I just read a ‘mid-Acts’ website that said the only offices today were "missionaries (which were evangelists), and pastors/bishops, and deacons." When I researched the Greek words, I wondered why he didn’t use "ministers/deacons" since the Greek word is used of ‘deacon’ twice, but of ‘minister’ 22 times. The Greek for ‘bishop’ is never translated ‘pastor.’ The Greek word for ‘pastor’ is used of ‘shepherd’ 17 times, and ‘pastors’ once (Eph 4:11).
The KJV Bible only shows 2 offices: bishop and deacon:
1 Tim 3:1 This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
1 Tim 3:10, 13 And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.
13 For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
Years ago when I brought up the subject of the ‘correct, Pauline word’ for the regular preacher in a church assembly today, being a ‘bishop’ instead of a pastor .... I was shocked by the stiff-necked resistance among the ‘pastors’ of ‘Pauline, grace’ churches. Initially, I believed it to be an innocent oversight, or possibly the fault of following ‘tradition’ of Protestant denominations, in their effort to be called by a different name than ‘bishops’ like Catholics and Mormons. But the more I talked about it, the more stubborn the ‘pastors’ became. Several of them went so far as to make mockery of some who admitted their error and amended it, by asking questions like, "When will you get your hat and collar?" Two prominent ‘co-pastors’ even changed their titles from ‘pastor’ .... not to ‘bishop’ (still refusing to submit to their ‘supposed’ Pauline authority) .... but to ‘elder’ on their weekly church bulletin. An admission of guilt, to be sure, but only half-hearted and partial. Trying to make a switch without being noticed or calling attention to it? If you have egg on your face, it is best to admit it, wipe it off, and get on with your ministry. The more you resist, the more hypocritical you appear. Saying one thing ("We believe the KJV Bible is the very words of God in the English language for all matters of faith and practice. We believe Paul is our apostle.") .... and doing another by being ashamed, avoiding, and denying to accept the ‘name’ of the ‘office’ you fill? That was not the case for the KJV word ‘dispensation,’ was it? Oh, no! It was boldly proclaimed from the pulpit, even to the point of picking up and wearing a label of being 'dispensational.' The verse about a 'bishop' being a good work (1 Tim 3:1), is straight-forward, even standing alone, and other verses also support it as well (1 Tim 3:2, Titus 1:7, Phil 1:1). But ‘mid-Acts-ers’ ran to Acts where they tell others is ‘forbidden ground for doctrine’ (chapter 20) to grab the mention of a flock (not even the word ‘pastor’) applied to the Ephesians, which they have never touched with a 10-foot pole during my nearly 30 years of association with them .... and to beat all, they firmly contend that only Israel is ‘the sheep,’ knowing that the meaning of ‘pastor’ is ‘shepherd.’ They apply a double standard, and it makes them look foolish.
The website I saw had ‘pastors/bishops.’ If you believe that .... then be aware that ‘sheep/body’ is the same analogy.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
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