Correct Ignorance Or Leave It Alone
By Pastor G. Reckart
In 1974 I attended a convention of the Church of Jesus Christ in Cleveland, Tennessee. I was in a service where Dr. James Zink was introduced from Houston, Texas. He was a saintly and humble old man that appeared to be in his late 60s or early 70s. He was a Oneness Minister. He was retired from the military where he spent over 30 years as a medical doctor. But he was also a learned man and had a doctorate in theology. He greeting the gathering and exhorted a little on Scripture. After him there was introduced a coal miner preacher from northern Tennessee. He had no sooner greeted the gathering when he lit into an obvious jealous rage. He took his text from Job 32:21:
"Let me not, I pray you, accept any man's person, neither let me give flattering titles unto men."
He then tore into a tirade against Bible Colleges, Bible Universities, and the use of dictionaries, encyclopedias, and reference works on theology. He held up his Bible and yelled (he called it preaching), that he didn't need anything but his Bible. And he did not need to get a "cemetery degree" to be ordained to preach. He roused up a lot of amen's. There was leg-slapping, a lot of laughter, and his words were accepted as those of a real man of God. He had faced up to the likes of one certain Dr. Zink, and they were all proud that he had been stripped of his fancy title of doctor.
As I remember it, this coal miner preacher boasted there was no such thing as a doctor in the Five-Fold-Ministry. There was no such thing as doctors in the New Testament. And this all came from the Catholic church. Now mind you, I was then a novice pastor. I had been pastoring about two years at this time. I was impressed at this man's boldness. To me he was right. We didn't need anything but the Bible and who ever this Dr. Zink fellow was, he deserved to get blistered for dare coming to the convention and boasting to everyone he was Dr. Zink.
I was sitting near the doctor. He sat through the tirade. And when it was over and the order of the service changed he got up to go to the bathroom. I followed him. Later, downstairs, I approached him and began a conversation about his military career. He was such a polite and gentle man. He did not give any appearance of pride, arrogance, a stiff-neck, or being aloof, which many times is the attitude of medical doctors. He spoke in a gentle manner. And we hit it off. We talked the whole afternoon away on a variety of Bible subjects. Although I was only 29 years old, I was at that time a well-read man. I was given to books, research, and history. So, I was very interested in this learned man's knowledge and wisdom. I found myself calling him Doctor Zink. He told me I could call him Brother or Pastor. We discussed the rant earlier that day against the use of Doctor as a title to a Man of God. He laughed about it and said he was used to when he came among the poor-class Ministers. It was their way of complaining because they had no formal education and loved railing on any man who did. He said he has had to put up with it all of his life. So, he was not offended by the tirade. He encouraged me to get more education. And he told me he respected me for the knowledge I had.
I was suddenly aware that this man had more humility, more honor, and was more respectful than his accusers and attackers. He was to humble to respond to the outright personal attack. He taught me that day.
I got a phone call today, 35 years later. It was from a Minister who called to complain because I have Dr. before my name in many of my writings. He repeated nearly word for word the rant I heard against Dr. Zink back in 1974. So, I listened to his complaint. How he didn't need anything but the Bible. How there were no doctors in the Five-Fold-Ministry. How the fancy title doctor was unscriptural. And how no one in the New Testament was called doctor. Taking my cue from a Pastor long dead and gone, but who left me with spiritual knowledge, I listened humbly as I was torn apart. How dare I use the title doctor. How I was of the devil. How I was full of pride. And how every time Dr. was before my name it was me boasting of something that was unscriptural. How using Dr. puts other ministers down who don't have a diploma or a degree. At last, when he gave out of breath, had no more rebuking words for me, and said there was no doctor in the Five-Fold-Ministry, I spoke.
Brother Pastor, I am in the Five-Fold-Ministry because I am a Pastor, not because I have Dr. before my name! What makes you think I claim to be in the Five Fold Ministry because I have a doctorate degree?
Brother Pastor, did it not occur to you that the title Dr. is just an educational achievement, either earned or granted as an honorary degree and has nothing to do with ordination into any Ministerial office?
Brother Pastor, is it not true you are complaining because you didn't even graduate from high school, and now you are angry because I have excelled in study, research, and writing Apostolic doctrine? Didn't you call to complain that it would have been better for me not to study, remain stupid and unlearned, and not have written anything like your self, and preach nonsense?
Brother Pastor, why is it you can respect others who have a secular degree, like your own daughter, and you do not find fault with this. But if a Pastor gets a Bible education he is now full of pride and a pawn of the devil?
It was here I explained to this Minister, that an educational degree has nothing to do with Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, and Teachers (although Jesus, the Apostles, and Paul were highly educated). A man who is qualified and ordained into these offices is not required to have an educational degree. But, on the other hand, there is nothing in the Word of God that tells a man he cannot be highly educated and only needs the Bible. He is told to study. And he is not told that this study is in the Bible alone. A good man needs to learn to read and write and this is not commanded in the Bible. And if he learns secular knowledge he is not a devil's pawn. And if he earns an educational degree even if it is just a high school diploma (which is not in the Bible), he is not disqualified from the Five Fold Ministry.
At this point I had stirred up hate which I did not expect. Yes, how dare I defend the use of Dr. when it was not a position in the Five Fold Ministry. I could see I was not getting any where.
So, I humbly backed away from the encounter. I told the Pastor I pray the Lord Jesus bless him more and more. And that I pray he find mercy each time he was in need. I told him I loved him and would pray for God to bless him.
He, would not so much as call me Brother. He would not bless me. He finally ended the call with announcing he was not coming to my Church any more as long as I used Dr. before my name.
Well, it looks like he will never be back!
It is here that novice stupidity that births early in a man's mind. It will make him rebellious all of his life. He will pervert the Scripture knowing as in my case: that I have never, never, never, claimed there was an office of doctor in the Five Fold Ministry, Yet that was his whole perversion to back up his anger at me.
I am telling this story because like this Pastor and the one who butchered Dr. Zink back in 1974, there are many more men who are jealous, full of envy, and who look for ways to tear down those men who have earned their educational right to the tile doctor.
Just in case any of you want to try that attack on me, if I should be in a Church where you are: I will be just like Dr. Zink and smile it away. One thing I learned from Dr. Zink: if you cannot educate ignorance, LEAVE IT ALONE!
Pastor Dr. G. Reckart
Pastor
Acts 2:38 Church at Jesus House
Tampa, Florida