Preacher or Pastor?

We all should be "preachers" according to the great commission. So, the qualification to be a preacher is to be saved. Preacher from a pulpit or in front of a congregation? Women are not to teach men, so that is a limiting factor on saved women preaching.

Pastor is a leader of a local assembly. There are specific qualifications listed for him.

I'm clear as mud, huh?

 

Well,there are many here much more qualified to answer this than me...but I will tell you what I understand from scripture...there is an office of elder,bishop that are to be the leaders of the church,they have to meet the qualifications for that office,for example,able to teach,head of his home,spiritually mature,etc(1 Tim 3). They are to serve as leaders,pastors,teachers of the local church. There can be one or many. We have a plurality of elders at our church,Pastor teacher(who is the main teacher),pastor of children,pastor of students,pastor of missions,pastor of music,pastor of adult minitries,and then 7-8 uncompensated elders. They serve as leaders and make most of the decisions for the church. One of our elders is the pastor/teacher,but he is an elder like everyone else that I mentioned. All of the elders can preach and teach,and do so on occassion. They have desired to be an elder and God has given them oppurtuniy to become properly prepared and has allowed them to meet the qualifications to hold that office.

Then there is the gift of evangelism,where,I guess some men can preach,without holding the office of elder in a local church,they are just simply gifted in this area.

Maybe this helps...but,there are many men here who know way more about it than me!

Men? Pastors? Please add to or correct anything I have stated.

[ January 03, 2003, 12:25 PM: Message edited by: Molly ]

 

My Pastor prefers the title "Pastor", which was taken from the Greek "Poimen"...which means Under shepherd to the great shepherd, which would be Jesus Christ of course. The congregation are the sheep or flock.

5 greek titles for pastor:
Presbuteros: Elder
Episcopas: Bishop
Poimen: Shepherd
Kerux: Preacher
Didaskolos: Teacher

These are all names for the same position...each with a different part of what is required by God's annointed.

I hope that helped a little... I didn't see this thread before...or I would have spoken up sooner.

[ January 03, 2003, 12:28 PM: Message edited by: WisdomSeeker ]

 

Molly, is there anything Refreshed stated that you disagree with?

Is the guy preaching on the street corner a pastor or a preacher?

For that matter, was Paul a pastor or a preacher? He established many churches, but he was the bishop of none of them (to my knowledge; I don't mind anyone showing me I'm incorrect, either).

How about Stephen? Or Phillip?

I definitely believe that there is the office of bishop (pastor) and the office of deacon (1 Tim 3); I believe also that there are those that preach without actually having either of those offices. As Christ said (Mark 9:38-39), forbid not those that do miracles in His name.

 

Nope, I agree with her, I think.

1. He's a preacher.
2. Paul - Apostle, preacher, evangelist, but not pastor.
3. Stephen, preacher.
4. Phillip, I don't know.

I would have to agree with you on that there are preachers that do not hold a church office. A pastor is always a preacher. A preacher is not always a pastor.

[edit]Sorry! I thought you asked me!!! Man, I need to read closer. Just use the above to help clarify my position. I wish we had a graemlin with a big "L" on its forhead for myself.[/edit]

[ January 03, 2003, 12:52 PM: Message edited by: Refreshed ]

 

I pretty much agree with all Refreshed has stated...I think there are preachers who are gifted evangelists...but,not all men who can preach will be elders in local churches.

Don,what do you think?

 

A preacher is a person who performs a particular role in a worship service. Generally in most Christian denominations they are expected to be a member of the clergy, and consequently trained in biblical languages, biblical criticism, homiletics, and theology.

A pastor is a person who holds a particular administrative office for a congregation. They are responsible for overseeing the operations of the congregation/parish, and for seeing to the spritual health of the members. Again, in most Christian denominations, they are expected to be a member of the clergy.

Joshua

 

A pastor is one who leads, who feeds and cares for a group(congergation). Actually i agree with Joshua this time,,, which can be dangerous.

 

A preacher is a person who performs a particular role in a worship service. Generally in most Christian denominations they are expected to be a member of the clergy, and consequently trained in biblical languages, biblical criticism, homiletics, and theology.

i agree with you - but unfortunately we just disqualified all of the apostles

 

Preacher = one who preaches. Wide range of people who could qualify. Rom 10:14-15
Pastor = Bishop, Overseer, Elder, an official in a local congregation for which there are qualifications specified in scripture (I Tim 3)

Sorry, Wisdom Seeker, but, I don't think teacher or preacher is another name for pastor. Truely a pastor is a teacher (Eph 4:11) and a preacher but, the reverse is not true. A teacher does not have to be a pastor nor does a preacher have to be a pastor so they are not equivalent terms for the same office.

In practice, however, anything seems to go. Our pastor for nearly 30 years was always called Preacher, even his wife and kids called him Preacher. I once called his house and one of his family answered and I asked for____(I used his first name) and they said, "...Who?"

 

Ditto Joshua.

 

I am glad several others have already agreed with Joshua so I don't have to ruin my good name by adding it to the list

 

A preacher IMHO is one that has been called to preach... A pastor on the other hand is an overseer of a church or many churches that he has been put in charge of. In the primitive baptist church a pastor may pastor more than one church... Our pastor... Elder Sam pastors two!... Then again Elder Sam is also a preacher. Not all preachers are pastors but all pastors are preachers!... A preacher is chosen pastor when he can prove he has the leadership abilities as an overseer of the church... In the primitive baptist church is an OJT position... btw women need not apply for either position.... Sorry ladies!... Brother Glen

[ January 04, 2003, 01:19 PM: Message edited by: tyndale1946 ]

 

An observation:

Not every preacher can pastor.

Not every pastor can preach.

 

A pastor is a preacher who loves you. When you find one, stick with him.

I have been to too many churches where the pastor could preach, but not love, or teach, but not preach.

Somedays I call my pastor "Pastor", somedays I call hime "Preacher". Mine is is good at both and I love him.

 

I believe there is a big difference between preachers and pastors. I love a good preacher; one that puts your feet to the fire and doesn't hold back any punches!

tw