An Updated Rerun Series
Click on following links for earlier articles: Part 1 and Part 2.
“Too much pastoring in the church.”
The Holy Spirit’s words stunned me, but at the same time, they instilled a desire to understand more about the pastor’s calling. So, I began studying the Bible.
Did you know the word pastor is only mentioned once in the New Testament?
And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers (Ephesians 4:11)
The Greek word poimen (Strongs #4166) which is translated pastor in the above verse is also mentioned seventeen other times in the New Testament, but in all of those verses, it is translated into the English word shepherd(s).
A verb derivative of poimen, the Greek Word poimano (Strongs #4165), is mentioned ten times in various verses, but is translated in the King James Version into the English words feed or rule.
Now let’s say, that a Bible somehow landed in the hands of a linguistic expert who lived on Mars. After studying the Old and New Testaments, he then convinced his government to capture an American Christian out of the traditional church system and bring him back to Mars.
Of course, the Mars expert would then question the captured Christian. And being a knowledgeable believer, the Christian would have done quite well, explaining Jesus, the Gospel and the New Birth.
But when the Christian would have attempted to explain the church and our modern CEO-like pastor, the Mars expert would have most likely blinked his eyes in unbelief.
“Hey, are you sure that you haven’t got the Old Testament and the New Testament mixed up?” he might have asked.
Then, the Christian would have blinked his eyes in amazement. To his scriptural reasoning, the traditional church and our modern CEO-like pastor are so obvious that he can not explain it to others. Maybe, he would have thrown his hands up in the air and said, “That’s just the way it is, okay?”
The captured Christian could have been me. Because when I began studying the calling of pastor, I looked through the lens of all the teachers who had been my instructors since I had been saved, which was about ten years.
A pupil is not above his teacher; but everyone, after he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher. (Luke 6:40)
Admittedly, I am resistant to change. I like to walk on the paths of our church forefathers, men like Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Wesley, D. L. Moody, Smith Wigglesworth and so forth who have been a part of the traditional church system. This seemed to be the well-tread path of safety, right?
So, what has caused me to veer off onto old, hardly visible paths?
(Continued in Part 4)
Larry Who 
Hi Larry Who~
[lol] I dont get too much time on internet but thoughts of you and the H.S . led me to check out what you’re teaching on… GOOD GOING!
Also, since you gave me an incredible encouraging word a few months ago, well…I could use another prayer partner and if our Guide tells you any secrets to share, I would be most grateful.
I thought my husband would leave me alone this wkend after “another” flare-up last weekend where he exploded and intimidation, disrepect, demanding me to be the way HE thinks..oh, and its kinda humorous how angry he gets when I dont meet up to his standards, and probably never will. Well, I feel this disturbed grinding in my chest when he’s in the house with me, and I stay away as much as possible, but its His help we need.
Only, if my husband want the help and cont’s to deny he’s not perfect,well, I just cant cope with not being able to decently discuss ANYTHING that concerns me personally. Many needs are not being met.
I know you’re not the one probably to tell according to mankind’s standards but I feel the Holy Ghost will speak through you, and I know you say at least one prayer… I feel this is really hurting me physically. I have couseling scheduled for a couple wks away….
Thanks for listening.
I appreciate you and the REAL WAy you are teaching!!
Cheryl,
I will certainly pray for you.
Larry,
I have understood the word pastor to mean shepherd as you have, and also heard it translated into presbeter, and described as an elder, not a minister. To me, most of it is semantics whether it is an elder, pastor, minister or preist. When the worship ceases to be about Him and begins to be about pride, ego, or politics, it is destined for failure. I agree with your comparison to ceo’s in modern day pastorships. Christians are followers of Christ, submission, charity, love and forgiveness are “HIS”currency, pride is not.
God Bless
Jim
blesseddad,
I agree that it is semantics, but it is these same semantics upon which we have built a structure; and then hold onto it with white-knuckle hand holds.
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Blesseddad
“I have understood the word pastor to mean shepherd as you have, and also heard it translated into presbeter, and described as an elder, not a minister. To me, most of it is semantics whether it is an elder, pastor, minister or preist.”
It is understandable that those who run the church would want their audience to think that all the various words mean the same, the “Boss’, (pastor etc)
This is one of those places where Jesus would have responded, “by your traditions you make the word of God to no effect.”
The word translated “elder” in the bible is never used in the form of an official appointment. An elder is, and was, simply a mature older person.
You cannot be appointed to be an elder, any more than you can be appointed to be a juvenile. It is both male and female. It is who you are, or are not.
However it is the correct biblical norm to appoint only someone from the eldership, ie mature believers, to any post such as overseer (bishop) in the church.
N.B. In no way do I mean “bishop” in the current unbiblical ecclesiastical sense.
Why is all this important?
It is important because when a word like “elder” is commandeered by the hierarchy of the church to mean an official appointment, it steals away the word’s God given meaning. It means that when the Lord expects all the mature believers to function as the mainstay of His Body, they in turn have been taught that such things are the job of the appointees. The elders have become the congregation who have the purpose to man the pews, and do what the “leaders” tell them.
Imagine if all the mature saints, male and female, just got on with doing what their spirit told them, without any need to refer for permission to anyone further up the hierarchy.
Imagine that all elders, male and female, really knew the anointing and the power of God in their own lives, their work and their families simply because they had been living it out.
They would be a living witness of God at work. They would be like the Book of Acts.
The church was never meant to be run by the leaders, whatever the title we give them.
Frank,
Thanks. I was hoping that you would write a clarification for us and as usual, it is right on the mark.
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