A pastor is one who cares, guides and helps the saints to nurture and develop their spiritual lives! A pastor also equips the saints to do to others what he or she does for the saints!
Every believer is expected to do the works of a pastor. At the basic level, you are called to do the work of a pastor to your family and the other brothers and sisters that are around you. The primary work of a pastor is to care for others spiritually. However, we only name them as pastors when this becomes a major part of their ministry!
“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2 NKJV
Not every saint is a pastor but every saint can and should do the works of a pastor to the few people around them! This is how the ministry of the pastor is discovered and encouraged! Every believer must have another believer that they are serving like a pastor would have!
So what makes a pastor different? Why call a person a pastor? Because that person has a special grace to pastor more people with relative ease! He or she is gifted in not only helping others to grow but also in training them to do the works of a pastor.
Doing the works of a pastor does not make you a pastor just like drawing stick figures does not make you an artist! Also playing football with friends in the park does not make you a footballer.
“And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,”
Ephesians 4:11-12 NKJV
Who are you discipling? To whom are you doing the works of a pastor?
You are a gift to the body of Christ!