2011
Is it all right to call Church leaders by their first names?
March 2011


“Is it all right to call Church leaders by their first names?” New Era, March 2011, 35

Is it all right to call Church leaders by their first names?

Sometimes we get so close to our leaders that we are tempted to become casual in our relationships with them. While it is good to be friendly, it is also important to show proper respect for them and their callings. In the Church it is customary to refer to adults as “Brother” or “Sister,” a greeting that both shows respect and reminds us that we are children of Heavenly Father. Other more formal titles, such as elder, bishop, or president, are also used as signs of respect. Full-time missionaries set a good example of this by referring to each other as “Elder” or “Sister.”

It is important to be respectful to our Church leaders and remember that although they are our friends, in a Church setting we should honor their callings and show respect by referring to them as “Brother” or “Sister.”