The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr" or often "Ps."

History[link]

In some countries the term is used in relation to Protestant churches. It can also be used in reference to priests and bishops within the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Oriental Orthodox churches. The word itself is derived from the Latin word pastor which means "shepherd". The term "pastor" is also related to the role of elder within the New Testament, but is not synonymous with the biblical understanding of minister.

Present-day usage of the word is rooted in the Bible. The Hebrew Bible (or Old Testament) uses the Hebrew word רעה (roʿeh). It is mentioned 173 times and describes the feeding of sheep, as in Genesis 29:7, or the spiritual feeding of human beings, as in Jeremiah 3:15, "Then I will give you shepherds after My own heart, who will feed you on knowledge and understanding" (NASB).

Christ's Charge to Peter by Raphael, 1515. In telling Peter to shepherd his sheep, Christ was appointing him as a pastor.

In the New Testament, the Greek noun ποιμήν (poimēn) and verb ποιμαίνω (poimaino) are usually translated shepherd or to shepherd. The two words are used a total of 29 times in the New Testament, most frequently referring to Jesus. For example, Jesus called himself the "Good Shepherd" in John 10:11. The same words are used in familiar Christmas story (Luke 2) referring to literal shepherds.

In five New Testament passages though, the words are referring to church workers.

• John 21:16 - Jesus told Peter: "Shepherd My sheep" (NASB)
• Acts 20:17 - the Apostle Paul summons the elders or presbyters of the church in Ephesus to give a last discourse to them; in the process, in Acts 20:28, he tells them that the Holy Spirit has made them bishops, and that their job is to shepherd the flock of God among them.
• 1 Corinthians 9:7 - Paul says, of himself and the apostles: "who tends a flock and does not use the milk of the flock?" (NASB)
• Ephesians 4:11 - Paul wrote "And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers" (NASB)
• 1 Peter 5:1-2 - Peter tells the elders among his readers that they are to, "shepherd the flock of God among you" (NASB)

Arguably from the earliest centuries of Christian history, the church had three orders which were considered divinely ordained: bishops, priests and deacons. Each was only considered authoritative and able to administer the sacraments if one had valid apostolic succession (i.e., traceable lineage of ordinations back to the original bishops, the Apostles themselves). However, Protestant communities since the Reformation generally understood the "apostolic" nature of ordained ministry as meaning subscription to the apostolic teaching, that is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, proclaimed in the New Testament Bible and hold the notion of a literal "apostolic succession" as extrabiblical if not spurious.

Historical usage[link]

Around 400 AD, Saint Augustine, a prominent Roman bishop, described a pastor's job:

Disturbers are to be rebuked, the low-spirited to be encouraged, the infirm to be supported, objectors confuted, the treacherous guarded against, the unskilled taught, the lazy aroused, the contentious restrained, the haughty repressed, litigants pacified, the poor relieved, the oppressed liberated, the good approved, the evil borne with, and all are to be loved.^[1]

Current usage[link]

Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican[link]

Roman Catholic, Orthodox and Anglican churches typically refer to their local church leaders as "parish priests". The term pastor may be used, in a more casual way, particularly in North America. However, Anglican churches do not formally use the term "pastor"; rather, they frequently use the terms "rector" or "vicar" as alternatives to "parish priest".

Each Catholic parish is normally entrusted to the care of a single pastor, who must be a priest according to the 1983 Code of Canon Law. The associate pastor is called a parochial vicar and also must be a priest. In U.S. Catholic parishes, a lay ecclesial minister who fulfills many of the non-sacramental functions of an associate pastor is often called a "pastoral associate", "parish minister", or "pastoral assistant".

A bishop is canonically given full-fledged pastoral responsibilities within his diocese, and a priest is held to pastoral obedience with regards to his bishop. The term universal pastor refers to the pope, per the declaration Pastor aeternus of the First Vatican Council.

