The biblical role of a pastor is to be a shepherd, or leader, to the people in the church. The pastor is responsible for making sure that the members of the church have all they need to grow spiritually and have a relationship with God. In order to do this, he must teach them about Jesus, guide them through difficult times, and set an example of how they should live their lives.
The pastor is also charged with helping those outside of the church who need it. He may visit people who are sick or in prison, help them find jobs and housing if necessary, and provide any other assistance he can think of that might help them get back on their feet.
A pastor’s job is not easy because there are many responsibilities involved in being a good shepherd. However, if someone has chosen this path, then it means that they want to serve others by helping them find salvation through Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf so that we might all live forever with Him in Heaven once again one day soon!
He is a steward, a manager of God’s resources and Jesus’ flock. He takes responsibility, but not ownership. A pastor must be humble, not arrogant (Titus 1:7). A pastor must constantly demonstrate the gospel by admitting when he is wrong, assuming responsibility and restoring relationships.6 Jan 2015
To answer that question, we must first look at what God does not want pastors to do. The first place the word pastor is found in the Bible is in Jeremiah 2:8. The Lord told Jeremiah to go and rebuke the Israelite people. Their priests, scribes, pastors, and prophets were practicing idolatry and following heathen gods. More specifically, pastors were admonished because they were not fulfilling their duties that God had given them to do (Jeremiah 10:21; Jeremiah 12:10–13; Jeremiah 23:1-2). This tells us that the first duty of a pastor is to live their life as a godly man.
God also said to rebuke the people who were following and participating in practices of these pastors. God challenged the people to repent of their sins and turn back to God saying that He would bless them with new pastors (Jeremiah 3:12–15; Jeremiah 23:3-5). This tells us that the duties of a pastor include being a godly leader.
We can learn more about the duties of a pastor based on the qualifications of a bishop (1 Timothy 3:1–7). Pastors are described as men who are devoted to their wives, always watching, sober, of good behavior, hospitable, a teacher, not a drinker, not an abuser or a fighter, and not in the position for personal gain. More personally, he is patient and can rule his own home. He is a mature Christian, selfless, devoted, and has a good reputation in the community.
Based on these qualifications, a pastor will have the heart of the Lord and will feed the flock with knowledge and understanding. He will feed and care for the flock so that they will be fruitful and increase. Because of the loving care of their pastor, they will not be afraid, nor dismayed, and they will have all that they need to be spiritually mature (Jeremiah 23:2-4; Ephesians 4:11-14). Paul reinforced this to the church in Ephesus in Acts 20:17-32 when he challenged them to continue the work they had done. More specifically, he detailed to the elders to perform the following duties (2):
He challenged them to preach all of the Word of God without holding back. Therefore, the duty of a pastor is to preach
He challenged them to watch over their own lives as well as the lives of the flock. Therefore, the duty of a pastor is to be an example to the church
He challenged them to oversee the flock by relying upon the gifting and power of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the duty of a pastor is to be a shepherd to the congregation
He challenged them to feed the church of God by providing discipleship using the Word and teaching them to live like Christ. Therefore, the duty of a pastor is to be a teacher
He challenged them to remember that they were purchased with the blood of Christ. Therefore, the duty of a pastor is to be a theologian
He challenged them to watch out for those who would come into the flock like wolves and teach perversion in an effort to get people to follow them. Therefore, the duty of a pastor is to protect the flock
He challenged them to become emotionally invested and dedicated to pray and warn everyone with tears. Therefore, the duty of a pastor is to be a loving friend
We can see that the duties of a Pastor are perfectly demonstrated in the life of Jesus Christ. As an under-shepherd to Jesus, Psalm 23 is a good example for pastors to model based on Christ as the Chief Shepherd (See also Isaiah 40:9-11; Ezekiel 34; John 10:1-18; Hebrews 13:7-21; 1 Peter 2:21-25; 1 Peter 5:1-4). He is to also model Christ in his love for the church so that the church is inspired to follow his leadership and be like Christ (1 John 4:19). Simply stated, the role of a pastor is to be like Christ in His love while inspiring the flock to love Christ and one another.What is the role model of a pastor?
Conclusion
Since many people have many different ideas about the duties of the pastor, we often see varying duties for the pastor in different churches. Sometimes a church has no pastor at all and instead elders or bishops and used to fill the duties of the pastor. According to the Bible the title of pastor is slightly different than that of an elder or bishop. A good word often used in the New Testament to describe a pastor is “shepherd”. The best way to define the duties of a pastor is to see what God says a pastor should not do (Jeremiah 10:21; Jeremiah 12:10-13; Jeremiah 23:1-2). The Bible also gives great details of the pastor’s duties as outlined in Acts 20:17-32, where Paul was addressing the church at Ephesus. But most importantly we can see that the duties of a Pastor are perfectly demonstrated in the life of Jesus Christ. The role of a pastor is to be like Christ in His love while inspiring the flock to love Christ and one another.
What Are the Job Duties of a Pastor?
While pastors are the leaders of a church, they have many other duties aside from giving sermons. Read on to learn more about the job responsibilities and skills needed to become a pastor.View Schools
Job Responsibilities of a Pastor
As a pastor, you provide spiritual leadership to members of a church. Your duties include preparing weekly sermons, preaching and conducting worship services. It’s your responsibility to interpret biblical scripture for the congregation. You also provide care and counseling to church members and assist them in crisis situations. In addition, working as a pastor may require you to officiate at special services, such as confirmations, baptisms, weddings and funerals. You collaborate with choir leaders to integrate music into church services. Job hours are a bit irregular, because you must divide your time between conducting worship services, attending social events at the church and completing administrative duties. Additional job responsibilities may include:
- Assisting in church financial matters
- Overseeing management of all areas of the congregation’s ministry
- Supporting, overseeing and evaluating congregation staff
- Holding regular staff meetings to coordinate ministries
- Ensuring church facilities are functioning
Important Facts about Pastors
| Work Environment | Church and parish office |
| Mean Salary (2020) | $51,940 (clergy) |
| Job Outlook (2019-2029) | 4% growth (clergy) |
| Similar Occupations | Director of religious education, professor, fundraising manager |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Essential Knowledge and Skills
To work as a pastor, you must have comprehensive knowledge of the Bible and a strong religious conviction. You also must be ordained by a church or accredited body. Beneficial skills may include:
- Strong character
- Impartiality
- Public speaking
- Compassion for struggles and concerns of others
- Ability to communicate clearly
Education Requirements
Some churches may require you to have various qualifications, such as a bachelor’s or even a master’s degree in divinity, theology or religion. Typically, churches require pastors to have a graduate degree in divinity from an accredited seminary school. In undergraduate school, aspiring pastors often major in a related subject, such as religion or theology. Graduate programs are intended to give you a deeper critical education in theology and religious studies as well as train you in other aspects of being a pastor, such as preparing sermons and conducting worship services.