Home Pastors 4 Types of Pastors and Why They’re All Important

4 Types of Pastors and Why They’re All Important

4 Types of Pastors
Photo by Pavel Danilyuk (via Pexels)

Pastors are as unique as the congregations they lead. And that’s a good thing! 

Too often, we fall into the trap of believing that in order to be a “good” pastor, an “effective” pastor, or even a “biblical” pastor, our leaders need to fall within a particular mold and have specific strengths that have less to do with their character and ability to lead, and more to do with our own assumptions about how they should live out their calling. 

To be sure, while any effective pastor will double down on their areas of strength, they will also ensure that their areas of weakness do not hamper their leadership or congregation. This involves seeking to improve in those areas, but it also includes hiring or raising up other pastoral leaders whose own unique strengths fill the gaps. 

This is perhaps partly why whenever the apostle Paul planted a new church throughout the book of Acts, he always appointed and left behind a plurality of elders. Every leader offers special gifts to the church, which we should celebrate, rather than overemphasizing their weaknesses. 

Here are four types of pastors and the unique contributions they make to the church.

1. The Shepherd

Shepherding pastors are masters of caring for the people in their churches. They might not be the most dynamic preachers or visionaries, but whenever their people need them most, they are always there. 

Shepherding pastors can often be found at the foot of hospital beds, praying and offering encouragement. They can be found in the neighborhood, visiting congregants to brighten their day. They are a calming and joyful presence as they officiate weddings and funerals. They are the voice of reason in disputes between church members, spouses, or among the church staff. They never seem to overreact. They always seem to show up. 

Shepherding pastors act as a father figure to the community in a world where fathers are desperately needed. In so doing, they point us to the reality of our perfect heavenly Father who loves us exceedingly more than the shepherding pastor who has modeled, in some small way, the kind of affection God has for us.

2. The Teacher

The teaching pastor does not feel like he has spent his week well unless an ample proportion of it is spent in study. 

These pastors are passionate about discovering the truth of Scripture and communicating it in dynamic ways. They obsess not only over accurately interpreting the Bible but also communicating its truth in a way that captures the imagination of those in their congregations, causing them to ponder the deeper things of God and step out in their faith in practical ways. 

Teaching pastors not only inspire a love within their congregations for hearing, receiving, and applying the truth of Scripture, but also a love for seeking to discover that truth through personal study. These kinds of pastors are God’s gift to the church in that they draw people to the book that the Holy Spirit will use in the lives of his people to bring about transformation.