Jesus Christ is commonly referred to as the "Good Shepherd" or "Good Pastor", the former a phrase found in the Gospels.^{[citation needed]}

Protestantism[link]

Many Protestants use the term pastor as a title (e.g., Pastor Smith) or as a job title (like Senior Pastor or Worship Pastor). Some Protestants contend that utilizing the appellation of pastor to refer to an ordained minister contradicts the Protestant doctrine of the priesthood of all believers. United Methodist, for example, ordain to the office of deacon and elder; each of whom can use the title of pastor depending upon their job description. The use of the term "pastor" can also be regional in some denominations, including some parts of the Methodist, Presbyterian, Seventh-day Adventist, American Churches of Christ, and Baptist traditions.

The use of the term pastor to refer to the common Protestant title of modern times dates to the days of John Calvin and Huldrych Zwingli. Both men, and other Reformers, seem to have revived the term to replace the Catholic priest in the minds of their followers. The pastor was considered to have a role separate from the board of presbyters. Few Protestant groups today still view the pastor, bishop, and elder as synonymous terms or offices; many who do are descended from the Restoration Movement in America during the 19th century, such as the Disciples of Christ and the Churches of Christ.

The term pastor is sometimes used for missionaries in developed countries to avoid offending those people in industrialized countries who may think that missionaries go only to less developed countries. In some Lutheran churches, ordained clergy are called priests, while in others the term pastor is preferred.^{[citation needed]}

Baptist faith[link]

In most Baptist churches the term for clergy is pastor based on the literal application of Ephesians 4.11-13: 11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. The Greek word here for pastor is poimen - shepherd - which bears the meaning of one who leads the congregation.^{[citation needed]}

Leaving the ordained ministry[link]

Observers such as clergy counselor Rowland Croucher suggest that the numbers of "ex-pastors" roughly equals that of serving clergy throughout the Western world.^[2] This would mean people who have left the ministry number in the six-figures. More pastors and priests may be leaving parish ministry than are lost to most other professions.^[3] Until the early 1990s, there were few cross-denominational ministries serving this group. Croucher collected data-based questionnaires of ministers of Protestant denominations.^[4][5][6]

The first writers to explore this research area used questionnaire surveys to look at factors such as age, education and family relationships as contributing factors to decisions to leave the ministry.^[7] Other writers have explored ex-pastors within particular denominations^[8][9][10] and/or focused on particular related issues such as burnout,^[11][12] stress,^[13][14] marital stress,^[15] sexual abuse,^[16] celibacy,^[17] loneliness,^[18] organisational factors,^[19][20] and conflict.^[21] One common cause of conflict occurs when differing approaches to ministry compete in the minds of clergy, congregation and community, as Norman Blaikie found in Australian clergy from six Protestant denominations.^[22]

For some of the estimated 10,000 ex-pastors from Australian Protestant churches, their transition was a normal mid-career move, voluntarily entered into like many of the role exits described in the classic study by sociologist (and ex-nun) Helen Ebaugh.^[23] Yet for many the transition out of parish ministry was premature. Clergy, churches and training bodies need a solid basis for understanding and action in order to reduce the attrition rate and enhance clergy, congregational and community health. Some denominations experience particularly high rates of attrition.^[24]

Key recommendations to help alleviate stress in clergy exit situations may revolve around the development of professional supervision and continuing education. Professional supervision for ministry is a method of reflecting critically on ministry as a way of growing in self-awareness, cultural and social awareness, ministry competence and theological reflection skills.^[25][26] Supervision that includes an element of peer group work has the potential to facilitate collaborative learning, enhanced group dynamic skills and ongoing supportive networks.^[27] Some denominations are encouraging their clergy to engage in professional supervision, as part of their mandatory requirement of professional standards, but the requirements and standards of clergy supervision are often haphazard or absent.

See also[link]

Christianity portal

• Elder
• Preacher
• Clergy
• Minister of religion
• Pastoral care
• Pastoral counseling
• Rabbi
• Imam
• Murshid
• Herr Pastor
• Dominie

References[link]

• Bercot, David W. (1999). Will The Real Heretics Please Stand Up. Scroll Publishing. ISBN 0-924722-00-2. 
• Dowly, Tim (ed.) (1977). The History of Christianity. Lion Publishing. ISBN 0-7459-1625-2. 

