What is expected of a pastor in church?What does the bible say ?

Question

God appoints leaders for His church and He requires they live a certain way,what does the bible say about the requirements or a pastor in church?

Answer 1

Duties of Ministers. These are to preach the Word, administer the ordinances of the Gospel, visit their people, and otherwise perform the work of faithful ministers.


1 Timothy 3:2 - A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;

"preacher" was found 4 times in 4 verses in the New Testament.

Romans 10:14 - How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

1 Timothy 2:7 - Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.

2 Timothy 1:11 - Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.

2 Peter 2:5 - And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;

Answer 2

I personally to not call the preacher at my church a pastor. Some people believe that the pastor must be perfect but that is not true. If you watched the news much the past couple of months, you have probably heard about the past at a church called New Life in Colorado Springs, CO. That church has fallen apart because of the pastor having affairs and what not. I believe that a Minister is someone that knows about God and has a personal relationship with God. He helps other and prays for other and preachers about God. At my church, my Minister has participated in porn but discovered how horrible it is. He also does not believe that divorce is right. He and his family aren't perfect, they make mistakes just like anyone else. They have worked through their problems and are some of my families best friends.

Hope this helped and when all else fails, read the Bible and PRAY!! God can always help!!

TG gives an excellent answer!!!

Answer 3

Pastors are like shephards over the sheep. The look after the sheep, feed the sheep, protect the sheep, has compassion for his sheep, and whatever else a shephard does. A true Pastor has been called and anointed by God to act in the office of a Pastor. But today there are too many people that call themselves pastors and in no way has God called them to be a pastor. The most important requirement to be a Pastor is first to be called and anointed by God to be a Pastor.

Answer 4

Every Christian is suppose to be a minister and preacher, not just the elite and highly educated. With the exception of Paul, the followers of Christ were uneducated individuals, like Peter (a fisherman) and Matthew (a tax collector). And they didn't get paid for their work. Every member of a religion should be taught the same to lead and teach. That way a church doesn't need to become overly large. New churches can be created, with their own sets of elders.

Answer 5

Many of the religious leaders in Jesus' day were very proud! They wore special clothing so they would look important in the eyes of men. They chose the best seats when they came to worship God. They wanted everyone to see them and praise them. They especially liked to be called by special titles such as "Rabbi," "Teacher," and "Father."

Jesus condemned these proud men. He commanded: "But you, do not be called 'Rabbi;' for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren. Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ. But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted" (Matthew 23:8-12).

Many preachers and other religious leaders today are just like the proud scribes and Pharisees who were condemned by Jesus. They like to wear "uniforms" or other special clothing so that they will stand out from other believers. They want people to see them. They think they are very important and deserve honor and praise from men. They especially like to wear religious titles such as "Reverend," "Pastor," "Doctor," and "Father" to set them apart from their fellow believers. These vain people are guilty of the same sin the scribes and Pharisees were guilty of! They are condemned by the same words the Lord used to condemn the proud religious leaders in His day!

The word "reverend" describes someone who is highly exalted and worthy of great praise. In the old King James Version (1611) of the Bible, it is used to describe God: "Holy and reverend is his name" (Psalm lll:9). The New King James Version translates this verse: "Holy and awesome is His name." Only a very foolish and arrogant person would claim to be worthy to be called "reverend" or "awesome" like God!

Many religious leaders today like to be called "Doctor." The word "doctor" originally meant "teacher." Today it is used to describe one who is a physician or medical healer. It is also the name of the highest degree one can attain in education. But it is not a title to be worn by leaders in the church, whether preachers, teachers, elders, etc. Jesus said: "Do not be called ‘Teachers’ (Doctor)!”

"Father" is not meant to be used as a special title given to religious leaders. It is right for a child to call his male parent "father." But it is wrong to use it as a special title for religious teachers. Jesus said: "One is your Father, He who is in heaven."

"Pastor" is one of the most misused words in the entire Bible! The word "pastor" means "shepherd." The Lord's church is often described in the Bible as "the flock of God" (Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:1-4). According to the Bible, pastors (shepherds) are the elders or overseers of the church (See Acts 20:17, 28; Ephesians 4:11; Philippians 1:1; 1 Peter 5:1-4). It is God's pattern for His church that each congregation will have overseers or shepherds who meet the special qualifications which He has given in His Word (Acts 14:23; 1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9). There must be two or more pastors (elders, shepherds, overseers) for they are always plural when mentioned as leading a congregation (see Acts 14:23; Philippians 1:1; etc.).

Many people confuse the work of pastors with that of preachers or evangelists. Please note Paul's words to the church of Christ at Ephesus:"And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors, and teachers" (Ephesians 4:11). Evangelists are preachers of the Word of God. Their job is to "Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching" (2 Timothy 4:2). Elders (pastors) are only over the local congregation where they are members (1 Peter 5:1-4). But evangelists may serve just one congregation in preaching the gospel or they may be sent out to establish new congregations. Evangelists are not pastors (elders) and do not have the authority to rule the local congregation. Neither "evangelist" or "pastor" is meant to be a special religious title. They simply describe different workers in the church.

Jesus said of His disciples: “You are all brethren." It is sinful for a Christian to exalt himself above his fellow Christians by wearing special clothing to set himself apart from them. It is also sinful for a Christian to insist he be called by some special title such as "Rabbi," "Father," "Reverend,” "Doctor," or "Pastor!" It is wrong for workers in the church to insist that special seats be reserved for them or that they be given special greetings. God is our Father. All Christians are brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ. Let us honor God as our heavenly Father and Jesus as our Teacher. Let us humbly serve them and take no pride in wearing man-made titles to exalt ourselves. Let us always remember Jesus' warning: "Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted!” (Matthew 23:12).