Pastor Who?

[498 words] Lately, I have been disturbed by the number of preachers and youth directors who have started to refer to themselves as “Pastor so-in-so.”  The latest one was a young man who had just graduated from a university associated with churches of Christ. He introduced himself to me as “Pastor Bull”* from XYZ* Church of Christ. (*Names changed.) I said, “It’s nice to meet you. You look a little young to be an elder.” He was confused and remarked, “I’m not an elder. I’m a pastor.” He was even more confused when I pointed out that the terms refer to the same office in the Bible. Apparently, he had never studied that in the Christian University he had attended. It might surprise you that the Bible does not use the word, “pastor,” as a synonym for preacher or evangelist. The word, “pastor” is not really a translation … it…