Footnotes[link]

External links[link]

• NewAdvent.org, The Catholic Encyclopedia's entry on the term pastor.
• Gumpoint.com, A Pentecostal view on the term pastor.
• ChristianityToday.com, "Personal Life of a Pastor". The personal life of pastors is often overlooked by their church. This link directs you to a collection of resources about keeping a pastor's personal life vibrant.
• ChristianityToday.com, Pastoral Administration. Articles about a pastor's role as administrator of a church.
• LifeWay.com, Articles to help the pastor in the roles of preacher, missionary, leader, shepherd, and person.
• PaganChristianity.net, George Barna explores the roots of the modern pastorate and some of its effects.

v t e Order of the Divine Service in Lutheranism Preparatory Service Entrance hymn and Trinitarian formula (known as the Invocation) · Penitential Rite including the Confiteor and Declaration of Grace (or Asperges on Easter) Elevation of the host The Service of the Word Introit · Gloria Patri · Kýrie · Gloria · Dominus Vobiscum · Oremus · Collect · Old Testament reading · gradual (or Responsorial Psalm) · Epistle · Alleluia (tract during Lent) · Gospel · Hymn of the day · Homily or Postil (Sermon) · Nicene Creed (Athanasian Creed on Trinity Sunday)  · Offertory · Prayers of the Faithful The Service of the Eucharist Preface (Sursum corda / Sanctus / Hosanna) · Eucharistic Prayer (Epiclesis / Words of Institution / Memorial Acclamation) · Lord's Prayer · Sign of peace / pax (elevation)  · Agnus Dei  · Distribution  · Nunc dimittis  · Postcommunion  · Benedicamus Domino  · Benediction  · Dismissal · Ite missa est Participants Acolyte · bishop · cantor · choir · crucifer · deacon · elder · laity · lector · Pastor (or Priest) · usher Parts of the Sanctuary altar · altar bell · altar crucifix · altar rails · kneeler · piscina · processional cross · tabernacle Candles altar candle · paschal candle · sanctuary lamp · votive candle Liturgical vessels ciborium · chalice · cruet · Liturgical objects collection basket · holy water · incense (use) · paten · sacramental bread (wafer) · sacramental wine · thurible Vestments alb · chasuble · dalmatic · geneva gown · humeral veil · stole · surplice · tunicle · Liturgical books and hymnals Agenda · Evangelical Lutheran Hymn-Book · Evangelical Lutheran Hymnary · Evangelical Lutheran Worship · Lutheran Book of Worship · Lutheran Hymnal · Lutheran Hymnal with Supplement · Lutheran Service Book · Lutheran Worship · Service Book and Hymnal Lutheranism Portal

Pastor Maldonado

Maldonado at the 2011 Malaysian Grand Prix.
Born	(1985-03-10) 10 March 1985 (age 27) Maracay, Venezuela
Formula One World Championship career
Nationality	Venezuelan
2012 team	Williams-Renault
2012 car #	18
Races	25
Championships	0
Wins	1
Podiums	1
Career points	30
Pole positions	1
Fastest laps	0
First race	2011 Australian Grand Prix
First win	2012 Spanish Grand Prix
Last win	2012 Spanish Grand Prix
Last race	2012 Monaco Grand Prix
2011 position	19th (1 pt)

Pastor Rafael Maldonado Motta (born March 10, 1985 in Maracay^[1]) is a Venezuelan Formula One driver, currently with the Williams team. Before making his Formula One debut in 2011, he won the 2010 GP2 championship. He became the first Venezuelan to win a Formula One Grand Prix when he won the 2012 Spanish Grand Prix from his first pole position.^[2]

Career[link]

Formula Renault[link]

Maldonado's first experience of formula racing began in Italy in 2003. He competed in the Italian Formula Renault Championship with Cram Competition, and was classified seventh in the drivers' championship. His notable results included three podium finishes and one pole position.^[3] Cram Competition also entered one round of the German Formula Renault Championship at Oschersleben.^[4]

