Elder = Lay Pastor?

[SDG]

Acts 14:

The Return to Antioch in Syria

21They preached the good news in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch,

22strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. "We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God," they said.

23Paul and Barnabas appointed elders[a] for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.

24After going through Pisidia, they came into Pamphylia, 25and when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia.

[Digging4Truth]

Originally Posted by Daniel Alicea

The book is groundbreaking .... as are the "Fifteen Theses towards a Re-Incarnation of Church" that he provides in the book ...

It has opened my eyes in many ways.

Yeah... I think I posted that on the old AFF.... I know I did on Reymah

I was going through the book chapter by chapter on Reymah when I was over there.

[SDG]

Originally Posted by Digging4Truth

Yeah... I think I posted that on the old AFF.... I know I did on Reymah

I was going through the book chapter by chapter on Reymah when I was over there.

I was first exposed to it at Reymah also. Good stuff.

Originally Posted by Michael The Disciple

Short of time for the discussion at the moment. Why not do this. Look at the internal evidence in the New Testament as to what a Pastor is and does.

The word "Pastor" must be in the text. What is a Pastor according to the New Testament?

Must the word "pastor" be in the text? If so, why? The word "pastor," as used in the New Testament, has the following meanings:

Poimen

1. a herdsman, esp. a shepherd
   1. in the parable, he to whose care and control others have committed themselves, and whose precepts they follow
2. metaph.
   1. the presiding officer, manager, director, of any assembly: so of Christ the Head of the church
      1. of the overseers of the Christian assemblies
      2. of kings and princes

[Digging4Truth]

Originally Posted by Daniel Alicea

I was first exposed to it at Reymah also. Good stuff.

Yeah.. I was Browser8 over there...

I kept the Houses That Change The World threads going most of the time.

[SDG]

Terms [wiki]


In I Timothy and Titus, Paul drafts nearly identical lists of qualifications for elder and overseer, while Peter draws all three concepts together in one passage: "Therefore, I exhort the elders among you... shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight..." (I Peter 5:1-2). Luke uses the terms elder, overseer and shepherd interchangeably in Acts 20.

presbuteros

Greek word #4245 in Strong's
This is the most commonly used word in the New Testament with regard to church leaders. It refers 28 times in the Gospels and Acts to the members of the Jewish Sanhedrin and 12 times in Revelation to the representatives of the redeemed people of God. The remaining 19 times the word is employed in Acts and the Epistles, it identifies a unique group of leaders in the church. The term simply means advanced in age, but in the first century context indicates a rank or office among Jews as members of the ruling council, among Greeks as those who those who managed public affairs and administered justice, and among Christians as those who presided over the local assemblies. While no specific age is given, this term emphasizes the character of the elder and implies maturity, dignity, experience, and honor.[1]

episkopos

Greek word #1985 in Strong's
This is a common word for in the Greek culture for any official who acted as a superintendent, manager, controller, curator, guardian or ruler. It occurs only 5 times in the New Testament, once referring to Christ (1 Peter 2:25) and the other 4 times to church leaders. The term emphasizes the function of an elder as exercising authority and supervision "by divine placement, initiative and design".[2]

poimen

Greek word #4166 in Strong's
This word simply means shepherd. It is applied only once in the noun form and 3 times in the verb form in the New Testament in the context of church leaders. The term emphasizes the heart attitude of an elder as one who tends, feeds, guides, protects and cares for his flock.[3]

[Scott Hutchinson]

In the NT. church the word deacons means ministers.While everyone may not be a overseer or in the church ,wise older saints could function as helpers to those in oversight offices.The new testament does teach a concept of team ministry ,but not everyone is called to oversight giftings in the church.
Everyone in the body of Christ has a ministry of some kind.While there are differing responibilities and different specialization of giftings all Christians do have a role to play in the ministry of reconciliation.

Originally Posted by Scott Hutchinson

In the NT. church the word deacons means ministers.While everyone may not be a overseer or in the church ,wise older saints could function as helpers to those in oversight offices.The new testament does teach a concept of team ministry ,but not everyone is called to oversight giftings in the church.
Everyone in the body of Christ has a ministry of some kind.While there are differing responibilities and different specialization of giftings all Christians do have a role to play in the ministry of reconciliation.

"Ministry," of course, simply meaning "service."

Originally Posted by Daniel Alicea

Terms [wiki]


In I Timothy and Titus, Paul drafts nearly identical lists of qualifications for elder and overseer, while Peter draws all three concepts together in one passage: "Therefore, I exhort the elders among you... shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight..." (I Peter 5:1-2). Luke uses the terms elder, overseer and shepherd interchangeably in Acts 20.

presbuteros

Greek word #4245 in Strong's
This is the most commonly used word in the New Testament with regard to church leaders. It refers 28 times in the Gospels and Acts to the members of the Jewish Sanhedrin and 12 times in Revelation to the representatives of the redeemed people of God. The remaining 19 times the word is employed in Acts and the Epistles, it identifies a unique group of leaders in the church. The term simply means advanced in age, but in the first century context indicates a rank or office among Jews as members of the ruling council, among Greeks as those who those who managed public affairs and administered justice, and among Christians as those who presided over the local assemblies. While no specific age is given, this term emphasizes the character of the elder and implies maturity, dignity, experience, and honor.[1]

episkopos

Greek word #1985 in Strong's
This is a common word for in the Greek culture for any official who acted as a superintendent, manager, controller, curator, guardian or ruler. It occurs only 5 times in the New Testament, once referring to Christ (1 Peter 2:25) and the other 4 times to church leaders. The term emphasizes the function of an elder as exercising authority and supervision "by divine placement, initiative and design".[2]

poimen

Greek word #4166 in Strong's
This word simply means shepherd. It is applied only once in the noun form and 3 times in the verb form in the New Testament in the context of church leaders. The term emphasizes the heart attitude of an elder as one who tends, feeds, guides, protects and cares for his flock.[3]

Poimen is the one used for "pastors" in Ephesians 4:11.

[SDG]

Originally Posted by Chan

Poimen is the one used for "pastors" in Ephesians 4:11.

It seems to fall in line w/ Simson's model of church leadership ... the pastors ... i.e. James in Jerusalem .... oversaw elders .... in their home churches.