A Personal Quirk about Job Titles

I don't like the title "Senior Pastor." I just refuse to be called that.

Senior

I'm the youngest member of our pastoral staff, so around here we certainly couldn't mean "older" if we included "senior" in my title. Neither do we mean "longest tenured." My youth minister has been at this church longer than I have, and my music minister has been in ministry in general longer than I have. Rather, the usage of "senior" in the phrase "senior pastor" indicates "top ranking" or "chief."

Pastor

Quite simply, "pastor" means "shepherd."

So, putting the two together, we find that "Senior Pastor" means "Top-Ranking Shepherd" or "Chief Shepherd."

Hmmm.....Chief Shepherd.....Chief Shepherd.....Where have I heard that before? Does that position really belong to me?

Just sign me...

Happy to be the junior pastor (under shepherd),
Bart