In 2004, Maldonado ran a dual programme in Italian and European Formula Renault with Cram Competition. He won the Italian title, with eight wins and six pole positions from seventeen starts.^[5] In the European championship, he was classified eighth overall, with two wins.^[6] Maldonado also found the time to enter one round of the now defunct Formula Renault V6 Eurocup at Spa-Francorchamps, with a best finish of fifth place.^[7]

In November 2004, Maldonado was given an opportunity to test with the Minardi Formula One team at Misano in Italy.^[8] The team's former owner, Giancarlo Minardi, was present at the test and commented positively about Maldonado's performance.^[9]

Italian F3000[link]

In 2005, Maldonado progressed out of Formula Renault, but did not get the opportunity to complete a full season in any one series. He made four starts in the Italian F3000 Championship with Sighinolfi Auto Racing, in which one race win was enough to finish ninth overall.^[10] He also entered nine races (and made seven starts) in the Spanish-based World Series by Renault, with a best finish of seventh.^[11] However, his participation in the WSR was marred by a four-race ban for dangerous driving. He failed to slow down at the scene of an accident at Monaco, despite the presence of warning flags, and struck and seriously injured a marshal.^[12]

Formula Renault 3.5[link]

Maldonado secured a full-time drive in the Formula Renault 3.5 Series with Draco Racing in 2006. He was classified third overall, with three race wins, six further podium finishes, and five pole positions.^[13][14]

Controversy[link]

However, in a season that was marked by controversy, Maldonado could have won the title were it not for a disqualification from first place at Misano for a technical infringement.^[15] Draco Racing lodged an appeal and the results of the championship remained provisional until Italy's National Court of Appeal for Motorsport upheld the stewards' decision at a hearing in January 2007.^[16] The lost fifteen points would have been enough to move him up from third to first in the standings, ahead of Alx Danielsson and Borja García.

GP2 Series[link]

Maldonado driving for ART Grand Prix at the Turkish round of the 2009 GP2 Series season.

Maldonado's performances in FR3.5 were enough to attract the interest of GP2 teams, and he signed a contract to drive for Trident Racing in 2007 after a successful test in late 2006.^[17] He took his first victory in only his fourth race in the series with a commanding win at Monaco. However, he had to miss the final four rounds of the season after breaking a collarbone during training, leaving him outside the championship top 10.^[18] He moved to the Piquet Sports team for 2008, his second year in the series. At midseason he had two poles and two podiums. He had a farcical sprint race in the wet at Silverstone – he stalled on the dummy grid, picked up a penalty for speeding in the pitlane as he joined the race, another penalty for passing under yellow flags, and crashed into Adrián Vallés and Kamui Kobayashi on the final lap. He started at the back of the grid for the Hungary feature race, but he moved up to finish fifth after staying out for longer than any other driver, and setting a succession of quick laps on these worn tyres. Four podium finishes—including a win at Spa—in the final six races saw him rise to fifth place in the drivers' championship by the end of the season.

He signed to drive for the ART Grand Prix team during the 2009 season.^[19] As part of the deal, he also joined the team for three rounds of the 2008–09 GP2 Asia Series season.^[20] Maldonado was often overshadowed by team-mate and 2009 champion Nico Hülkenberg, but Maldonado still finished sixth overall, helping ART to the teams title.

He competed in the first round of the 2009 Euroseries 3000 season at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve to gain experience of the track for the GP2 Series finale. Maldonado won the first race, having started from second position.^[21]

Maldonado drove for the Rapax Team in the 2010 GP2 Series season alongside Luiz Razia. He clinched the Championship in the penultimate event at Monza.

Formula One[link]

Williams (2011–)[link]

Maldonado was a target for a Campos Meta seat in 2010. Campos team principal Adrian Campos said that Bruno Senna's team mate could be Pedro de la Rosa, Vitaly Petrov or Maldonado, but the team's financial problems and change of ownership changed the situation, and Karun Chandhok got the drive.^{[citation needed]} It was then reported that Maldonado was close to signing a deal to be test and reserve driver for the Stefan Grand Prix team, which attempted to compete in the 2010 season following the withdrawal of the US F1 Team, which left a theoretical space for another new team.^[22] Stefan was barred from competing in the 2010 season.

