Two Offices: Pastor, the First of Two Offices

Acts 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

Churches have many different titles for their spiritual leaders: pastor, deacon, elder, bishop, archbishop, cardinals, prelates, vicars, presbyters, presidents, prophets, priest, apostles, nuns, monks, pope, but which of these titles is or are bible based offices? Biblical Baptists recognize only two offices; the office of pastor, and the office of deacon. The office of pastor and the office of deacon are not really distinctives of Baptists; almost every church has a pastor and deacons. The biblical distinctive is that Baptists have only two offices within the local church, pastors and deacons. Biblical Baptists recognize no church offices outside of or over the local church other than pastors and deacons. The so called offices of cardinals, prelates, vicars, priest, nuns, presidents, and pope are not found in the NT. The aim of this post is to highlight the first of the two church offices of biblical Baptists; that is the office of the pastor.

I will make some preliminary remarks as to the office of the pastor (not to be confused with the spiritual gift of pastor*). I will then discuss the qualities of the pastor NOT the qualifications of a pastor and then move to the functions of a pastor, I will round it off with how these leaders should be treated by those they serve. Many of my readers are aware that I am speaking of the distinctives of biblical Baptists and it is not my intent here to do otherwise.

Next post: Preliminary remarks as to the office of the pastor.

*I will reserve the spiritual gifts issue for another post that is in the works even as this one is being published.