Pastors

Pastors

Ministers are commonly called "pastors." Is this the proper biblical use of the word pastor? In Acts 20:17-29, Paul told elders of the church, "Take heed ... to all the flock in which the Holy Spirit hath made you bishops to feed the church of the Lord..." Thus in scripture, elders, bishops and shepherds and pastors are all the same category of church leaders.

Qualifications for pastors of Christ's church are strict. They must be mature in years, blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, orderly, hospitable, apt to teach, no brawler, no striker, gentle, not contentious, no lover of money, they must rule well their own house, not be a novice, have a good testimony in their community, have children that believe, not be self-willed, not quick to be angry, lovers of good, just, holy, self-controlled, sound in faith and able to convict false teachers (I Tim. 3:1-7; Tit. 1:5-9). One not having these qualifications is not acceptable to God as a pastor.

Question: How then can a young man without all these qualifications serve as a minister? This is no problem, if we understand the Scripture. There, preachers are not called pastors unless they, having the qualifications, have been appointed as such. The Bible calls preachers (Rom. 10:14) ministers (I Tim. 4:6) and evangelists (II Tim. 4:5). Never are they referred to as pastors in the modern sense of that term.

The pastor system, with preachers being in charge of churches, is unknown to scripture! Elders(bishops, pastors) were the only overseers (Acts 20:28). Preachers were under their oversight. Titles such as "reverend" and "father" are not biblical and are even forbidden (Matt. 23:9). Distinctions between clergy and laity are of human origin. All are one in Christ (Matt. 20:25-28). All Christians are priests (I Pet. 2:5). Special clergy dress is classed by Christ as a desire to be seen of men (Matt. 23:5-7).

We should always strive to call Bible things by Bible names (I Peter 4:11).

Back -- or go -- Home