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."

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).

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.

Joel Scott Osteen (born March 5, 1963) is an American author, televangelist, and the senior pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas. His ministry reaches over seven million broadcast media viewers weekly in over 100 nations around the world.

Born in Houston, Texas, Osteen is one of five children of John Osteen and Dolores ("Dodie") Pilgrim. His father, a former Southern Baptist pastor, founded Lakewood Church where Osteen is the current senior pastor. Osteen married his wife, Victoria L. Iloff, on April 4, 1987. They have two children, Jonathan and Alexandra. His older siblings, Paul, Lisa, and Tamara, and his younger sister, April, are also involved in full-time ministry. His half-brother Justin does missionary work out of New York.

After 17 years producing the church's television program, Osteen succeeded his father on October 3, 1999, as pastor of Lakewood Church. He had only preached once in his life, the week before his father's death. Today, Lakewood Church services, led by Pastor Joel Osteen, are seen in over 100 nations around the world. Joel Osteen's first book, Your Best Life Now: 7 Steps to Living at Your Full Potential, was released in October 2004. In December 2006, he was named one of the year's "Ten Most Fascinating People" by Barbara Walters. Former presidential candidate John McCain has described Osteen as "inspirational".

Oprah Winfrey (born Orpah Gail Winfrey; January 29, 1954) is an American media proprietor, talk show host, actress, producer, and philanthropist. Winfrey is best known for her self-titled, multi-award-winning talk show, which has become the highest-rated program of its kind in history and was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2011. She has been ranked the richest African-American of the 20th century, the greatest black philanthropist in American history, and was for a time the world's only black billionaire. She is also, according to some assessments, the most influential woman in the world.

Winfrey was born into poverty in rural Mississippi to a teenage single mother and later raised in an inner-city Milwaukee neighborhood. She experienced considerable hardship during her childhood, claiming to be raped at age nine and becoming pregnant at 14; her son died in infancy. Sent to live with the man she calls her father, a barber in Tennessee, Winfrey landed a job in radio while still in high school and began co-anchoring the local evening news at the age of 19. Her emotional ad-lib delivery eventually got her transferred to the daytime-talk-show arena, and after boosting a third-rated local Chicago talk show to first place, she launched her own production company and became internationally syndicated.

Paula Michelle White is a Christian author, speaker, and church leader. She is co-founder of Without Walls International Church; a large, influential, non-denominational, charismatic church with two locations in Florida. She hosts a television show, Paula White Today, produced by Paula White Ministries seen on multiple networks including Black Entertainment Television, and the Trinity Broadcast Network. She currently is the senior pastor of both church locations for Without Walls International Church.

In many of her sermons, empowerment seminars, and books Paula White discusses her childhood traumas and teenage flirtations with self-destruction to teach about God's transforming power. Her style has been described as humorous and candid.

Paula White was born Paula Michelle Furr April 20, 1966, in Tupelo, Mississippi, to Myra Joanelle and Donald Paul Furr III. Her parents owned a thriving toy and craft store. Paula and her brother, Mark, had all their needs and desires met. Donald and Myra Furr's marriage began to fail when Paula was five years old. Paula's mother left Tupelo and took her to Memphis. Paula's father followed with an ultimatum for Myra to give Paula to him or he would commit suicide. Myra refused. Later that night Donald Furr killed himself by running his car into a tree. Paula's mother became an alcoholic. While her mother worked, White was looked after by caregivers. White has said that she was sexually and physically abused for seven years between the ages of six and thirteen, by different people on different occasions.

Alexandre Frota de Andrade (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, October 14, 1964) is a Brazilian actor and ex-model.

His acting career begin in various telenovelas on the Globo TV Network (Rede Globo) and in Brazilian films. He has been married to Brazilian actresses Cláudia Raia and Andréa Oliveira, although this second marriage lasted only a few months. He participated on the Brazilian TV reality show "House of Artists" (Casa dos Artistas) on the SBT network, along with Brazilian rock musician Supla. He also appeared in the "Celebrity Farm" (Quinta das Celebridades) reality show in Portugal where he reached second place, first place being awarded to the controversial José Castelo Branco. Both of these shows were variations on the Big Brother theme. While in Portugal Alexandre Frota appeared in the theatrical spectacle Sex Fever. Later he appeared in another TV reality show "First Company Primeira Companhia, which took the form of a military barracks and again José Castelo Branco participated.

Frota has been a practitioner of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu since 1990 and in 2010 he became the face for a São Paulo project to draw children to the sport. He has a win over fellow actor André Segatti at Oscar de Jiu-Jitsu II tournament in 1998.