Pastor, preacher, evangelist, minister, prophet, apostle....

[FlSnookman7]

I was reading another thread about women preaching and that got me to thinking about the differences between the offices in the title. I think a pastor leads a church and is a preacher but a preacher is not always a pastor. An evangelist goes out and brings the gospel to the world, a prophet foretells the future and sometimes interprets things? An apostle is someone sent by God for a specific purpose. I may be way off here so please enlighten me with scripture if possible. Thanks.

 

[Mel85]

1 Corinthians 12:28-31 New International Version (NIV)

28 And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues[a]? Do all interpret? 31 Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.

I took a session on spiritual gifts and how they apply to our daily lives. The mentor didn’t mention anything about who can specifically preach etc etc. i do believe that a Pastor of a Ministry should be a man (as they are the head) but in terms of preaching, anyone at any time can be called to do so.

 

[trofimus]

Jesus is the only "pastor" in the Bible I know of...

I have no idea where this office came from to the church.

 

[Mel85]

Jesus is the only "pastor" in the Bible I know of...

I have no idea where this office came from to the church.

Jesus is a Apostle, Prophet, Pastor, Evangelist and Teacher all in one.

 

[FlyingDove]

Jesus is the only "pastor" in the Bible I know of...

I have no idea where this office came from to the church.

KJV Dictionary Definition: Pastor, P`ASTOR, n. L. from pasco, pastum, to feed.

1. A shepherd; one that has the care of flocks and herds.

2. A minister of the gospel who has the charge of a church and congregation, whose duty is to watch over the people of his charge, and instruct them in the sacred doctrines of the christian religion.

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words: Pastor

(Strong's #4166 — Noun Masculine — poimen — poy-mane' )

"Pastors" guide as well as feed the flock; cp. Acts 20:28 , which, with ver. 17, indicates that this was the service committed to elders (overseers or bishops);

so also in 1 Peter 5:1,2 , "tend the flock ... exercising the oversight," RV; this involves tender care and vigilant superintendence.

"a shepherd, one who tends herds or flocks" (not merely one who feeds them), is used metaphorically of Christian "pastors," Ephesians 4:11.

Eph 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
(NOTE: Some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists & some PASTORS!)

 

[trofimus]

KJV Dictionary Definition: Pastor, P`ASTOR, n. L. from pasco, pastum, to feed.

1. A shepherd; one that has the care of flocks and herds.

2. A minister of the gospel who has the charge of a church and congregation, whose duty is to watch over the people of his charge, and instruct them in the sacred doctrines of the christian religion.

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words: Pastor

(Strong's #4166 — Noun Masculine — poimen — poy-mane' )

"Pastors" guide as well as feed the flock; cp. Acts 20:28 , which, with ver. 17, indicates that this was the service committed to elders (overseers or bishops);

so also in 1 Peter 5:1,2 , "tend the flock ... exercising the oversight," RV; this involves tender care and vigilant superintendence.

"a shepherd, one who tends herds or flocks" (not merely one who feeds them), is used metaphorically of Christian "pastors," Ephesians 4:11.

Eph 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
(NOTE: Some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists & some PASTORS!)

Do you have an explanation for why Paul never greets any pastor in his letter?

Or was he the pastor of all those churches?

If "pastor" is an office in a local church, why are there no requirements for this office ever mentioned? Like in letters to Timothy (just bishop and deacon).

 

[FlyingDove]

Do you have an explanation for why Paul never greets any pastor in his letter?

Or was he the pastor of all those churches?

If "pastor" is an office in a local church, why are there no requirements for this office ever mentioned? Like in letters to Timothy (just bishop and deacon).

I attempted to answer you question. With help from scripture, the KJ & Vine's dictionary. Which BTW I believe, if read void of any personal bias on the issue. Answer all your questions.

Certainly there is a pecking order: God the Father, Christ the Good Shepherd also called Head of the Church. I'll call Him the lead Pastor.

Paul meets KJV Dictionary Definition of shepherd & instructor of doctrines for the christian religion = which would equal their definition of Pastor. He appoints people to help in his ministry as well.

In Num 11 Moses picks people to help him with his ministry

In Acts 6:1-7 The Apostles pick people to help them minister. So yes Christ is a Pastor, Paul was a Pastor, James was a Pastor. I hope this helped.

