I had a conversation over Turkey with a friend of mine that turned to matters of religion. He has a similar background; we both grew up in the Christian Church branch of the Restoration Movement. Anyone familiar with the Restoration Movement can tell you that each church is different. Instruments, kitchens, women's roles, elders, deacons, missionaries, ministers......they each have their own views about all of these and more.
We bounced off each other the question of what being a "pastor" means. At his Christian Church, the "pastor" is essentially the head minister, but is also an elder. Now, our Minister at Metro is not an elder. In fact he has had to correct his soon to be published book that identifies him as the Pastor of the Metro C of C. I'm not really concerned about the scriptural implications here. It just made me think about the role of a "pastor" in the church.
I was watching TBN today (sorry, I was bored) and saw Pastor Rod Parsley there on the screen, larger than life. Of course it was most every televangelist cliche rolled into one half hour, and I thought that this could not possibly be what being a "pastor" means. So now I know what a pastor is not, I'll start looking for what a pastor should be.
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Titles... I wonder if by defining what we are or are not still misses the point.
Most of the folks I come into contact with, outside of my church, call me pastor. Most, I would say, believe the term to be defined as leader of their church. www.dictionary.com says:
pas·tor n.
1. A Christian minister or priest having spiritual charge over a congregation or other group.
2. A layperson having spiritual charge over a person or group.
3. A shepherd.
I could, if called pastor, respond with a "correct" definition of the word so they are no longer confused, or focus on the more important issue of why they are talking to me.
If someone asks me what I do, I say I'm a youth Minister. For fun, sometimes I say Youth Rabbi.
I just think to focus on the why or why not, this name or that name, still puts an importance on the "name"
Jesus said, "Everything they do is done for men to see: They make their phylacteries[a] wide and the tassels on their garments long; 6they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; 7they love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have men call them 'Rabbi.'
8"But you are not to be called 'Rabbi,' for you have only one Master and you are all brothers. 9And do not call anyone on earth 'father,' for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. 10Nor are you to be called 'teacher,' for you have one Teacher, the Christ.[b] 11The greatest among you will be your servant. 12For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." Matthew 23:5-12
Humble yourself. By doing so you will be exalted.
peace.
johno~
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