to be called ‘teacher,’ for you have one Teacher, the Christ.
11. The greatest among you will be your servant.
12. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Jesus has warned us. So don't let these born again rascals deceive you O.

I dont even call my uncles by blood daddy beelle one man I may only get to see once in a year.

Coolabbie:

^ thanks 4 dat. The thing is everyone around me refers 2 dem as daddy & mummy. Since im yet to catch up wit the trend, I am made to feel out of place as if by calling dem pastors I am uttering a disrespectful word. So I wuld lyk to kno if dere is a bible verse supporting dis so I know im not sinning.

I refer you to Galatians 4:19 "My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you" where paul referred to his disciples as his children, and as such they can refer to him as their spiritual father. The bottom line is everyone is entitled to do whatever he/she feels comfy with as long as it does not contradict the word of God. if people choose to call their pastor "daddy" or "mummy" so be it, I don't see what the big deal is about that

You continue to quote Paul, it is very easy for born again rascals to deceive others with quotes from Paul. If we only quote Jesus we can never go wrong.

Peter and Jesus' brother James openly disagreed with Paul and admonished him strongly, as written in Acts.

Peter was left in charge and knew Jesus and James grew up with Jesus. Saul of Tarsus (Paul) never knew him.


Matthew 23:9-12
9. And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven.
10. Nor are you to be called ‘teacher,’ for you have one Teacher, the Christ.
11. The greatest among you will be your servant.
12. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

MrBible:

You continue to quote Paul, it is very easy for born again rascals to deceive others with quotes from Paul. If we only quote Jesus we can never go wrong.
[b]Peter and Jesus' brother James openly disagreed with Paul and admonished him strongly, as written in Acts.[/b]Peter was left in charge and knew Jesus and James grew up with him. Saul of Tarsus (Paul) never knew him.
Matthew 23:9-12
9. And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven.
10. Nor are you to be called ‘teacher,’ for you have one Teacher, the Christ.
11. The greatest among you will be your servant.
12. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

So in essence you are questioning the credibility of paul on the basis that peter and james disagreed with him?

Yes

MrBible:

Yes

Because he dared to refer to his converts in Galatia as "children"? Or because he questioned Peter's reluctance to accept that the new testament church was not an exclusive group for the Jews alone but that the gentiles aho paul believed he was commissioned to reach should benefit from this grace as well?

Did Paul not say that women should be quiet in churches, do we practice this today?

1 Corinthians 14:34-35
34 women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, [size=16pt]as the Law says. [/size] 35 If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.

Did Jesus teach us this?

2 Peter 3:14
So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. 15 Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. 16 He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction

I think focusing on what's right and what's wrong is wrong in itself. Jesus asked us to practice love. From the above verse, it's quite clear Peter took Paul quite seriously.

I've always believed that the reason Jesus came was not for us to become latter Days 'Pharisees and Saducees' but to live a life of love through the Holy Spirit. All these argumentS about what this church is doing and what the other church is doing are just vapour. Knowing Christ is the real deal

Tee_Jay
Did Paul not say that women should be quiet in churches, do we practice this today?

1 Corinthians 14:34-35
34 [size=16pt]women should remain silent in the churches. [/size] They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, [size=16pt]as the Law says. [/size] 35 If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.

Did Jesus teach us this? So why should you base all your quotes on Paul only?

i believe the 'daddy mummy' thing is a cultural thing. Nigerians or maybe africans view it as respect. i don't think you'd hear them calling the pope or some popular white preacher 'papa' or mama. But whatever we do, let's make sure Christ is glorified. And let's abstain from flattery and the love for titles. Let's not turn respect into worship or a thing to be coveted.
They don't call some people 'daddy' but they can almost get an epileptic fit when they're not addressed with titles like prof, Dr, bishop, pastor, aunty, prophet, even bro/sis. It's a thing that lies more on the mind/heart of the recipient.

Which kind of 'daddy' buys a private jet when his children cannot afford 3 square meals ?

Which kind of 'daddy' takes tithes and offering from his kids to open a university the same kids cannot afford to go ?

Which kind of 'daddy' tells his children living in Ghana/Nigeria to donate money in dollars ?

i reckon this is as a result of some overzealous church members,i am a member of redeemed as well and everyone knows th man himself is humble and is not an individual that will require people calling him daddy.
if you check some churches they even have HOLY POLICE even here in uk who will shield the pastor/prophet/evangelistetc from being touched by ordinary mortals like us
i have only one earthly daddy and one heavenly daddy ces fini

These zombies are at it again, calling false GOs and pastors daddies and mummies, mummies that Paul has told us must not be heard in churches. I think I will start my own church. Too many zombies around.

