Overseer Training: What Is the Office of Elder/Overseer/Pastor in the Church?

The PursueGOD Training Podcast

Part 1 of 3 in the Overseer Training series. Go through this with a mentor (or mentors) from the existing pastoral team at your church or campus.

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In the New Testament, you’ll find the authors use three different words to describe the office of elder, pastor, overseer, or bishop.

• Episkopos - overseer
• Philippians 1:1 I am writing to all of God’s holy people in Philippi who belong to Christ Jesus, including the church leaders and deacons. (NLT)
• NIV, NASB, ESV - overseers
• KJV, NKJV - bishops
• Poimen - shepherd/pastor
• Ephesians 4:11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and becoming mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. (NLT)
• NIV, NKJV, KJV, NASB - pastors
• ESV - shepherds
• This term is the least used term of the three in referring to the official position in the church. Jesus uses this term throughout the book of Matthew; sheep without a shepherd, I am the good shepherd, the sheep know the shepherd, etc.
• Presbyteros - elder
• 1 Timothy 5:17 The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. (NIV)
• NLT, ESV, KJV, NASB, NKJV - elders

Alpine Way - At Alpine Church, we understand and take into account the culture that surrounds us in this moment of time. This helps us to wisely contextualize our ministry practices, so that we can be more effective in fulfilling the Great Commandment and the Great Commission in the arena where God has placed us.

Our primary field of engagement begins with the Wasatch Front of Utah, and extends to other areas throughout the Intermountain West where the culture of Mormonism is most rooted. We share the Gospel with all those we encounter, but our target audience is disaffected Latter-day Saints and others with a Mormon background. As God gives opportunity, we are open to serving in areas beyond the Mormon cultural domain, but we are especially interested in areas where Mormonism is common.

• Because of this we use the terms “overseer” and “‘pastoral team” as “elder” and “bishop” carry meanings in the LDS culture that could be confusing to our attenders.

Functions of pastor, elder, overseer, bishop according to scripture

1. Oppose False Teaching/Proclaim the Gospel - 1 Timothy 1:3 As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain people not to teach false doctrines any longer. 1 Timothy 4:6, 1 Timothy 4:11, 1 Timothy 4:16, 1 Timothy 6:2-3
2. He is to be a teacher - “able to teach” is listed as a qualification. According to 1 Timothy 5:17 there are elders/overseers whose role is not primarily teaching or preaching because Paul uses the phrase - “especially those whose work is preaching and teaching”. This indicates a separation from those who don’t have that primary role. Environments for teaching - small groups, mentor relationships, Sunday services, in the home
3. Promote unity in the body - 1 Timothy 1:3-4
4. Pray for the body 1 Timothy 2:1, 2:8 (This command is to “men everywhere” so it is not limited to overseers/elders, but would certainly include them)
5. He is a manager - 1 Timothy 3:5
6. Spiritual discipline - 1 Timothy 5:20, 1 Timothy 5:1
7. Spiritual Authority - This would make sense that you don’t have the responsibility to discipline unless you have authority.

The role of pastor, elder, overseer, or bishop is different from the role of deacon.

• Phil 1: (NLT) 1 This letter is from Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus. I am writing to all of God’s holy people in Philippi who belong to Christ Jesus, including the church leaders and deacons.
• 1 Timothy 3:1-13
• Qualifications of both roles are similar. If you hold the position that women can be deacons then deacons would not have spiritual authority or this would be inconsistent with Paul’s writings in 1 Timothy. We don’t see the “able to teach” requirement listed for deacons.