Calling & the Pastor / Congregation
Posted by Brian | Labels: Calling | Posted On Monday, October 4, 2010 at 12:34 AM
So with it now established that it is through multiple levels and forms of calling that we are now called into a state of discipleship wherein we fulfill the great commission, where does this line reside that divides those who are Professional Christians, and those who are Christian Professionals? In an era of such strong value place on ordination, credentials, education and, regardless of career, professionalism, it is a pretty radical notion to declare that there is little difference between these individuals. In his book Unfinished Business, Ogden speaks of another reformation that is coming where the ministry is to be returned to the people. We again look to the influence that Luthor and Calvin, in particular, had in the movement of trying to remove the hierarchy of the high church and provide a more direct line from Christian to Christ, as well as a more universal priesthood among believers. This institutionalized church had been established for thousands of years prior to their day. In the Old Testament, the priests and Levites were set apart from the other tribes as it was their duty alone to act as the go between people and God. As previously discussed with calling, they were called to this practice due to their position in the system, their circumstances and accepted this duty. This did not exempt the other sons and daughters of God’s chosen from worship and sacrifice, but it did essentially predestine those who were to become the priests and those who were to be the laymen.
This Old covenant system was turned upside down with the coming of Christ. With Christ, the office of priesthood is actually eliminated, in the sense of it belonging to a select group of people. Through Christ shedding his perfect sacrifice, acting as both high priest and sacrificial lamb, he removed the need of further sacrifice and therefore, the key function of the Old Testament priesthood.
In fact, the New Testament idea of “priest” has so radically departed from the Old Testament that the entire body of believers is now described as by nature priesthood. By ascribing to the church the images formally applied to the nation of Israel, the apostle Peter makes it clear that the new priesthood is the church: “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people.
And this was echoed by Luther when he wrote:
Therefore we are all priests, as many as are Christians… The priesthood is nothing but a ministry as we can learn from , “Let a man so account of us as the ministers of Christ, and the dispensers of mysteries of God.”
So with this Biblical perspective of the priesthood of all believers, what does this leave the role of the clergy with? I heard it phrased once as, a pastor is a teacher of teachers. This has always stood out to me as a great viewpoint of the role of New Covenant clergymen. The mission of a professional Christian is barely different than that of all other Christians. The key difference is, the professional Christian would ideally be to minister to those who have already entered into a relationship with God, whereas those individuals would minister to the world. This is a pretty lofty goal, though. Consider the words of Luther above, and similar words from Calvin, and even as recent as Billy Graham and the philosophies of the Emerging Church movement. All of these echo a similar longing to return the priesthood to the people.
During our recent conference, John Paul Jackson had spoken of the Tower of Babel and used the example of how many churches build buildings with a heart not too different than that of the Babylonians. I'm inclined to think that there is a risk of repeating the error of the Babylonians on an emotional and spiritual level as we grow into the priesthood. There is a tension that must be held between having an intimate relationship with God and also having the honor and respect that the Alpha and Omega deserves. When a person who matures as a believer and enters into the priesthood, if they focus entirely on the relationship element, then they risk of effectively climbing up a great building to reach God, instead of respecting the Almighty as someone who descends and comes upon our lives. We must not raise ourselves up, but instead point others to Heaven and establish them as leaders in the Kingdom.
This Old covenant system was turned upside down with the coming of Christ. With Christ, the office of priesthood is actually eliminated, in the sense of it belonging to a select group of people. Through Christ shedding his perfect sacrifice, acting as both high priest and sacrificial lamb, he removed the need of further sacrifice and therefore, the key function of the Old Testament priesthood.
In fact, the New Testament idea of “priest” has so radically departed from the Old Testament that the entire body of believers is now described as by nature priesthood. By ascribing to the church the images formally applied to the nation of Israel, the apostle Peter makes it clear that the new priesthood is the church: “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people.
And this was echoed by Luther when he wrote:
Therefore we are all priests, as many as are Christians… The priesthood is nothing but a ministry as we can learn from , “Let a man so account of us as the ministers of Christ, and the dispensers of mysteries of God.”
So with this Biblical perspective of the priesthood of all believers, what does this leave the role of the clergy with? I heard it phrased once as, a pastor is a teacher of teachers. This has always stood out to me as a great viewpoint of the role of New Covenant clergymen. The mission of a professional Christian is barely different than that of all other Christians. The key difference is, the professional Christian would ideally be to minister to those who have already entered into a relationship with God, whereas those individuals would minister to the world. This is a pretty lofty goal, though. Consider the words of Luther above, and similar words from Calvin, and even as recent as Billy Graham and the philosophies of the Emerging Church movement. All of these echo a similar longing to return the priesthood to the people.
During our recent conference, John Paul Jackson had spoken of the Tower of Babel and used the example of how many churches build buildings with a heart not too different than that of the Babylonians. I'm inclined to think that there is a risk of repeating the error of the Babylonians on an emotional and spiritual level as we grow into the priesthood. There is a tension that must be held between having an intimate relationship with God and also having the honor and respect that the Alpha and Omega deserves. When a person who matures as a believer and enters into the priesthood, if they focus entirely on the relationship element, then they risk of effectively climbing up a great building to reach God, instead of respecting the Almighty as someone who descends and comes upon our lives. We must not raise ourselves up, but instead point others to Heaven and establish them as leaders in the Kingdom.
