Question: Is the Title, Position, and/or “Office” of “The Pastor” Biblical According to the New Testament?
Answer:
1. The modern concept of “THE Pastor” (singular, professional, senior leader) is not biblical
The New Testament evidence consistently leans heavily toward plural, non-hierarchical, locally raised leadership rather than a single “pastor-in-charge” model:
| New Testament Evidence | Implication |
|---|---|
| Virtually every mention of elders/overseers is plural (Acts 14:23; 20:17; Phil 1:1; 1 Tim 5:17; Titus 1:5; James 5:14; 1 Pet 5:1-2) | Ekklesias normally had teams of elders, not one senior pastor |
| The same men are called elders (presbuteros), overseers (episkopos), and "pastors"/shepherds (poimēn) interchangeably (Acts 20:17,28; 1 Pet 5:1-2; cf. Titus 1:5-7) | “Pastor” is not a distinct office; it is a function of elders |
| Elders are raised from within the local church (Acts 14:23; Titus 1:5; 1 Tim 3:1-7) and are not imported professionals | Contrasts with modern seminary-trained, hired senior pastor model |
| No New Testament ekklesia is ever shown with a single human leader; even Jerusalem had a plurality (Acts 15) | No clear example of the modern “senior pastor” model |
2. Common proof-texts re-examined
- Acts 20:28 – Paul tells the Ephesian elders (plural) to “shepherd (poimainō) the ekkelsia of God..
- 1 Timothy 3 & Titus 1 – Qualifications for “overseer” (episkopos) use singular grammar generically (e.g., "the driver must wear a seatbelt"); always implemented plurally.
- James 5:14 – “Call the elders (plural) of the ekklesia.”
- The “angels of the seven ekklesias” in Revelation 2–3 are sometimes claimed to be single pastors, but most scholars see them as either literal angels or a literary device for the ekklesias themselves.
3. Historical note
The single senior pastor model (sometimes called the “monarchical episcopate”) began emerging in the early 2nd century (most clearly in the letters of Ignatius of Antioch ~AD 110), but it is not clearly present in the New Testament documents themselves.
Summary Conclusion
So:
“No, the contemporary ‘office of the Pastor’ as most churches practice it today is not taught or exemplified in the New Testament.”
- Yes – The function of "pastoring"/shepherding is biblical and is one of the core tasks of the elders, and the gift of shepherd-teacher is given by Jesus to the Ekklesia (Eph 4:11).
- No – The modern office of a single, professional, hierarchically senior “Pastor” (capital P) with a title like “Reverend” or “Senior Pastor” has no precedent in the New Testament pattern.
The New Testament norm is a team of elders who together shepherd the flock.
For more on this, please see Grok's answers here and my articles here, here, here, and here. By the way, the function of "pastoring" (shepherding) does not include the preaching of a sermon to the believers. Preaching was only ever for the lost, the unbelievers; it was never done in the midst of a meeting of believers. Believers lived out the life of Christ Jesus among each other, expressing Him and letting Him guide them through His Spirit as their Head. Also, the team of elders did not rule over the rest of the gathering nor make decisions apart from them.