I know that there is a Biblical pastor and teacher role mentioned in Ephesians 4:11. I am not talking about that. I am talking about the role we see in a lot of Protestant churches (in a broad use of the term) throughout the western world and other parts of the globe. So I would like to start a thread to discuss the differences between the Biblical overseer role and the modern pastorate.
First, I would like to point out that the apostles, Paul and Barnabas, appointed 'elders' in every church. Paul gave Titus and Timothy instructions regarding appointing elders. In Acts 20:28, Paul commands the elders of the church at Ephesus to pastor the church of God, over whom God had made them bishops (translated 'overseers' in some other translations.) The Bible does not use 'bishop' as a rank over the other elders. There is no record of the apostles laying hands on a 'pastor' other than the elders, or of some kind of hierarchy where there is a guy called the 'pastor' over the elders. Rather, the elders are told to pastor. We see this also in I Peter 5, where the elders are commanded to pastor the flock of God, to take the oversight (c.f. overseer/bishop) thereof, and when the Chief Pastor appears, they shall receive a crown of glory.
The Reformed movement in Geneva started calling their church elders 'pastors' and their unordained city elders 'elders.' The Scottish Presbyterians copied this, and the result was the non-pastoral board elder. When I say 'elder' from now on in this post, I don't speak of the board elder, but rather of a Biblical elder.
Differences between Biblical Elders and Modern Pastors
- The modern pastor is often hired to work at a church he is not a part of.
- The Biblical elders were appointed from within churches of which they were a part.
- The modern pastorate is a hired role.
- The Biblical elders lead a community of which they are a part.
- The Biblical elder is an 'elder'.
- The modern pastor could be a 'younger' if he has the right education, or claims to be called and speaks well.
- The Biblical elder had to be the husband of one wife and rule his children well.
- The modern pastor could be unmarried or have a household that's all messed up. Lots of churches won't check. He needs to speak well, though, and maybe have a seminary education.
- The Biblical elder was taught by the apostles or by others who had received apostolic instruction-- raised up from within the church or by training by evangelistic ministers.
- The modern pastor may not have a chance of getting hired for this professional position without a Bible College or seminary degree..
- The main role of the modern pastor is to preach 'the Sunday sermon.'
- The Bible gives no evidence that regular church meetings were based on one long sermon. Rather 'every one of you' sang a psalm, taught a doctrine, shared a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. The Bible says 'ye may all prophesy' and says of gatherings of the church 'exhort one another.
- Repeatedly the apostles appointed 'elders' in the plural, not just one, and there is no evidence of hierarchy among them in the New Testament.
- Churches typically have one pastor or one pastor in a hierarchical position over the other pastors.
- Modern pastors must give long sermons, in some churches preferably three point sermons.
- Biblical elders were to be 'apt to teach' but no specific requirements are given about their eloquence. I can find no evidence of a three point sermon in the New Testament, though this was a popular form of organizing a speech during that time.
First, I would like to point out that the apostles, Paul and Barnabas, appointed 'elders' in every church. Paul gave Titus and Timothy instructions regarding appointing elders. In Acts 20:28, Paul commands the elders of the church at Ephesus to pastor the church of God, over whom God had made them bishops (translated 'overseers' in some other translations.) The Bible does not use 'bishop' as a rank over the other elders. There is no record of the apostles laying hands on a 'pastor' other than the elders, or of some kind of hierarchy where there is a guy called the 'pastor' over the elders. Rather, the elders are told to pastor. We see this also in I Peter 5, where the elders are commanded to pastor the flock of God, to take the oversight (c.f. overseer/bishop) thereof, and when the Chief Pastor appears, they shall receive a crown of glory.
The Reformed movement in Geneva started calling their church elders 'pastors' and their unordained city elders 'elders.' The Scottish Presbyterians copied this, and the result was the non-pastoral board elder. When I say 'elder' from now on in this post, I don't speak of the board elder, but rather of a Biblical elder.
Differences between Biblical Elders and Modern Pastors
- The modern pastor is often hired to work at a church he is not a part of.
- The Biblical elders were appointed from within churches of which they were a part.
- The modern pastorate is a hired role.
- The Biblical elders lead a community of which they are a part.
- The Biblical elder is an 'elder'.
- The modern pastor could be a 'younger' if he has the right education, or claims to be called and speaks well.
- The Biblical elder had to be the husband of one wife and rule his children well.
- The modern pastor could be unmarried or have a household that's all messed up. Lots of churches won't check. He needs to speak well, though, and maybe have a seminary education.
- The Biblical elder was taught by the apostles or by others who had received apostolic instruction-- raised up from within the church or by training by evangelistic ministers.
- The modern pastor may not have a chance of getting hired for this professional position without a Bible College or seminary degree..
- The main role of the modern pastor is to preach 'the Sunday sermon.'
- The Bible gives no evidence that regular church meetings were based on one long sermon. Rather 'every one of you' sang a psalm, taught a doctrine, shared a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. The Bible says 'ye may all prophesy' and says of gatherings of the church 'exhort one another.
- Repeatedly the apostles appointed 'elders' in the plural, not just one, and there is no evidence of hierarchy among them in the New Testament.
- Churches typically have one pastor or one pastor in a hierarchical position over the other pastors.
- Modern pastors must give long sermons, in some churches preferably three point sermons.
- Biblical elders were to be 'apt to teach' but no specific requirements are given about their eloquence. I can find no evidence of a three point sermon in the New Testament, though this was a popular form of organizing a speech during that time.