Coolabbie:

Alright I need to get this off my chest. Im a christian and a proud one at dat. There are sum things about the church dat I find puzzling but the one that really gets to me is this manner of calling pastors 'Daddy'. Im a member of the Redeemed Church but I have neva understood why our General Overseer should be called 'Daddy' & his wife 'Mummy' or 'Mother-in-Israel  ( I particularly find dis funny). I always dismiss dis as a trend common & peculiar to our churches only. Of recent I got admission into the university & started attending campus fellowships. I was surprised to learn that the leaders, who are all fellow students, are called Papa and Mama by oda students. I wuld luv to know if dis is a biblical doctrine, fad or just a Nigerian thingy. Do u call your pastors daddy?  If so why?

It's a psychological scam that they're running on you. If you view them as parents, you're likely to simply accept anything said by them or even by people who put things in their mouths. Think of the sort of relationship you have with your parents and understand the implications it would have on you with respect to requests for your money.

Coolabbie:

Alright I need to get this off my chest. Im a christian and a proud one at dat. There are sum things about the church dat I find puzzling but the one that really gets to me is this manner of calling pastors 'Daddy'. Im a member of the Redeemed Church but I have neva understood why our General Overseer should be called 'Daddy' & his wife 'Mummy' or 'Mother-in-Israel  ( I particularly find dis funny). I always dismiss dis as a trend common & peculiar to our churches only. Of recent I got admission into the university & started attending campus fellowships. I was surprised to learn that the leaders, who are all fellow students, are called Papa and Mama by oda students. I wuld luv to know if dis is a biblical doctrine, fad or just a Nigerian thingy. Do u call your pastors daddy?  If so why?

very good question.

thehomer:

It's a psychological scam that they're running on you. If you view them as parents, you're likely to simply accept anything said by them or even by people who put things in their mouths. Think of the sort of relationship you have with your parents and understand the implications it would have on you with respect to requests for your money.

very good answer.

obowunmi:


very good question.


very good answer.

LWKMD, chai,

I experienced the questions oyu raised very many years ago and even during NYSC, apart from the jesting and back slapping papa mama.I called the guy and gal leading fellowships or whatever by there names!

I remember the "papa" guy being or looking distinctly uneasy when I called his name

It reminds of the saying "monsters are not born but made by the sycophants that many of us are"

My other advice as you're in Uni is not too hamstring yourself with the illusions, reality, talk, show of fellowships here and there, get to know the world around, history, politics, friends, camping. Our generation should be preparing to take the next generation into the future but all we're doing is building this stupid, jelly mentality of TBN, Jet pastors

China is fast making in roads into the continent, do you know the issues? We'll pray to get electricity and good roads etc I reckon you'll end uni praying to get into the uk!


BALANCE

Lord knows that this issue bothers me a lot and i cincluded that it was because of cultural influences but the bible is all too clear on this, the scripture in mathews makes it very clear that title giving is wrong. @ teejay ur not saying we hould follow paul's implicit contradiction and ignore the direct instruction from Jesus are you??

@poster, the 'mummy in Israel' thingy is simply a carry over from white garment churches where founding members of that church grew up in.
Also the Daddy thing is a cultural influence from the part of the country that is dominant in that church and most of the popular pentecostal churches in Nigeria.

oh my brother

i can understand people calling a general overseer 'daddy' but calling a campus fellowship leader 'daddy'? that's beyond my imagination

Tee_Jay:

I refer you to Galatians 4:19 "My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you" where paul referred to his disciples as his children, and as such they can refer to him as their spiritual father. The bottom line is everyone is entitled to do whatever he/she feels comfy with as long as it does not contradict the word of God. if people choose to call their pastor "daddy" or "mummy" so be it, I don't see what the big deal is about that

In his letter Paul was using an affectionate term 'little children' because he nurtured them like a child spiritually but now its like he has to reborn them again so that they can be fully formed or become 'adults' in Christ. It can be seen clearly that Paul was using a figure of speech and imagery to buttress home his point.

He was not using it as a title neither does he go to the congregations and call people children. Also the early Christian congregation do not use titles such as Pastors, fathers, reverend fathers bishops etc, all these came about after the falling away in the faith, after apostasy entered the Christian church.

I remember a day when i went check my childhood friend, we went to the same sec school and also were in the same University at their fellowship secretariat, when i mentioned his name kayode, someone there asked which Kayode am i asking for, but i said his surname, they were quite annoyed and asked if it was their pastor i was calling by name. I just ignored them and asked if he was around or not.

The clergy should discourage this wrong practice, but they refused to because they are the ultimate beneficiaries.