 

[Nehemiah6]

Do you have an explanation for why Paul never greets any pastor in his letter?

The elders (plural) were the shepherds or pastors of New Testament churches, and the term bishop was used interchangeably. The spiritual gifts for elders would be evangelists, pastors, and teachers, as well as governments (since they were to be overseers in the churches). "Elder" implies spiritual maturity and "bishop" implies oversight (hence overseers). There was never a single man designated as pastor, and no women could hold the office of either elder or deacon.

 

[HeRoseFromTheDead]

I think today pastor means little pope

 

[FlSnookman7]

I think today pastor means little pope

I had never heard that, thank you.

I was kind of hoping to get definitions of what those titles (perhaps offices was a poor word choice) mean in today's church. Thanks again for the responses.

 

[Magenta]

A pastor is someone who has spiritual care over a congregation. The English word occurs only once in the Bible in Eph. 4:11, “And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers.” The word in Greek is poimen and literally means shepherd. Poimen occurs 18 times in the New Testament. For example,​

• Matt. 9:36, “And seeing the multitudes, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and downcast like sheep without a shepherd.”
• 
  
• Mark 14:27, "And Jesus *said to them, “You will all fall away, because it is written, ‘I will strike down the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.’
• 
  
• Luke 2:8, “And in the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields, and keeping watch over their flock by night.
• 
  
• John 10:11, “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.”
• 
  
• Heb. 13:20, “Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord.”

Therefore, a pastor is a shepherd of God’s flock who is to instruct, teach, and protect the people under his charge. Pastors are elders (1 Tim. 5:17), and as such cannot be women as the scriptures declare in Titus 1:5-7 and 1 Tim. 2:12-13. https://carm.org/dictionary-pastor​

 

[Nehemiah6]

I was kind of hoping to get definitions of what those titles...

Pastor = shepherd = a spiritual gift for elders

preacher = anyone who preachers or teaches the Word of God

evangelist = one who focuses on preaching the Gospel but may also teach

teacher = one who primarily teaches Bible truth, but may also preach the Gospel

minister = preacher = one who ministers the Word of God

prophet = one who speaks (or writes) by Divine revelation, and these are the words of God

apostle = one of the twelve sent to preach, teach, disciple, and establish churches, having apostolic authority and also prophetic ability

 

[FlSnookman7]

Pastor = shepherd = a spiritual gift for elders

preacher = anyone who preachers or teaches the Word of God

evangelist = one who focuses on preaching the Gospel but may also teach

teacher = one who primarily teaches Bible truth, but may also preach the Gospel

minister = preacher = one who ministers the Word of God

prophet = one who speaks (or writes) by Divine revelation, and these are the words of God

apostle = one of the twelve sent to preach, teach, disciple, and establish churches, having apostolic authority and also prophetic ability

Thank you for the reply. Daniel was a prophet I think and he also interpreted dreams and writings. I was wondering if that gift (interpretation)was part of being a prophet or another gift all it's own.

 

[jb]

I was reading another thread about women preaching and that got me to thinking about the differences between the offices in the title. I think a pastor leads a church and is a preacher but a preacher is not always a pastor. An evangelist goes out and brings the gospel to the world, a prophet foretells the future and sometimes interprets things? An apostle is someone sent by God for a specific purpose. I may be way off here so please enlighten me with scripture if possible. Thanks.

You can find a bit of a study Here on the ministeries and practices of the early Church...

 

[Zmouth]

a prophet foretells the future and sometimes interprets things

A prophet is not a fortune teller who foretells future events. prior to the OT, a prophet was a spokesman for the King of a Nation, who was often considered as their God.

And the LORD said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet.

Thou shalt speak all that I command thee: and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh, that he send the children of Israel out of his land.
Ex 7:1-2

The prophet under the OT is a person who speaks the word as moved by the Spirit of truth.

I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. Deut 18:18

In Deut 32:4 the LORD is described as "...a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he." Hence it is written in 1 Cor 14:1 "Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy."

 

[pottersclay]

Jesus is the only "pastor" in the Bible I know of...

I have no idea where this office came from to the church.

Hhmmm...ask peter