WHEN PEOPLE HATE TITLES… BUT GOD STILL CALLS: DISCERNMENT VS ASSASSINATION

(A word about callings, the 5-fold, identity, jealousy, church trauma, and how we treat the Body of Christ.)

I need to say this with love… but also with backbone.

Lately I keep seeing believers attack other believers for using the very callings Jesus gave His Church.

People say things like:

“ I believe in the prophetic but not the title.”
“ Titles destroyed the church.”
“ Don’t call yourself a Prophet.”
“ Remove your title.”
“ The 5-fold doesn’t exist today.”

But it doesn’t stop there.

I’m also hearing things like:

“Who do they think they are saying God called them to preach?!”
“They really think they’re an Apostle saying Jesus called me?!”
“Who do they think they are to be on the worship team?!”
“Why are they acting like they’re chosen?”
“Why do they talk like they have a calling?”

And some of it isn’t correction—some of it is mocking, jealousy, and hostility.

So let’s bring light to this, because the Body of Christ is not supposed to cannibalize itself.

1) THE 5-FOLD IS BIBLICAL — AND IT STILL MATTERS

Jesus gave gifts to the Church: Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, and Teachers.

Not as trophies. Not as celebrity badges.
But as functions that equip the saints, build maturity, and strengthen the Church.

If you’ve been taught “that ended,” I understand why you’d react.
But you can’t erase a biblical blueprint because humans abused it.

Abuse does not cancel assignment.
It just proves we need purity, humility, and accountability again.

2) YES—TITLES HAVE BEEN ABUSED… BUT TITLES AREN’T THE PROBLEM

Let’s be honest: in this world, there will always be real and fake, healthy and unhealthy, good and bad.

•Some wore titles with pride.
•Some used titles to control.
•Some self-appointed without character.
•Some demanded honor instead of serving.

So I get why certain words can trigger people who’ve been burned.

But hear me clearly:

A counterfeit doesn’t cancel the real.
It proves the real exists—because nobody counterfeits something worthless.

3) WHY KNOWING YOUR CALLING MATTERS (IT’S DIRECTION + IDENTITY)

This is the part many people miss:

A calling isn’t just a “label.”
It’s direction.
When God identifies what He’s forming you into—Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor, Teacher—He’s not inflating you.

He’s clarifying you.

It helps you understand:

•why you carry certain burdens
•why you’re gripped for certain people
•what lane you’re built for
•what you’re responsible for (and what you’re not)
•how to train, steward, and mature the gift
•what kind of accountability and sharpening you need

It becomes part of identity—not pride identity, purpose identity.

Because when you don’t know who you are, you drift.
But when God names something, it gives aim.

And yes—titles are good when used properly:

•not as a crown, but as a towel
•not to control, but to serve
•not to demand honor, but to carry responsibility

4) MY STORY (WHY THIS IS PERSONAL)

I didn’t choose this because it looked cool. I tried to avoid it.
God called me young—at 17—into the work of an Evangelist.
And He didn’t do it once. He confirmed it again and again.
He sent others to speak it. He spoke to me directly. He would not let me stay comfortable until I answered.

Years later, during prayer and fasting—when our church was in revival—Jesus called me specifically as a Prophet.
Not through ego. Not through a platform. Not through me trying to sound important.
In the middle of the night at home, in my prayer room, Jesus met with me for hours and confirmed it with weight and clarity. He spoke to me personally—calling me by name—and made it plain that He had chosen me, raised me, and was assigning me to be His mouthpiece: to say what He says and do what He says.

And I’ll be honest: I ran from it. I didn’t want the cost.

That led into a long wilderness season—over 10 years—where God dealt with me, shaped me, purified me, and taught me what this actually means.

And when I finally surrendered and said yes, peace came.
Not because I “wanted a title”—but because I stopped fighting what God had already spoken.

5) AND YES… I’VE BEEN HURT BY THE CHURCH TOO

This is where some people might be surprised.
I’m not speaking from some “perfect church life.”

😣I’ve been misunderstood.
😵Judged.
😖Mocked.
🥺Persecuted.
🫨I’ve been thrown out for preaching truth.

And at times, I was treated like garbage by the very people who were supposed to be family.

That kind of pain can either make you bitter… or make you better.

And I’m saying this with sincerity:

I chose to forgive.
Not because it didn’t hurt.
But because I refuse to let offense rewrite my calling.

And here’s what’s wild—God didn’t just heal me… He redirected me.

There were seasons where the Lord had me “out in the field,” among lost people—ministering, loving, serving, laboring where it was raw and real.

But then the Lord called me back toward the Body—back toward the Church—because He wants to use the healed to help heal.

Not to attack the Body… but to love the Body.

