Excuse me, Mr President

In the UK I'm pretty sure the only time you would use the term President of a Christian is in the context of a Christian Union, which is a student run group in a university. I suspect the only reason for that being the case is it's part of the Students Union and so part of the rules is that each society has it's own president. Other than that, for someone to head up an organisation, they would be called a Chairman, a General Secretary or Director. Occasionally the more pompous among us like to be known as Executive Director but President just feels out of place.

 

I see in the US that most Christian organisations have a President. I thought of it as one of the cultural differences but this weekend I am in Niceville, Florida (It's honestly called that! I know it sounds like I'm making it up but it's real!) where I noticed that there were a couple of ministries for which people had flyers. Not only was the ministry named after the person such as ''Joe Bloggs Ministries'', but that the president of the ministry was ...yes you've guessed it ''Joe Bloggs''. I would expect it of Benny Hinn or Rodney Howard Brown but surely not of men in the reformed camp. Please tell me that they don't call their wives the First Lady!!

 

What on earth goes through one's mind? Am I being completely naive? Don't get me wrong, I like my name to be in lights, but to annoint yourself President of your own organisation, which you've named after yourself, takes a certain something. I would do it but my friends and family would never let me get away with it.