Many Ministers
Don Leetch, January 1971
A TWO-CLASS SYSTEM
In twentieth century Christendom, we have a two-class system called ministry and laity. This system is almost universally and unquestionably accepted although it is not found in the first century church.
Ask almost any church member how many ministers they have in their congregation and they will answer one, two three, perhaps four or a few more depending on the size of the organization.
It is accepted without question that ministers only refer to men officially trained in religion and employed by the church to perform the task of guiding the church in its various operations. Does it sound strange that a church with five hundred constituents should have five hundred ministers? Yet this is far nearer to the teaching and practice of the New Testament.
Martin Luther labored the importance of the universal priesthood of believers. We would do well to examine the truth of the universal ministry of believers.
The word “minister” is a perfectly good biblical word, rich in meaning; but the word and even the modern concept of “layman” is not there found. The concept behind the word layman is negative. It simply means the one not belong to some particular profession. This contains a two-fold error. First, it implies that the ministry of God’s people are the profession of a few rather than the calling of the total body of believers. Second, it indicates that the masses of Christians are to be passive while only a few minister.
We believe that one great reason for apostasy and passivity within the church of Christ is the determined fostering of this false distinction.
WHO ARE GOD’S MINISTERS?
Who then are God’s ministers? Are they men of the “cloth”? Are they men professionally trained in special schools in the arts of ecclesiasticism? Are they to be identified as ministers because they draw their salary from a church organization? Are God’s ministers only those who never lift their hands in any secular pursuit for their livelihood? Are the ministers mainly to be found among those who pastor a local flock of believers?
It is our conviction that God wants ministers with soiled hands…not the soil of sin, but of labor, hard work and harvest. God’s ministers are found in unlikely spots doing unusual tasks. They are not a profession, but a calling. They are not identified by distinctive garbs or sanctimonious rituals, but by radiant spirits and unswerving purpose to fulfill the will of God.
PLURALITY OF MINISTRY
The ministry found in the New Testament is usually plural rather than singular. When Saul and Barnabas were sent to take an offering to Jerusalem, they were received by the elders (Acts 11:30). When a view is seen of the inner workings of the church at Antioch, we find certain prophets, and teachers that were ministering to the Lord (Acts 12:1,2) Paul ordained elders (plural) in every church (Acts 14:23)
We get a further view of this remarkable plurality of ministries in the early church in Acts 6. When the Apostles were guided by the Holy Spirit not to leave the word of God and prayer (a wonderful ministry) to serve tables (a ministry also), they appointed seven men to fulfill the work. They did not appoint a committee of laymen. They appointed ministers full of the Holy Spirit and faith for the task of administrating the affairs of the tables. The ministry of the seven with soiled hands resulted in the fearless witness of Stephen, his mighty message and his distinctive honor of being the first Christian martyr. Was Stephen a laymen when he served tables and a minister when he preached that mighty message with resulted in his martyrdom? Nay, he was a minister functioning in a variety of capacities. He is an illustration of the flexibility and mobility of these who are truly led by the Holy Spirit.
The word minister, is used in the New Testament, means one who executes the commands of another, especially of a master. The meaning is very clear. Every member of the body of Christ is under orders from the Head of the Church. No select clerical class had the orders and the main body of believers is disfranchised.
MANY MINISTRIES
There are many ministries in the body of Christ. Some may seem more prominent and even more spectacular than others, but every believer is CALLED TO BE A MINISTER. Every believer has a ministry. We must know this and with all of our hearts search our God’s will for our ministry.
The New Testament believers understood this. In their church assemblies, they shared, they exercised the gifts of the Spirit, and they praised, prayed, and studied the word of God. Some edified the body with the gift of teaching, some by the gift of healing, and some by the simpler gift of helps.
In their witness, they understood the soul winning was not to be relegated within the confines of four walls with stained glass nor to formal sermons by learned clergymen. Otherwise how can w explain the events that followed the persecution as recorded that they were all scattered-except the Apostles and those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the work of God.
Today we would call the Apostles the clergy and the scattered ones the laity and yet it was this group of rank and file believers that went forth preaching the word of God.
THE DEVELOPMENT OF MINISTERS
In the fourth chapter of Ephesians, we discover a powerful exposition of the ministries within the body of Christ. In verses 9-12, we are told that when Christ ascended as the victor over death, He gave certain gifts to His body. These gifts included apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. Now it is not to be supposed that these special callings were to be the official ministries while all other followers of Christ were to serve God only as a good laymen. Reading carefully in the Amplified Bible, Ephesians 4:12, we learn the purpose of the special ministers as related to the whole body of believers: “His intention was the perfecting and the full equipping of the saints (His consecrated people) that (they should do) the work of ministering toward building up Christ’s body (the church).” Thus we see that the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers are for the purpose of perfecting and equipping all the saints that they might be released each one into his own ministry. The purpose of all the ministries is to edify and build up the total body of Christ.
THE WAY OF SPIRITUAL HEALTH
The way of spiritual health for the church is so simple we miss it. It does not relate to better buildings, finer programs, more clever human leadership, or greater financial endowments. It is rare that evangelistic crusades or traditional “revival meetings” touch the real problem. We can preach, plead, shame, and pressure the members of God’s flock; but until we are willing to move on the simple principles of the Word—failure is almost certain.
