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What is a Pastor? (Endnotes)

1. A herdsman, esp. a shepherd 1a) in the parable, he to whose care and control others have committed themselves, and whose precepts they follow 2) metaphor 2a) the presiding officer, manager, director, of any assembly: so of Christ the Head of the Church 2a1) of the overseers of the Christian assemblies 2a2) of kings and princes. From Greek lexicon, BibleWorks software program. Close

2. Church historian Justo Gonzalez says: The New Testament would seem to indicate that the organization of local churches varied from place to place, and that for a certain time the titles [actually, functions] of �Bishop� and �elder� were interchangeable. There are also some historians who are inclined to believe that some churches�Rome included�were not led by a single bishop, but rather by a group of leaders who were called either �bishops� or �presbyters.� The Story of Christianity, Vol. I, (Harper, San Francisco, 1984), p. 97. Close