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by Saddened on August 12th, 2005

Saddened

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What is a pastor?

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  • by neoepiphany on August 15th, 2005

    neoepiphany

    While the etymological answer is interesting, I thought you might want to know what the word means in a modern context.

    Some Protestant denominations use the word Pastor to indicate members of the clergy (used by United Methodists, for example). The term is gaining favor over other traditional terms because it is more reflective of their role as "shepherd of the flock" or leader of the church family. "Preacher" is losing favor because it fails to reflect the pastor's responsibilities as counselor, administrator, manager, etc. "Minister" is a nice word, but anyone can be in ministry (in the sense that they minister to others). The term "minister" fails to reflect the fact that a clergyperson felt and responded to God's call, received extensive education, and has probably gone through a rigorous and difficult process to earn their place as head of the church.

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