Yes, the bible is quite clear that the apostles worked so as to not burden the people in the churches. We are also exhorted to have them as our example. When it comes to the operation and running of a church, that is provided for by the people in that church. Yet, you are correct salaries are not mentioned. However, it has gotten to the point where people have ministry as their profession.
Yet do you mean that all pastors are elders? Because from what I have been reading, not all elders are pastors. There are different functions or elders as per the 5 fold ministry in ephesians.
Take a look in 1Peter 5. 'The elders that are among you I exhort......feed the flock of God which is among you.'
If you could show me where it says that not all elders are pastors, I'll take a look. Thanks.
You see here in 1Peter 5 that all the elders are to poimen/shepherd/pastor the flock, the younger. You see there is a misconception over the word 'pastor'. It's a function in all the elders. Diverse functions as you say, but all pastors nonetheless.
What it is NOT, is a special upper crust paid position held by one individual. That concept cannot be fleshed out of the NT.
There is only one executive pastor and director of the NT assembly and it is the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no room for two heads. The fellowship of the believers placed a high premium on the Headship of Christ and the Holy Spirit anointing in the open meeting whereby all the members enjoyed the sharing of their ministries/gifts/functions. See:Ephesians 4. 1Cor. 12 and Romans12.
The elders were to train up the Saints 'for the work of the ministry'. 'the Head even Christ, from whom the whole body fitly joined together ......by which every joint supplies(every member uses their function within the context of the open meeting) according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, (for what purpose?) making (spiritual) increase of the body(the believers) unto the edifying itself in love. (The word 'every' seems to fall meaningless on many Christians).
These elders also held the function of being bishops, from the Greek word episcopals meaning overseers vs. 2 also in 1Peter 5.
Not lording it over His heritage but watching over with care.
Now take a look at Acts 20. Vs.17. Paul calls for the elders. He tells them in vs. 28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Spirit has made you (elders) bishops, episcopals, overseers. Not titles to adorn ones name to self exaltation but a spiritual function of caring for the younger. To feed, poimen, shepherd, pastor, the ekklesia of God.....
Also take note. You'll not find one individual in the body of Christ wearing a title in front of their name.
No Reverend (Greek:Awesome) Smith. No Senior Pastor Billy. No Bishop Jones. Not even Elder Roger.
Elder means older. Older in the sense of being more mature in the things of God. Ordain means to simply recognize and put in charge to care for the younger. Elders spring up naturally and step into their calling/function/gift for the one purpose of rearing up to maturity the new believers by teaching and setting an example. Never by 'lording it over', controlling or charging money for their ministries. They knew that they 'freely received and they should freely give' 'not given over to covetousness' and 'vain glory'(pride, arrogance, ego).
Watching over and nurturing the flock was every elders duty and responsibility thus the term or function 'pastor'.
Its a spiritual function, not a salaried career that you go to school for to gain a document to hang as a shingle in an office so you can play golf all week and get paid a full paycheck for a 40 minute monologue called a sermon that cannot be validated either in Pauls description of the typical gathering.
So I have presented these 2 text proofs proving that all elders were considered shepherds of the flock of God. And One Chief Shepherd, the The Mighty God, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Today the sad fact is that most believers cannot discern the body of Christ while there is ample scripture declaring its nature and modus operandi!
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