"Jason, thanks for responding to this.  What would you think are some of the necessary qualifications for a pastor that are not necessary for a church planter? I think you hit on something worth pursuing here.  Why is the essential difference between a church planter and a pastor? I don't hold that Paul was necessarily a pastor (an apostle), nor was Timothy (an apostolic representative) - but they obviously planted churches. Just curious." - Bret Capranica