Pastors

The word pastor is one of the least used words for a church leader in the New Testament, but a very meaningful one. Whereas other church leadership roles carry meanings like envoy, servant, older person, teacher and overseer, the word pastor means a shepherd. Every human pastor is an assistant to Jesus. In larger churches assistant pastors or small group leaders become the hands-on pastors of the flock. All pastoral care is vital because there is nothing more important to Jesus than his flock. Human pastors are inadequate and totally incapable of providing what Jesus would, yet it is a privilege to love and be loved by the flock of Christ.