Dear Sir,
Mike Mellor (en, January 2016) tells us that we must recognise that there will be ‘a first among equals’ – whom we fondly call ‘The Pastor’. Where in Scripture do we find this? Certainly not 1 Timothy 5.17, for there both the elders and the subset of elders whose work is preaching and teaching are clearly plural. Scripture never refers to a ruling elder (is there some other kind of elder?) as ‘Pastor’, but reserves this term for those whose calling and gifting is pastoring (whether or not they are also elders).
I am pleased that he welcomes the setting apart of men within the fellowship to act as elders. He now needs to take the next step towards a biblical model of church leadership by recognising that pastors are people who pastor, and elders are men who lead although leadership inevitably will involve some degree of caring for the flock. The pastors in a local church can at most be equal to elders if they are themselves elders, and never above the elders. This is God’s version of leadership: a group of men under him; sadly both Israel (1 Samuel 8.5) and most of the modern ‘biblical’ church prefer to have a man to lead them. Incidentally, God’s model releases women to exercise pastoral gifts without usurping male authority.
