lead pastor
Senior clergy member
Lead pastor is the senior minister of a church, typically one with multiple pastors on staff.
The term emphasizes both authority and primary responsibility—the lead pastor sets vision, preaches most Sundays, and oversees other pastoral staff.
Common in evangelical and nondenominational churches: Our lead pastor is retiring after twenty years.
Some churches use senior pastor interchangeably.
- preacherReligious sermon deliverer
- ministerReligious leader or serve
- shepherdOne who tends flocks
- pulpitChurch speaking platform
- congregationAssembled group of worshippers
small groups · sermon · clergy · ordination · calling · Sunday · Sunday service · worship · altar call · baptism · prayer meeting · Bible study · evangelical · megachurch · church planting · vestments · altar · pews
- church leadersrector, vicar, parson, preacher, reverend
- clergypriest, bishop, pope, nun, monk
- Megachurchworship service, worship team, praise band, contemporary worship, campus
lead pastorassistant pastor
Clergy member's subordinate helper
associate pastor · youth pastor · lay minister · deacon · elder
lead pastorlayperson
Non-specialist or unordained person
congregant · parishioner · laity · flock · lay leader
lead pastorfalse prophet
Deceiver claiming divine insight
cult leader · apostate · heretic · wolf in sheep's clothing · deceiver
lead, pastor, leads, led, leading, leader, leaders, leadership, mislead