Difference between preacher and pastor
Preacher vs pastor:
A preacher and a pastor are both religious men who serve the church. Because of the fact that some preachers are also pastors, using these terms interchangeably can be acceptable at times. Yet, these are two titles of the congregation should not be confused with each other as they refer to completely different roles which are deemed to be performed by these two men of God.
Who is a preacher?
Preachers are basically individuals who are entrusted with spreading the word of God and they are usually great motivational speakers who instill in people, a sense of the religion, faith and inspiration. Their duty is to preach and their responsibility ends there. They are however, allowed to go to different places and preach to communities and at social gatherings, etc as he is not restricted to the pulpit.
Who is a pastor?
Derived from the Latin term which means the “shepherd”, a pastor’s task is to guide and look after the people of his church. Just like a shepherd, he oversees his congregation and leads his people towards salvation. A pastor also performs social work, pays house visits, attend special gatherings, etc as he is not limited to the pulpit. A pastor is also refereed to as an elder as they are the leaders of the local church. They counsel, advise and even help out those in need of spiritual, emotional and financial help, thereby helping his people to overcome their trouble. They must not, however, exceed the authority of the local congregation in doing so.
What is the difference between pastor and preacher?
The terms pastor and preacher are often confused with each other and it is a commonly seen fact that these two terms are also used interchangeably as well. This may be acceptable in cases where the pastor himself acts as the preacher and yet, they should not be used synonymously as a pastor’s role is to do the work of God whereas a preacher is responsible for spreading the word of God.
Pastors and preachers are not limited to pulpit. They both can go out of the church and perform their responsibilities. However, a preacher’s responsibility lies solely in preaching whereas a pastor has a plethora of additional tasks. Derived from the Latin term which means ‘shepherd’, a pastor’s task is to guide and protect the people of his church and thereby, he performs Go’s work by doing social work, visiting the sick, offering counseling and advice for those of who are seen to be suffering emotionally, financially or spiritual wise.
A pastor is considered as the head of the local church and is thereby referred to as an elder. The preacher, however, does not hold such a responsible position. In order to become a pastor, one needs to have obtained a degree in theology or divinity-related studies whereas in order to become a preacher, some such qualification is not required.
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