Clergy Versus Laity
Source: Cole-Slaw by Neil Cole
It did not take long in church history before a special class of Christians developed that was professional. The idea that there should be a class of professional Christians has plagued Christianity for almost two thousand years, but is just not biblical.
The idea that special people are set apart and called to serve the Lord “full-time” is a cracked lens that distorts our view of everything and we have developed language that supports our view. Those who serve as professional pastors are “called.” everyone else is just working.
The distinction is not biblical. As I read and reread the New Testament without this lens, I find that all are called to follow. It is not the destination of the following that indicates the calling; the calling is the following. So if God calls you to serve as a pastor, your calling is fulfilled among a flock. If you are called to be a contractor, your calling is fulfilled at the contractor’s work site. Whatever your calling, you are to serve your Master well.
The problems with seeing some people as called into special roles are profound. Those who serve the church professionally are seen as more holy than those who do not. Expectations are placed on them that are not placed on other Christians. And as I said earlier, this lowers the bar for those who are not pursuing a ministry vocation, with the result that average Christians do not bear the responsibility of following God fully. They are simply the drones who work hard to finance the real workers who carry the weight of the kingdom. The lives of those who serve professionally are held to higher account. We have a whole list of traits that we must check off before someone is allowed to serve in such a high position.
I do not see this in the New Testament. Jesus calls all of us to surrender our whole life to follow him. This is not a call into a career but into a kingdom. All citizens of Christ’s kingdom are called to serve fully. No Christian is held to a higher level of accountability for his or her character than another. Jesus bled so that all of us could be holy and set apart, not just a few.
Now it is true that leaders are held to a stricter accountability, but that is true whether they are paid to lead or not. And regardless of accountability, each of us is called to a holy life. None is called to a more holy life than another.
Oh how far we have gotten from the path laid out by the Lord. The ways of men always lead to organizations, rules, and ultimately a heirarchy for the participants. Israel wanted a king and the Lord didn’t want them to have one, but they pleaded and they got a series of them. It caused them nothing but trouble. Come on folks, with all due regard to the well meaning, good hearted folks, that serve as “professional ministers”, aren’t we doing the same thing as the children of Israel? Aren’t we clamoring for a king (i.e. a pastor) so we don’t have to take responsibility for what we do, so that we have someone to blame in case things don’t go right?
Once again, I can read the Bible as well as anyone and I just don’t see this system of professionals mentioned. This is in spite of what Bible colleges and seminaries teach about the so-called “pastoral epistles”. Where in the heck did that come from? I don’t see that phrase mentioned in my Bible? Aren’t we adding to something that isn’t there?
Its like that song from Jason Upton called “Freedom”. Its time for modern day pharoes to let God’s people go.
As a missionary on the field I struggle with being a “professional” Christian. So many people I see on the field that no longer know how to relate to non-Christians because for years they’ve been “pros”. Not only does it do all of the things you mentioned above but it also removes us from the world. We forget how to relate…we lose our hobbies…we lose our connections. And we start to see people as potential clients versus friends.
I don’t want to be a pro…..