Are Bishops Above Pastors in Rank?

BISHOP AND pastor are two words that are thought to refer to different Christian leaders. While pastor is found in both the Old and New Testaments of the King James Version (KJV), bishop is found only in the New Testament.

While pastor is found in Jeremiah 3:15 and Ephesians 4:11, bishop is found in Philippians 1:1 and 1 Timothy 3: 1-2.

Christian denominations that are run by episcopal church government or system of authority hold the view that a bishop is hierarchically above a pastor.

Thus, in such denominations, bishops have oversight responsibilities over pastors while pastors have oversight responsibilities over the church. In other words, bishops have the authority to ordain pastors and other Christian leaders.

This is perhaps the reason many pastors and prophets of Charismatic churches especially in Africa arrange to be ordained as bishops. They see ordination of a bishop as an elevation above pastor.

If truly and biblically, a bishop is above a pastor, then, Pastor Mensa Otabil, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome and other ministers who are addressed as pastors are ‘small boys’ in ministry.

But these are fathers in the faith with national if not continental or global influence. They comfortably and happily respond when they are called with pastor attached to their names. Perhaps, they know the biblical meanings of the words “bishop” and “pastor” or they do not care so much about ecclesiastical titles.

The word “bishop” is derived from the Greek word “episkopos”. which means overseer, superintendent or elder. And the word “pastor” comes from the Greek word “poimen”, according to Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament. It also means “shepherd”.

Thus, Kenneth E. Hagin, in his book, “He Gave Gifts To Men” states that “the bishop, overseer, shepherd, pastor and elder all describe the pastoral office.” He adds: “the bishop or overseer of the local church is the pastor.

In 1 Timothy 3:5, Paul clearly indicates that the bishop cares for God’s church, the ecclesia, not pastors. Also, you can see that Paul does not include bishops to the list of ministry offices in Ephesians 4:11. He knows that pastor and bishop refers to the same ministry office.

Indeed, bishop and pastor are two different words, but they refer to the same ministry office. In the English Language, the words: “happy”, “blissful”, “delighted”, gratified and joyful are different but they are synonymous or mean the same.

It is, therefore, erroneous for any church or minister to think or teach that a bishop is hierarchically above a pastor. We should not confuse biblical truth with denominational traditions that often tend to serve the pride of men.

The Lord Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church, is concerned with our love, faithfulness, honesty, gentleness, humility, endurance and not the desire for hierarchical ecclesiastical titles.

By James Quansah