Disciple-Making Pastor, Part 5

The Role of the Disciple Making Pastor:

The pastor is to shepherd. (elder, bishop, and pastor are generally used synonymously).

Elders:
Presbuteros, are people to whom the care of the church is committed (Acts 14:23, 1 Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:5-9, 1 Thessalonians 5:12, 1 Timothy 5:17, Hebrews 13:17, 1 Peter 5:1-3).

Bishop:
Episkopos, is a function of elders to give oversight and leadership to the church (1 Timothy 3:1).

Pastors:
Poimen, are elders who pastor the church, feeding the flock, teaching the Word and protecting the church from within and without (1 Peter 5:1, Acts 20:28, Ephesians 4:11).

Two major functions:

  1. Oversight: to rule – proistemi, to stand before the church (1 Timothy 5:17) or have charge over (1 Thessalonians 5:12); to labor – to work hard (1 Thessalonians 5:12); to lead – hegeomai, the description of leadership responsibility of watching over souls (Hebrews 13:7, 17, 24).
  2. Pastoring: to care (Acts 20:28, 1 Peter 5:1-3); to protect (Acts 20:28, 2 Timothy 2:24, 1 Thessalonians 5:14); to teach (2 Timothy 2:22, 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13, 1Timothy 5:17).

The Disciple-Making Pastor’s Functional Role:
The trigger mechanism that sets the whole process in motion (Ephesians 4:11-16). The pastor as coach.

  1. Preparation as top priority: preparing God’s people.
  2. Proper identification of God’s people: for the works of service.
  3. Pastor/Teacher, not Pastor/Teller: bringing people in to the ministry, not just sending them out. Effective preaching leads to effective ministry is a myth.
  4. Goal-oriented leadership: until the body is built up, and in unity, which is measurable.
  5. Creation of a growing environment: pointing out progress and where thing may have gone wrong, having a passion for excellence.

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