Pastors
Does the Bible say anything about them?
© Emmaus Correspondence School, New Zealand.
The English words "pastor" and "shepherd " both have
exactly the same meaning - someone who cares for the
sheep. In the New Testament they are both used to
translate the same Greek word "poimen."
The Lord Jesus is the Senior Pastor
Psalm 23 could be translated, "The Lord is my
Pastor."
Psalm 80, "The Pastor dwells between the
Cherubim"
John:10:11, "The good Pastor gives His life for the
sheep."
1 Peter 5:4, "and when the Senior Pastor (Chief
Shepherd) appears, you will receive the crown of
glory that does not fade away."
Elders are pastors
Paul to the elders at Ephesus, Acts 20:28,
"Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the
flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you
overseers, to pastor the church of God which He
purchased with His own blood."
Peter to the elders of the dispersion, 1 Peter 5:1-2
"The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a
fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ,
and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed:
Pastor the flock of God which is among you, serving
as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for
dishonest gain but eagerly nor as being lords over
those entrusted to you, but being examples to the
flock and when the Senior Pastor appears, you will
receive the crown of glory that does not fade away."
The New Testament church could be described as a
group of believer-priests led by a team of pastor-
elders.
The Lord Jesus is both the High Priest and Senior
Pastor.
The New Testament church has multiple pastors -
usually called elders. There may also be others in the
church doing pastoral work who are not members of
the official eldership. The gift of pastoring is one of the
spiritual gifts, and this is not confined to the elders.
The logical consequence of this is that it is wrong to
call any one person the pastor of a church, as this
implies that there is only one pastor and that
consequently the elders (and others with the gift of
pastor) are not pastors.
As the elders of a church are pastors, any full-time
employee or worker associated with a local church
should not be called "the pastor." If a title is needed,
an alternative title such as youth worker, youth
facilitator, pastoral assistant, administrator or musical
director could be considered.
© Emmaus Correspondence School, New Zealand.
The English words "pastor" and "shepherd " both have
exactly the same meaning - someone who cares for the
sheep. In the New Testament they are both used to
translate the same Greek word "poimen."
The Lord Jesus is the Senior Pastor
Psalm 23 could be translated, "The Lord is my
Pastor."
Psalm 80, "The Pastor dwells between the
Cherubim"
John:10:11, "The good Pastor gives His life for the
sheep."
1 Peter 5:4, "and when the Senior Pastor (Chief
Shepherd) appears, you will receive the crown of
glory that does not fade away."
Elders are pastors
Paul to the elders at Ephesus, Acts 20:28,
"Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the
flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you
overseers, to pastor the church of God which He
purchased with His own blood."
Peter to the elders of the dispersion, 1 Peter 5:1-2
"The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a
fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ,
and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed:
Pastor the flock of God which is among you, serving
as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for
dishonest gain but eagerly nor as being lords over
those entrusted to you, but being examples to the
flock and when the Senior Pastor appears, you will
receive the crown of glory that does not fade away."
The New Testament church could be described as a
group of believer-priests led by a team of pastor-
elders.
The Lord Jesus is both the High Priest and Senior
Pastor.
The New Testament church has multiple pastors -
usually called elders. There may also be others in the
church doing pastoral work who are not members of
the official eldership. The gift of pastoring is one of the
spiritual gifts, and this is not confined to the elders.
The logical consequence of this is that it is wrong to
call any one person the pastor of a church, as this
implies that there is only one pastor and that
consequently the elders (and others with the gift of
pastor) are not pastors.
As the elders of a church are pastors, any full-time
employee or worker associated with a local church
should not be called "the pastor." If a title is needed,
an alternative title such as youth worker, youth
facilitator, pastoral assistant, administrator or musical
director could be considered.
