“What is a pastor?”

That question deserves far more thought than it is often given.

For some—depending on church structure—a pastor is viewed primarily as an appointed leader, something akin to a CEO of a local religious organization, installed by a denomination or governing body to manage the operation of the church.

For others, especially within congregational and autonomous traditions such as Baptist churches, a pastor is understood to be a man called by God and recognized by the local body as one whom God has prepared to shepherd that congregation.

Yet even that understanding, while closer to the truth, can still fall painfully short.

Recently, I heard a pastor referred to as a hired employee—in a Baptist church. The implication was clear: the pastor is simply a paid worker, accountable only to the congregation, employed to perform certain religious duties at their discretion. That view turns the entire biblical concept of pastoral ministry upside down.

So it is worth pausing to ask again, carefully and biblically: What is a pastor?

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The Biblical Office Behind the Title

Interestingly, the English word pastor itself appears very little in Scripture. The New Testament primarily speaks instead of elders, overseers, or bishops—terms rooted in the Greek word episkopos, meaning one who watches over, guards, or shepherds.

The New Testament is not vague about this role. The Apostle Paul lays out clear qualifications for men who aspire to this office (1 Timothy 3; Titus 1). These qualifications are overwhelmingly about character, not charisma or credentials:

• A good reputation
• Self-control
• Faithfulness in marriage
• Sobriety of mind and life
• Moral integrity
• Ability to teach
• Spiritual maturity

These traits exist not only to protect the church, but also to protect the man who serves in this calling.

Yet even these qualifications, vital as they are, do not tell the whole story. There are men who meet the biblical requirements and are not called to be pastors.

So if we begin with the qualifications, we must go further and ask what the calling itself looks like in real life.

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What a Pastor Is—At His Core

A pastor is a man—this is a biblical non-negotiable—called by God to shepherd a local New Testament church.

But the office alone does not define him.

A pastor is a man who deeply loves:

• God
• His Savior, Jesus Christ
• His wife and family
• The people God has entrusted to his care

He is a man whose greatest desire is to grow in Christlikeness—and to lead others toward that same goal.

He is a man committed to proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ, not only with his words, but with his life.

These are expectations both the man pursuing pastoral ministry and the church seeking a pastor must understand.

And yet, as Paul Harvey used to say, there is the rest of the story.

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The Often Unseen Weight of Pastoral Ministry

A pastor is a man willing—sometimes to a fault—to sacrifice himself on the altar of service: his time, his health, his emotional strength, and often the well-being of his own family, all in the pursuit of faithfulness before God and care for His people.

He is a sinner like any other—keenly aware of it—who hates sin and fights it daily, not only for his own soul, but to model repentance and holiness before others.

He is often a lonely man.

That loneliness comes from preaching hard truths in an age that resists them. It comes from bearing responsibility that cannot be shared. It grows as he absorbs criticism, accusation, and sometimes cruelty—from the culture, from the enemy, and even from within the church.

A pastor is often betrayed. Sometimes deeply. Sometimes publicly. Sometimes for things entirely beyond his control—because he refused to bend Scripture to personal agendas or popular opinion.

He is a man who regularly questions himself, often wondering week by week whether he is failing—especially when obedience does not produce visible fruit, when sermons seem unheard, when people drift, divide, or fall into sin.

When the church suffers, he suffers.

When the people stumble, he carries it personally.

He is frequently caught in the middle of spiritual warfare, power struggles, and conflict—trying to protect the flock while being wounded by those who should have stood beside him.

He lives, along with his family, under a microscope that goes far beyond healthy accountability.

Often, he is paid far less than the true cost of living—yet hesitates to ask for more because he knows the sacrifices others in the church are making.

He is not chasing a better offer, greater recognition, or broader platform. His ambition is painfully simple: to be found faithful by Jesus Christ.

He holds such a high view of Scripture that he refuses to dilute it—even when doing so would be easier, safer, or more popular.

He is often asked to be more than a man—to be available at all times, emotionally invincible, endlessly patient, endlessly strong.

He may stand on the edge of discouragement or depression more often than anyone realizes, yet works tirelessly to shield others from the weight he carries.

Time off is promised, but rarely predictable. Ministry has no clock.

Many pastors have no pastor of their own. Few people with whom they can be completely open. Almost no safe place to be weak.

He is the man you call at midnight from the emergency room.

The man who stands beside you when life unravels.

The man who comforts you as a loved one takes their final breath.

He is the man who preaches funerals for people he never met—because the gospel matters, and the grieving matter.

He is the man who rejoices at weddings, then grieves years later when vows are broken.

He pours himself into youth retreats, mission trips, disaster relief—often giving up rest for the sake of service.

He is blamed for not knowing things he had no way of knowing.

He guards confidences that will never be spoken aloud—carrying secrets to the grave because faithfulness demands it.

He studies. He prays. He labors over Scripture—hour after hour—to faithfully feed the flock, regardless of how many show up to listen.

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So… What Is a Pastor?

A pastor is not a hireling.

He is not a corporate executive.

He is not a religious service provider.

A pastor is a shepherd—called by God, accountable first to Christ, entrusted with souls.

And he bears a weight most will never see.

A pastor is…