QUALIFICATIONS AND DUTIES OF A PASTOR

i came across this last night online but without attribution. It
sounded like the voice of Wilmington's Guide to the Bible, but i
didn't find this in there. anyone know where this is from? it's very
interesting and provokes MY thinking.

I.DEFINITION OF TERMS
A. PASTOR, BISHOP, AND ELDER ALL REFER TO THE SAME OFFICE
1. Titus 1:5&7 show the offices of Elder and Bishop are the same
2. Acts 20:17&28 show the offices of Elder, Pastor, and Bishop are the same.
3. In Acts 20: 17 Paul is speaking to the ELDERS of the church at Ephesus
4. In Acts 20:28 he tells them to "Take heed therefore unto
yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath
made you overseers(BISHOPS), to feed(PASTOR) the church of God, which
he hath purchased with his own blood."
5. The Gk. word "episkopos" (Acts 20:28) is translated overseer or bishop.
6. The Gk. word "poimaino" (Acts 20:28) is translated feed, shepherd, or pastor.
7. 1Pet 5:1-2 "The ELDERS which are among you I exhort, Feed(PASTOR)
the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight(BISHOPRIC)
thereof,"

B. EACH TERM REFERS TO A DIFFERENT ASPECT OF THE OFFICE
1. ELDER refers to the character of the office - one of spiritual
maturity(Titus1:5-9)
2. BISHOP refers to the function of this office as an overseer (ITim.3:4-5)
3. PASTOR refers to the attitude of this office as a shepherd lovingly
protecting the flock (Acts 20:28&32)

II.QUALIFICATIONS OF A PASTOR
Titus 1:5-9
1Timothy 3:1-7

III.THE PASTOR SHOULD BE AN EXAMPLE
1. 1Timothy 4:12 says "…BE THOU AN EXAMPLE…"
2. Most Christians don't understand doctrine and Christian living without help.
3. Acts 8:30-31 "And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the
prophet Esaias, and said, UNDERSTANDEST thou what thou readest? And he
said, HOW CAN I, EXCEPT SOME MAN SHOULD GUIDE ME? And he desired
Philip that he would come up and sit with him."

IV.THE PASTOR SHOULD TEACH (Inform)
1. 1Tim 3:2 "A bishop then must be… …apt to teach;"
2. 2Tim 2:2 "And the things that thou hast heard of me among many
witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to
teach others also."

V.THE PASTOR SHOULD PREACH (Apply the Word)
2Tim 4:2 "PREACH THE WORD; be instant in season, out of season;
reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine."

VI.THE PASTOR SHOULD PRAY FOR HIS PEOPLE
1. Acts 6:4 "But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to
the ministry of the word."
2. Rom 1:9 "For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the
gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always
in my prayers;"
3. James 5:14 "Is any sick among you? let him call for the ELDERS of
the church; and LET THEM PRAY OVER HIM, anointing him with oil in the
name of the Lord:"
3. 1Sam 12:23 "Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin
against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the
good and the right way."

VII.THE PASTOR SHOULD LEAD THE CHURCH
1. 1Tim 5:17 (KJV) "Let the ELDERS that RULE WELL be counted worthy of
double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine."
2. Hebrews 13:7 (KJV) "Remember them which have the RULE OVER YOU, WHO
HAVE SPOKEN unto you THE WORD OF GOD: whose faith follow, considering
the end of their conversation."
3. Hebrews 13:17 (KJV) "Obey them that have the rule over you, and
submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must
give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for
that is unprofitable for you."
4. 1Pet 5:1-4 (KJV) "The elders which are among you I exhort, who am
also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a
partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock of God
which is among you, TAKING THE OVERSIGHT THEREOF not by constraint,
but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; NEITHER AS
BEING LORDS OVER GOD'S HERITAGE, BUT BEING ENSAMPLES TO THE FLOCK. And
when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of
glory that fadeth not away."

5. Lessons from 1Pet.5:1-4
a. Preachers are not to take a pastorate for money, but willingly.
b. They are not to rule "as being lords over God's heritage, but being
examples to the flock."
c. In other words, they are to rule not haughtily and not according to
their own will, but they are to rule the people in love, with
prayerful care, exhorting as undershepherds who look for the coming of
the Chief Shepherd.
d. They should know the sheep do not belong to them but to the Lord.
e. They should rule only in the Lord's name and in His power.
f. If God doesn't give the hearts of the people to the Pastor then he
can't lead.
g. He can't rule in the scriptural sense unless the Lord gives him influence.
h. It is similar to the rule of a father over his children. He cannot
rule by virtue of a whip, for at a certain age the child would rebel.
i. A father rules by virtue of his wisdom and the fact that he is fit to rule.

VIII.PASTORAL STAFF

A. PLURALITY OF ELDERS OR PASTORS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
The New Testament pattern is to have a senior pastor and several
assistant pastors. An example of this is the church at Ephesus, where
there was a plurality of pastors but there was always a single
individual in charge. When Paul was there, he was in charge, when he
was away he would leave Timothy in charge. 1Timothy 1:3 says "As I
besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia,
that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,"

B. PITFALLS OF NOT HAVING A SENIOR PASTOR
In Dr. H. A. Ironside's book "Short History of the Brethren Movement"
he points out the splits, divisions, and lack of soul winning that has
come out of the Plymouth Brethren movement due to their unscriptural
teachings against full-time pastors and their unscriptural teachings
against churches having a single pastor in charge of a church.