Towards the end of the 2010 season, Maldonado was linked to the Williams team for 2011, replacing former GP2 team-mate Nico Hülkenberg alongside Rubens Barrichello. He took part in the end-of-season young driver test at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, driving for Williams and Hispania Racing (the rebranded Campos team). On November 15, Williams confirmed that Hülkenberg had been dropped from the team's 2011 line-up, and Maldonado was duly announced as his replacement on December 1.^[23][24] In addition to his on-track record, Maldonado also brings sponsorship from the Venezuelan government (through the state-owned PDVSA oil company) to the team.^[25]

2011[link]

Maldonado driving for Williams at the Malaysian Grand Prix.

Maldonado retired from his first race, the Australian Grand Prix, due to transmission problems. In the Malaysian Grand Prix, he failed to reach Q2 in qualifying and again dropped out of the race. He recorded his first finish in China, in 18th place. At the Spanish Grand Prix he reached Q3 for the first time, eventually qualifying in ninth position for the race. He made it into Q3 again in Monaco, qualifying eighth, and in the race was lying sixth with five laps remaining, when he collided with Lewis Hamilton, taking him out of the race. He then spun out of a very wet race in Canada. He then continued to have impressive qualifying pace with poor race pace at Britain, Germany, and Hungary, including a drive-through penalty at the latter for speeding in the pit lane. At the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa in qualifying, Maldonado was involved in an incident with Lewis Hamilton on an in-lap after Hamilton squeezed by him when both were on a hot lap. Maldonado appeared to swipe across Hamilton as they headed down to Eau Rouge. Maldonado received a five-place grid penalty for his actions and Hamilton a reprimand. But in the race he scored his first point in Formula One with a 10th place finish. Maldonado did not score any more points for the rest of the season, nor did he reach Q3 for the rest of the season. His poor end to the season was magnified in Abu Dhabi; where he qualified 17th and started 23rd (after a 10-place grid penalty for using a 9th engine), and served a drive-through, and later a 30-second time penalty after the race, both for ignoring blue flags.

Maldonado finished 19th in the Drivers' Championship and on 1 December 2011, it was confirmed that he would be retained by Williams for the 2012 season.^[26]

2012[link]

Maldonado driving for Williams at the 2012 Malaysian Grand Prix.

Maldonado began the 2012 season alongside fellow South American racer, Bruno Senna, for Williams. He started the season with promising pace, qualifying eighth for the Australian Grand Prix. In the race, he was running strongly until he crashed out on the final lap, fighting with Fernando Alonso for fifth position. In the Malaysian Grand Prix, Maldonado retired in the closing stages of the race while running in the points. He scored his first points of the season by finishing eighth in China. A puncture ended his race in Bahrain, after he qualified in seventeenth position. At the Spanish Grand Prix, Maldonado qualified second, next to Lewis Hamilton on the front row of the grid after strong pace from his Williams car during the race weekend. Maldonado was later promoted to his first pole position in his Formula One career after Hamilton was excluded from the results of qualifying, due to having insufficient fuel in his car.^[27] Maldonado was beaten to the first corner by Fernando Alonso, but regained the lead after the second round of pit stops. Maldonado held his lead after the third pit-stop phase, and held off Alonso and Kimi Räikkönen to win, becoming the first Venezuelan driver to finish on a Grand Prix podium in the process.^[28] During post-race celebrations, a fire engulfed the Williams pit, and Maldonado was seen carrying his cousin to safety.^[29] At Monaco, he received a 10-place grid penalty for causing an avoidable collision with Sergio Pérez during a practice session and an additional five-place penalty for a gearbox change, meaning he started 24th on the grid. He retired due to an accident at the start of the race, when he ran into the back of Pedro de la Rosa's HRT who also retired with rear wing damage.

Racing record[link]

Complete GP2 Series results[link]

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Complete GP2 Asia Series results[link]

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Complete Formula One results[link]

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

^† Did not finish, but was classified as he had completed more than 90% of the race distance.
^* Season in progress.

