Somewhat frequently when I answer the phone, someone on the other end says, "hello, are you the pastor?" For those who may not be aware of this, the New Testament does not use the term pastor as a designation for the evangelist or for that role commonly called the pulpit minister. Since those within the Restoration movement value using Biblical terminology in Biblical ways, typically we have only referred to an elder/ bishop as being "the pastor."
Consider what the Bible has to say on this subject. In Acts 20:17, Paul requested that the elders (or presbyters) of the church in Ephesus meet him in Miletus. In speaking to this group of men, he reminded them that the Spirit had made them overseers (or bishops) over the flock in order to "shepherd" (or to pastor) it. Acts 20:28 Paul used three different terms to refer to the same group of men: 1) shepherd/pastor 2) elder/presbyter 3) overseer/bishop.
When Paul described to Titus the type of qualities he should be looking for in those who were to become elders in each town over the local congregations (Titus 1:5-6), Paul referred to the elders as overseers/ bishops. Titus 1:7 The function of overseeing the congregation was to be given to godly men. Descriptively, these godly mature Christian leaders were appropriately called elders.
One should not be surprized to discover the letter of 1 Peter revealing the same interchangable usage of these terms. 1 Peter 5:1 is addressed to the elders who are told to "pastor/ shepherd" God's flock by being examples to the flock because they are serving as "overseers/bishops." 1 Peter 5:2-3 1 Peter then continues by holding out a wonderful promise for these pastors. When Christ, the Chief Pastor/Shepherd, returns they will receive a crown of glory. 1 Peter 5:4
The New Testament authors used pastor/ shepherd to refer to those older men (elders) within the congregation whose functional description was to be overseers/bishops for the congregation. For people to use biblical terminology in unbiblical ways not only creates confusion, but it can open Pandora's box to all sorts of abuse of God's Word.
Is there any value in infusing new meanings into old words thus altering the author's original message? Although such a message or term may sound Biblical, what value is there in ideas which merely have Biblical whitewash but whose substance comes from the creative ingenuity of the human mind? And if one is not opposed to new meanings, new ideas and new doctrines, why keep up the pretense by using Biblical terminology? Isn't it simply better to use Biblical words in Biblical ways to express Biblical ideas?
Barry Newton, Copyright © 1999
Other articles which may be of interest:
Godly Leadership in the Family