Not to divide the Church… but to bring unity through reformation.

So when I speak about this “title” issue, I’m not trying to win an argument.
I’m fighting for the Church to stop bleeding.

6) LET’S TALK ABOUT WHAT’S REALLY UNDER THESE ATTACKS

A lot of the attacks I’m seeing aren’t about “protecting the church.”

They often come from three places:

1) Jealousy / Envy

Sometimes people don’t hate your calling—
they hate that you’re willing to obey.

2) Unhealed Church Trauma

Some people were genuinely hurt by leaders who misused authority.

So now they react to anything that looks like leadership, calling, or spiritual function.

I understand the pain… but pain still needs healing.
Because bleeding people bleed on people.

3) Control

Some people don’t like what they can’t manage.
So they try to shame it, silence it, or police it.

And that’s why you hear comments like:

“Who do they think they are to preach?”
“Who do they think they are to be on worship?”
“Who do they think they are to say Jesus called them?”
Let me say this plainly:

If God called them, your opinion doesn’t un-call them.
If God opened the door, your comment doesn’t close it.

7) DISCERNMENT VS ASSASSINATION

There’s a difference between discernment and assassination.

❤️‍🔥Discernment asks questions.
❤️‍🔥Discernment looks for fruit.
❤️‍🔥Discernment checks character.
❤️‍🔥Discernment protects the flock with humility.

😣But accusation mocks.
😣Accusation assumes.
😣Accusation shames publicly.
😣Accusation tears down without relationship.

And we cannot keep calling hostility “discernment.”

8) OPEN YOUR EYES: THE SAME GIFTS THAT LED YOU TO JESUS ARE STILL WORKING TODAY

This part needs to be said, because it’s one of the biggest blind spots I see:

Many of the very people who hate “titles” today…
were saved, discipled, taught, pastored, and activated by someone walking in a calling.

Think about it.

Some of you came to Christ because an Evangelist preached the Gospel.

Some of you were restored because a Pastor cared for your soul.

Some of you learned Scripture because a Teacher trained you.

Some of you were warned, strengthened, or corrected because a Prophet spoke truth.

Some of you were built into a foundation because an Apostolic grace established order and mission.

So let me ask this respectfully but directly:

How can someone be led into salvation by a leader with a calling…
and then turn around and hate the next generation of called people?

How can you honor the gift that helped save you…
but attack the same gift when you see it operating in someone else?

That’s not discernment. That’s inconsistency.

And sometimes it’s a sign your pain, jealousy, or fear is talking louder than the Spirit.

If the Body helped lead you to Jesus, why tear down the Body now?

9) WHO GAVE ANYONE AUTHORITY TO DICTATE HOW JESUS’ BODY FUNCTIONS?

Real question:

When did the comment section become the government of the Church?

Jesus is the Head.
We are the Body.

So why are believers attacking the very joints, ligaments, hands, and feet that Jesus is raising up?

When will the Body of Christ stop abusing the Body of Christ?

10) TO THE CALLED ONES: DON’T BECOME WHAT YOU’RE FIGHTING

If you’re a real servant of God, here’s our part:

✅ stay humble
✅ stay clean
✅ stay accountable
✅ stay under covering
✅ let fruit speak louder than arguments
✅ don’t use your calling to dominate people
✅ don’t become harsh because you’ve been misunderstood

We’re not here to build a brand.
We’re here to build the Body.

But we are not called to let bullies rewrite our obedience.

11) THE BRIDGE: UNITY WITHOUT COMPROMISE

If you’ve been hurt by someone misusing a title—my heart goes out to you.

But please don’t punish every called person for what a counterfeit did.

Don’t curse the blueprint because someone abused it.

The solution isn’t “no 5-fold.”
The solution is healthy 5-fold.

The solution isn’t “silence the prophetic.”
The solution is purify it.

The solution isn’t “attack leadership.”
The solution is restore leadership the Jesus way—with humility, holiness, and love.

If you read this far, here’s the heart of it:

I’m not fighting for titles. I’m fighting for unity, truth, and clean ministry.

I’m fighting for the real ones who have paid a price to obey God—only to be mocked by people who never took time to know their life.

Let’s grow up.
Let’s heal.
Let’s restore honor without enabling abuse.
Let’s protect the Church without devouring the Church.

And let’s remember:

You don’t have to understand someone’s calling to treat them like your brother or sister.

Discussion (keep it respectful):

Have you ever been hurt by misuse of titles?

Have you been attacked while trying to obey God faithfully?

What do you believe a healthy Apostle / Prophet / Evangelist / Pastor / Teacher should look like today?

(If you’re here to mock or argue—this post isn’t for that. If you’re here to learn and build the Body—welcome.)