Politics[link]

Maldonado is an outspoken political figure, which is rare in the racing world. He considers himself a socialist and is a friend of Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez.^[30]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Pastor Maldonado

• Official site
• Pastor Maldonado on Twitter
• Pastor Maldonado at the Internet Movie Database

v t e    Williams F1 Founders:  Frank Williams · Patrick Head Current Personnel:  Mike Coughlan · Toto Wolff Former Personnel:  Ross Brawn · Frank Dernie · Gavin Fisher · Sam Michael · Adrian Newey · Neil Oatley · Adam Parr · Enrique Scalabroni · Geoff Willis Race drivers: 18. Pastor Maldonado · 19. Bruno Senna Test drivers: Valtteri Bottas · Susie Wolff World Champions:  Alan Jones · Keke Rosberg · Nelson Piquet · Nigel Mansell · Alain Prost · Damon Hill · Jacques Villeneuve Formula One cars:  Frank Williams Racing Cars: FW · FW04 · FW05 Williams Grand Prix Engineering/WilliamsF1: FW06 · FW07 · FW07B · FW07C · FW08 · FW08C · FW09 · FW09B · FW10 · FW11 · FW11B · FW12 · FW12C · FW13 · FW13B · FW14 · FW14B · FW15C · FW16 · FW16B · FW17 · FW17B · FW18 · FW19 · FW20 · FW21 · FW22 · FW23 · FW24 · FW25 · FW26 · FW27 · FW28 · FW29 · FW30 · FW31 · FW32 · FW33 · FW34 FIA Formula Two Cars: JPH1 · JPH1B Le Mans prototypes: BMW V12 LM · BMW V12 LMR Road cars: Renault Clio Williams Rally cars: Metro 6R4 Touring cars: Renault Laguna (BTCC)

Valtteri Bottas
Bottas in 2009.
Nationality	Finnish
Born	(1989-08-28) 28 August 1989 (age 22) Nastola (Finland)
2012 GP3 Series
Debut season	2011
Current team	Lotus ART
Car no.	2
Starts	17
Wins	4
Poles	1
Fastest laps	2
Best finish	1st in 2011
Previous series
2011 2009-10 2009 2008 2007–08 2007	GP3 Series Formula 3 Euro Series British Formula Three Formula Renault Eurocup Formula Renault NEC FRUK Winter Series
Championship titles
2011 2008 2008	GP3 Series Formula Renault Eurocup Formula Renault NEC

Bottas competing at the second round of the 2010 Formula 3 Euro Series at Hockenheim.

Valtteri Bottas (born 28 August 1989 in Nastola, Finland) is a Finnish racing driver. He currently resides in Oxford, United Kingdom.

Career[link]

Bottas won both the 2008 Formula Renault Eurocup and the 2008 Formula Renault Northern European Cup. In doing so, he repeated the feat of Filipe Albuquerque, who won both the NEC and Eurocup in the same season, in 2006.

Bottas would have also won the 2007 Formula Renault UK Winter Series, had he been holding an MSA-registered licence for the championship. This did however not stop him from competing, and he won three out of the four races in the championship.

He moved up into the Formula Three Euroseries for the 2009 season, competing for reigning champions ART Grand Prix. Despite not winning a race, Bottas set two pole positions on his way to third in the championship, edging out Alexander Sims at the final race. In June 2009, Bottas won the 2009 Masters of Formula 3, also claiming the pole position and setting the fastest lap of the race. By winning the event again in 2010, he became the first driver to win the F3 Masters title for the second time.^[1]

In 2010 Bottas was assigned test driver for the Williams Formula One team^[2] and would continue as such for the 2011 & 2012 (where he will take part in 15 Friday Free Practice sessions)^[3] seasons, during which he also contested the GP3 Series, remaining with F3 squad ART.^[4] After a tough start to the season, he claimed a win in each of the last four race weekends and secured the title by winning the penultimate race ahead of his team-mate James Calado.^[5]

Racing record[link]

Career summary[link]

• † - As Bottas was a guest driver, he was ineligible for points.

Complete Formula 3 Euro Series results[link]

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)