Topic(s): Bible Authority, Women, Evangelism

Bob Prichard

The literal meaning of the word “pastor” is a shepherd, or one who tends herds or flocks. Peter said, “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” (1 Peter 5:1-2). This passage demonstrates that the elders were to shepherd the flock, and thus were New Testament pastors. In Acts 20, Paul addressed the elders from Ephesus, and also called them overseers (Acts 20:28). Paul began his letter to the Philippians by “all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons” (Philippians 1:1). These passages show that the titles of elder, bishop, pastor, and overseer all applied to the same group of church leaders. Deacons and evangelists, however, were different people.

Paul told the evangelists Timothy and Titus the specific requirements that every bishop [or elder, or pastor] must possess. Paul wrote to Timothy, “This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach” (1 Timothy 3:1-2). Among the “musts” that a man who desires to be a bishop must meet is the requirement that he must be “the husband of one wife.”

In the parallel passage in his letter to the evangelist Titus, Paul told him, “For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee: If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly” (Titus 1:5-6). Again, Paul said that the elder or bishop must be “the husband of one wife,” excluding the woman from this position of service.

It would be very difficult for a woman to serve as a pastor according to the New Testament because of other teachings of scripture concerning the role of women in the church. Paul wrote to the church in Corinth: “Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law” (1 Corinthians 14:34). He also wrote, “Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence” (1 Timothy 2:11-12). Some choose to reject Paul as a “male chauvinist,” but he spoke under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The real question is whether or not we respect the authority of scripture to prescribe how the church should function.

It must be noted that many men who claim to be pastors do not meet the biblical requirements. Since a bishop or pastor must be “blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children” (Titus 1:6), a single man without children does not meet the requirements. All of the other requirements listed in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9 are just that: requirements. They must all be met for a man to serve scripturally.