brother/sister

[meh]

Hello :)

Are Baptists the only denom who call each other brother and sister? I ask because we had an event today where many of the city churches came together to hear Christian music and speakers, and as I said good-bye to some new friends I called them brother.

They looked at me like I was nuts^_^ And one said, "ahh..brother?" And I told him as in brother in Christ.

Anyway. On the way home I just got curious if we might be the only ones who do that. And wonder how people feel about calling fellow Christians brother and sister in Christ? I've always kind of liked it.

[Joykins]

I think this varies from congregation to congregation, and not just among Baptists.

But what I want to know is that if all female Sunday School teachers of small children all over Baptist-dom are addressed "Miss <firstname>" even if she is married and in her 70s. ;)

[meh]

I think this varies from congregation to congregation, and not just among Baptists.

But what I want to know is that if all female Sunday School teachers of small children all over Baptist-dom are addressed "Miss <firstname>" even if she is married and in her 70s. ;)

Yes. At least in my experience^_^

[arunma]

Hello :)

Are Baptists the only denom who call each other brother and sister? I ask because we had an event today where many of the city churches came together to hear Christian music and speakers, and as I said good-bye to some new friends I called them brother.

They looked at me like I was nuts^_^ And one said, "ahh..brother?" And I told him as in brother in Christ.

Anyway. On the way home I just got curious if we might be the only ones who do that. And wonder how people feel about calling fellow Christians brother and sister in Christ? I've always kind of liked it.

My guess is that evangelicals (not just Baptists) will probably do this more often than others. But I'm fairly certain that Christians from all denominations refer to their brethren in Christ as brothers and sisters. After all, in the New Testament, the word adelphoi (brothers and sisters) is commonly used in addressing fellow Christians and fellow Jews.

[Flynmonkie]

I think this varies from congregation to congregation, and not just among Baptists.

But what I want to know is that if all female Sunday School teachers of small children all over Baptist-dom are addressed "Miss <firstname>" even if she is married and in her 70s. ;)
Joykins, it is in my experience, from the Southern perspective, all women are addressed with Miss before their first name, at any age. My granddaddy referred to my great-grandmother (his mother in law) as Miss. Eva at all times as a form of "respect" SO to me, it is normal to hear every day, I guess where I live I don't see it happening as I do within my family and friends (up north?).

[JPPT1974]

Yes. At least in my experience^_^

Yeah in mines too my friend!!

[Joykins]

Joykins, it is in my experience, from the Southern perspective, all women are addressed with Miss before their first name, at any age. My granddaddy referred to my great-grandmother (his mother in law) as Miss. Eva at all times as a form of "respect" SO to me, it is normal to hear every day, I guess where I live I don't see it happening as I do within my family and friends (up north?).

I have only heard it this way regularly for Sunday School teachers of children. I do occasionally hear it from Southerners, but while Maryland is below the Mason-Dixon line, the part I live in might as well be a suburb of New York. It's not generally used.

[HumbleMan]

I can't speak for some more of the mainline denominations, but I do know the Church of God calls everyone "Brother" and "Sister".

[MrJim]

Pretty common among some of the mennonite folks.

[ZiSunka]

COC does, too.

[Jenka]

We call eachother brother/sister all the time. In our small church however, all the adults treat the younger one's as daughters/sons. We all get teased and joked with.
It was odd being 19 and having the younger kids under me calling me Miss and the older ones "daughter" :P

~Jenka

[handmaiden97]

I know assemblies of God people who refer to other as brother so and so, sister. Me I tend to call folks by their names, but I do often think of fellow beleivers as brothers and when in another country (particularly a muslim one) it is a whole lot easier to refer to a male friend or team mate as brother then to try and explain he is my friend or co-worker. I mean it is a whole lat eastier to say "I need to ask my brother" then to explain "i need to ask" the single male team leader....(they now think we are in the wrong sort of relationship)