Biblical Pastors
It is difficult to get a man to understand something if his livelihood depends upon his not understanding it." The word “pastor” is not in the New Testament very often. The word pastor simply means “shepherd.” What does the Bible mean when it uses the word pastor? Although the word pastor is in the Bible, The modern role and function of a pastor is found nowhere in scripture. Our plague is that when we read a passage or see something in the Bible, we so often interpret it based on our prior experience or what we’ve already been taught. Based on prior experience, when we see the word pastor in the Bible, it floods our mind with our idea of what a pastor is – which is based on what we’ve seen, what we’ve heard, and what we’ve been taught a pastor already is. If you had lived during the first century and then read the word “pastor” in a letter written to the church, you would have a much different idea come to mind. What’s the big deal? Why is this even an issue? Our entire Christian culture has largely fit around this erroneous idea of this one man and his unscriptural role. Entire groups and churches are built around the pastor. People join churches based on who the pastor is. The entire direction, vision, and focus of a group is often based on the pastor. While the whole time, his role, function, and very existence are not Biblical. We’ve been taught: “If you don’t have a pastor you are not under authority.” “If you don’t have a pastor you don’t have spiritual covering.” These are very common beliefs that stem from a basic error. 1 Samuel 10:19 "But you have today rejected your God, who delivers you from all your calamities and your distresses; yet you have said, 'No, but set a king over us’." Just like the children of Israel cried out for a king, It is within the base nature of people to want a physical king. What does a king provide you? A king provides security. A king provides a feeling that someone is taking care of things and that someone is making decisions that need to be made. The Catholics have their “fathers,” the Protestants have their “pastors.” People will always want someone else to take the responsibility off their shoulders. And we will even pay someone to do it. We want a specialist to take care of the role of leadership.
Men are responsible for leading the church. Not a man. Our western culture has forced the church into that of a typical American, corporate structure. The modern day pastor has become the CEO of an organization, with the deacons acting as the board of directors. We have reduced true shepherding to that of hiring a paid professional to stand up and make a speech once a week.
What is a real pastor? What should true shepherding be? What should true shepherding look like?
A shepherd feeds sheep. A shepherd cares for sheep. A shepherd watches sheep. Remember, the word pastor literally means “shepherd.” To be a pastor is to be a shepherd. To do the work of shepherding is to speak into the lives of others. To shepherd is to watch over the lives of others. To shepherd is to care for the well being of others, (Lk.2:8, Heb. 13:17). The Greek word for shepherd is poimaino {poy-mah'-ee-no} which means to feed, to keep, to tend, to care for, or to shepherd.