What is a pastor ?
Since Roman Catholicism is France's principal religion, most French people are used to priests. They are often unaware of what a pastor is and of what he does.
In protestantism, a pastor must be recognised for his qualities: both academic (Biblical and theological knowledge) and spiritual. He must also have sufficient experience in the management of his own family, as well as in other areas of ministry like, for example, benevolence, hospitality, administration, and evangelism. The pastor must view his work as his vocation, and feel himself called to pastoral ministry. The pastor's ministry begins with an ordination involving the laying on of hands (Acts 13.3) by pastors or elders, so that their ministry might be recommended to the Lord.
In Ephesians 4.11, the term " pastor " is employed to describe those of the "elders" who have a pastoral function, with the others being evangelists, prophets, missionnaries (apostolos) and teachers.
The meaning of this "pastoral" function is derived from the Greek "poimen", meaning "shepherd". In order to stay faithful to the biblical usage of the term "pastor", we should use it only for identifying these "shepherds".
However, the meaning of the term "pastor" has changed since the start of the christian era. Today, this term is used to describe an "elder" in the New Testament. Essentially, the apostles of the Lord (such as Peter, John, Matthew, etc..) had principal authority in the church of Jerusalem. They were subsequently replaced by these elders, sometimes called presbyters (whence comes " presbytery) or bishops. These elders " are the overseers of the local church. During the reformation, the presyterian counsellors constituted, with the pastor, the governing body of the church. In his pastoral letters, Paul explains the biblical prerequisites of an elder (1 Timothy 3.1-7) and ( Titus 1.5-9), and exorts the church to pay them for their work (1 Timothy 5.17-18).
What does a pastor do ?
Although certain tasks could be assimilated with the following, the tasks of a pastor are not those of a parapsychological counsellor or a parapsychiatrist, of a social worker, a mediatary advisor, an officiant of weddings and funerals, an organiser of gospel concerts, or of a counsellor for prisoners or for those who are sick and hospitalised.
According to the Bible, pastors and elders have been set aside and divinely filled with the Holy Spirit for the performance of tasks specified by Jesus Christ:
Luke 24.46-49: And he told them, This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem... 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.
The disciples are asked to give themselves over to activities which concern the ministery of the Word (the Bible) and of prayer. (Acts 6.4: As for us, we will continue to give our attention to prayer and to the ministry of the Word. )
Since pastors today are the elders who have replaced the disciples of Christ, they are depositaries of the mandate that Jesus Christ gave to his disciples in Matthew 28.19-20: Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.