Pastors, ministers, and reverends all imply the same thing, however a reverend is a title rather than a job, whereas a minister is someone who works in the field of religion and a minister is someone who leads a particular congregation. Christians who hold positions of authority are also referred to as elders and bishops.
In the Jewish community, the term “elder” was commonly used, but in the Christian society it is sometimes used but is less common. When used in this context, it denotes an elderly person who is regarded as a spiritual guide. A bishop has the responsibility of overseeing multiple churches. A pastor or minister is the spiritual leader of his congregation. A minister or pastor typically serves a single congregation, overseeing all of its regular and special worship services and other activities. A pastor or minister may receive the title “Reverend” on occasion. Titles for this role tend to be vague and change from denomination to denomination and even from church to church.
The word pastor originally meant “shepherd,” which is how the position came to be known as such. The Bible uses this imagery to describe God’s followers, the Christians, as a flock of sheep. The pastor leads his congregation to Christ and eternal life, hence the word “pastor” is used interchangeably here.
