Scriptural Understanding of the Words Elder, Pastor and Shepherd

Eldership in the Kingdom of God
Today’s Focus: Scriptural Understanding of the Words Elder, Pastor and Shepherd
Scripture: Ephesians 4:11; Acts 20:28-31

Greetings Kingdom Citizens
The use of the word pastor in Ephesians 4:11 is the word “shepherd”. In the Scriptures it shows up about eighteen times where the word pastor exists. Of the eighteen times it is translated pastor once and seventeen times it is translated “shepherd or shepherds”. The word in the Greek is “poimen”. Now what has happened is we have put the word pastor in a box to mean one man and this is not scriptural. When we look in scripture we see the word used in the plural sense. Now when we look in Ephesians 4:11 we see the word pastors is plural and we can substitute the word shepherds right there. So there is no doubt, even in the other uses of the word throughout scripture there is a plural meaning to it. Let’s look at Acts 20:28-31

Acts 20:28-31: take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath made you OVERSEERS (PLURAL), to feed the church of God, which He hath purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves (elders) shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch (oversee), and remember that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears,

Now Paul is speaking to a group of elders and warns them to watch over the people of God because men will arise that will speak perverse doctrines that will ravage the flock so it involves the elders to watch to prevent this. However, what has happened is the Body of Christ has been divided along the line of pastors. Hence when we divide the Body of Christ along the line of pastors, the wolves can come in and conquer the people. People look to the one man in the church to watch and the moment he is out of place then the flock is scattered and confused due to a wolf or false doctrine or seducing spirit coming in and indoctrinating them. However if we understand that the Body of Christ in a city should be watched by the collective group of elders of the churches as a family then there is always someone watching over the people and when a wolf tries to enter the fold, no matter where in that city, someone who is full of the Holy Spirit should see it and allow God to give the protocol of dealing with that situation. This now brings me to this beautiful picture.

The pastor or elder in the church should not be the only elder in the church. Yes, the local church should have a leader but under him there should be gifted people from God to assist in this work. Mind blowing isn’t it. See religion has taken us from the House of God model to a religious church model established by the Catholic church which exalts one man and one man only in the place of leadership. The House of God is the family of God divided among households of faith by which spiritual fathers or elders watch over the flock and tend to their needs. The church model of the one pastor system does not give people who are qualified by God the true opportunity to work in their gift because based upon the denominational doctrine, there can only be one elder and he is the pastor and that is it and there is no other elders there. So let me show you the flaw in this system:

How can a elder watch over a flock of 500 people and recognize the spiritual gifts of the people there and have an intimate relationship with the people of that church? Virtually impossible! Now when we shift to 1,000 members and 20,000 members imagine how difficult and impossible it would be to do this? Despite our denomination or non-denominations the elders of the Body of Christ should be watching over the people of God in that city. Denominations and doctrines have divided the Body and wolves have come in and ravaged the flock. We need to learn to come together as a family or household and watch over God’s heritage as He has given grace for us to do.

At Our Father’s Service,
Elder Calvin Calhoun, Jr.