Pastors and elders: are they the same?

One crucial understanding or misunderstanding in considering the role of women in ministry is the connection of the term pastor with elder. If you look carefully in the New Testament, only God the Father or Jesus Christ are referred to as shepherd or pastor (same word). In 1 Peter 5, elders are instructed to shepherd the flock but that is a verbal form implying an action that defines their office. Just because it is their primary task, does not restrict other shepherding from going on. Older women in Titus 2 are to shepherd younger women.

Ephesians 4:11 includes pastors in a list of ministers given to the Church for the building up of the body of Christ. We know that there were women who were apostles (Junia), prophets (the daughters of Philip), and teachers (Priscilla). Is it such a stretch to assume that there might be women who were pastors (but not elders) and evangelists? In this passage in Ephesians, there is not the slightest hint of gender restrictions. The burden is on those who would restrict the pastoral role alone to elders to prove their point. The passage does not require it.