5 Smooth Stones

being a pastor or shepherd of the fl ock also calls for special abilities. In Ephesians 4:11 pastors and teachers are linked, indicating that a true shepherd will also be able to teach or feed his fl ock, and that a true teacher should have some pastoral abilities. While these qualities may be found in various degrees in di ff erent individuals, the link between teaching and shepherding the fl ock is inevitable for one who wants to be e ff ective in preaching the Word of God.” h tt p://walvoord.com/article/149 12 Confusing the gift of pastor or shepherd with good works or positions in the church is not rare, as an example here are some quotes taken from He Gave Gifts unto Men Kenneth E. Hagin copyright 1992 Rhema Bible Church “So it's safe to say that the bishop, overseer, shepherd, pastor, and elder all described the pastoral o ffi ce. There are some places in the New Testament where the term elder may also be applied to the other o ffi ces as well, but the Bible is talking to pastors, overseers, or shepherds in Acts 20:28 when it says, “take heed to yourselves, and to all the fl ock.” The word fl ock refers to sheep. Sheep must have a shepherd it is true that the word pastor is only used one time* in the New Testament, and this is the passage in Ephesians 4:11: “and he gave some Apostles prophets evangelists pastors and teachers...” However, the word pastor and it's various forms, bishop, elder, overseer, and shepherd is used many times throughout the Old Testament the New Testament.” (page 203) *Actually this is incorrect also as the word pastor is not used in the NT only the plural “pastors” Another example of the confusion is found in his explanation from Acts 15: 13- 21 on page 196 “of course the pastor or overseer of the Jerusalem Church, James, presided over the meeting in Acts 15:13 and even though the other ministry gifts had their input, notice that as the pastor, James ultimately made the fi nal decision.” However, James is never called a pastor in scripture is called an apostle so again the stronghold hinders proper understanding of the di ff erence between an overseer and a pastor. An overseer as a position and a pastor or shepherd as a gift, when the elders and bishops are told to shepherd the fl ock it is the verb “to shepherd” not a noun “a shepherd.” It is a work not a gift. As we see in 1 Peter 5:2 Shepherd the fl ock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; 3 nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the fl ock; 4 and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.

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