The Sacred Role of a Pastor

BY BART BARBER

In 1963, Southern Baptists revised The Baptist Faith and Message. Among other changes, we changed the wording of what became Article VI, “The Church” (formerly Article XII, “The Gospel Church”). Prior to 1963, the last sentence of the article read as follows: “[A church’s] scriptural officers are bishops, or elders, and deacons.” We changed that article in 1963 to read “[A church’s] scriptural officers are pastors and deacons.”

That change is probably at least a minor contributor to some of the ways that we misunderstand one another six decades later when we have conversations about the officers of the church. For example, many of us have received requests from church members facing an illness for the deacons of the church to anoint them with oil and pray for them because they thought that the mention of “elders” in James 5:14 refers to deacons. It does not.

The word “pastor” is a perfectly good word for us to use, even though it appears less frequently than either “elder” or “overseer” in the New Testament as a title for the singular office that they all three describe. “Elder” prompts us to recall the leadership structure of the Old Testament. Moses had a team of elders who helped him to make and implement decisions for the people of Israel. “Overseer” suggests to us the role of spiritual authority over individual believers implicit in commanding someone to employ God’s Word in the tasks of teaching believers, rebuking believers, correcting believers, and training believers in righteousness.

What unique aspects of the pastoral office does the title “pastor” communicate?

The word “pastor” simply means “shepherd.” I believe that it reminds us of two important truths. First, it is the only one of the three terms that God has used in Scripture to keep us pastors humble by reminding us of our subordination to Christ. In 1 Peter 5:4, after reminding elders to be shepherds (pastors) and overseers, Peter reminded them that the “Chief Shepherd” was going to appear at the end of our term of service to evaluate our work and reward those who serve as good under-shepherds. Sometimes we need that reminder.

Also, the title “pastor” bespeaks tenderness, care, and service. An “elder” might be autocratic, and an “overseer” might be abusive, but a good shepherd could be neither of those things. Certainly, the Chief Shepherd is not. Isaiah wrote of Him, “He protects his flock like a shepherd; he gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them in the fold of his garment. He gently leads those that are nursing.” What tenderness and care are found in the arms of our shepherd! So should it be with those who serve under Him.

As the theme of our gathering next year in New Orleans for the Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting, I have chosen 2 Corinthians 4:5. It reads, “For we are not proclaiming ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’s sake.” Both notes—subordination to Christ and service rendered to His flock—are sounded in this verse as a part of the apostle’s testimony.

What good news will it be for our family of churches if those in leadership should choose above all to serve the Lord and serve others with the hearts of caring shepherds?