These inconsistencies trouble some people, but I do not see any way to avoid them. We want to honor people who deserve honor, but I also hope that no one is serving for the purpose of being honored. As someone famous once said, your reward is in heaven. In rare cases, the person serving as pastor is not ordained. There is a lot of variety, because our congregations exist in a variety of circumstances, having diverse gifts.
Pastors serve somewhat like orchestra conductors.
They cannot force anyone to play on cue, but they can provide guidance and coordination, and the group as a whole will work much better when the players take the cues they are given. In the Worldwide Church of God, members cannot fire their pastor. Instead, pastors are chosen and dismissed at the regional level, which in the United States means Church Administration in coordination with district superintendents. That's where the episcopal structure comes in. Just as congregations need local leaders and teachers, the pastors also need leaders and teachers.