In a typical western church, a “pastor” is typically found at the front of a building, behind a pulpit or microphone, directing the service and addressing what’s often referred to as “his” church. But this pastor is rarely operating in his pastoral gift (if they even have one). Rather, their responsibilities are far reaching and range from ‘chief fundraiser’ to ‘Sunday speaker’, ‘meeting administrator’, to ‘wedding officiator’, along with ‘funeral speaker’, announcer of communion elements, chief prayer leader, etc..
Let’s be clear: in Scripture, pastor is not a position—it’s a gifting with a specific purpose, which is to raise up one Body into a unified, healthy and whole, bride, mature and bearing fruit for the Kingdom of heaven.
The Greek word for “pastor” (poimēn) literally means shepherd—someone who tends, guides, protects, and nurtures the flock. It is never described as a title to be claimed or a status to be conferred by institutions. You don’t become a pastor because you’re ordained by a denomination or handed a certificate—you become one because you walk in the Spirit-led function of shepherding God’s people. Your authority doesn’t come from an institution, but by the fruit of the gift you are functioning within, which is evidenced by the fruit of the lives you are naturally shepherding.
A pastor is someone who lays down their life to care for the sheep. To show the sheep how to eat for themselves, not to feed them like babies throughout their entire lives.
Similarly, the evangelist, the teacher, the prophet, and the apostle are not ranks or roles to climb into. They are gifts given by Christ Himself—activated through obedience and recognized through fruit. An evangelist preaches. A teacher teaches. A prophet speaks God’s words. An apostle walks in integrity, laying his life down to teach, build and unify the body. No ceremony makes it so, rather their fruit along with the character shown in their lives is the only evidence that matters.
And the purpose of these gifts is not platform—it is formation.
Their goal is to equip the saints, to build up the Body, and to bring the people of God to maturity:
“To the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.”
No longer children.
No longer tossed around.
But joined and held together as one body.
Each part working properly.
So that the Body grows and builds itself up in love (Ephesians 4:11–16).
This is the vision for the Body of our Messiah that we must recover. Not a role to aspire to—but a gift to humbly walk in. Not a stage to occupy—but a people to serve. Not a title to protect—but a Body to equip for unity, maturity, and love.
If a man or woman claims leadership in the body, and then uses their “power” or authority to divide, or keep the body from unity together, or does not actively lead them to feed themselves and grow into each one’s gifting, for example, blocking them off into a segment or denomination where others who don’t believe specific doctrine like they teach are apostate or sinners, thus dividing the body from itself, or worse, to lie and use the members of the body for their own selfish ambition, such as building a “ministry” that requires money, music, and influence instead of uniting all things in him, those leaders are in danger of using their gifts against the will and purpose of God! Which reminds me of the warning that Jesus gave:
22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
Similarly, Paul warns in 1 Corinthians 13, that if I have all knowledge, and all faith, but don’t have love, I am nothing.
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
1 Corinthian 13:1-3