The simplicity of the Christian Assembly revolves around the truth that Jesus is in the midst (Matthew 18:20). We are all members of His body. We recognize His presence. We yield to His Spirit and the body ministers to its own edification in love. It may be by prayer, song, psalm, testimony, praise, Scriptures, or other spontaneous expressions. But it is amazing how love, strength and blessing flows to all the body as the members minister Jesus one to another.
In Ephesians 4:13, we see that this edifying of the body is to the end of bringing all into the unity of oneness of faith and into the very fullness of Christ. The body is to grow up into the likeness of its head – Jesus. Jesus; not liturgy, doctrine, or denomination becomes the center of the fellowship. Worship and praise becomes spontaneous because Jesus is no longer merely historical but real. He is moving and ministering in might through His Body. Things are happening. The sick are being healed, prayers answered, the devils power broken. Christians renewed and sinners brought into new life in Christ.
EVERY CHILD OF GOD A MINISTER
May we never be guilty of saying: “I’m just a layman.” Christ has called all to a ministry; although He has not given all the same ministry. As we find our ministry, we will prosper in the Lord and the whole body of Christ will be strengthened.
Since every child of God is called to be a minister, not all can or will depend upon others for their full support. These will be ministers who are laboring in every legitimate occupation. Some ministers because of special callings should be supported in total by the rest of the body of Christ. Some like Paul will partially support themselves; but the greatest number of ministers will support their own families while carrying out their appointed ministry among the men of this world.
Jesus is doing a new thing today. A spiritual renewal is now in progress. Part of the renewal is restoration of the universal ministry of all believers. Will you become part of it?
In twentieth century Christendom, we have a two-class system called ministry and laity. This system is almost universally and unquestionably accepted although it is not found in the first century church.
Ask almost any church member how many ministers they have in their congregation and they will answer one, two three, perhaps four or a few more depending on the size of the organization.
It is accepted without question that ministers only refer to men officially trained in religion and employed by the church to perform the task of guiding the church in its various operations. Does it sound strange that a church with five hundred constituents should have five hundred ministers? Yet this is far nearer to the teaching and practice of the New Testament.
Martin Luther labored the importance of the universal priesthood of believers. We would do well to examine the truth of the universal ministry of believers.
The word “minister” is a perfectly good biblical word, rich in meaning; but the word and even the modern concept of “layman” is not there found. The concept behind the word layman is negative. It simply means the one not belong to some particular profession. This contains a two-fold error. First, it implies that the ministry of God’s people are the profession of a few rather than the calling of the total body of believers. Second, it indicates that the masses of Christians are to be passive while only a few minister.
We believe that one great reason for apostasy and passivity within the church of Christ is the determined fostering of this false distinction.
WHO ARE GOD’S MINISTERS?
Who then are God’s ministers? Are they men of the “cloth”? Are they men professionally trained in special schools in the arts of ecclesiasticism? Are they to be identified as ministers because they draw their salary from a church organization? Are God’s ministers only those who never lift their hands in any secular pursuit for their livelihood? Are the ministers mainly to be found among those who pastor a local flock of believers?
It is our conviction that God wants ministers with soiled hands…not the soil of sin, but of labor, hard work and harvest. God’s ministers are found in unlikely spots doing unusual tasks. They are not a profession, but a calling. They are not identified by distinctive garbs or sanctimonious rituals, but by radiant spirits and unswerving purpose to fulfill the will of God.
PLURALITY OF MINISTRY
The ministry found in the New Testament is usually plural rather than singular. When Saul and Barnabas were sent to take an offering to Jerusalem, they were received by the elders (Acts 11:30). When a view is seen of the inner workings of the church at Antioch, we find certain prophets, and teachers that were ministering to the Lord (Acts 12:1,2) Paul ordained elders (plural) in every church (Acts 14:23)
We get a further view of this remarkable plurality of ministries in the early church in Acts 6. When the Apostles were guided by the Holy Spirit not to leave the word of God and prayer (a wonderful ministry) to serve tables (a ministry also), they appointed seven men to fulfill the work. They did not appoint a committee of laymen. They appointed ministers full of the Holy Spirit and faith for the task of administrating the affairs of the tables. The ministry of the seven with soiled hands resulted in the fearless witness of Stephen, his mighty message and his distinctive honor of being the first Christian martyr. Was Stephen a laymen when he served tables and a minister when he preached that mighty message with resulted in his martyrdom? Nay, he was a minister functioning in a variety of capacities. He is an illustration of the flexibility and mobility of these who are truly led by the Holy Spirit.
The word minister, is used in the New Testament, means one who executes the commands of another, especially of a master. The meaning is very clear. Every member of the body of Christ is under orders from the Head of the Church. No select clerical class had the orders and the main body of believers is disfranchised.
MANY MINISTRIES
There are many ministries in the body of Christ. Some may seem more prominent and even more spectacular than others, but every believer is CALLED TO BE A MINISTER. Every believer has a ministry. We must know this and with all of our hearts search our God’s will for our ministry.
The New Testament believers understood this. In their church assemblies, they shared, they exercised the gifts of the Spirit, and they praised, prayed, and studied the word of God. Some edified the body with the gift of teaching, some by the gift of healing, and some by the simpler gift of helps.
In their witness, they understood the soul winning was not to be relegated within the confines of four walls with stained glass nor to formal sermons by learned clergymen. Otherwise how can w explain the events that followed the persecution as recorded that they were all scattered-except the Apostles and those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the work of God.
Today we would call the Apostles the clergy and the scattered ones the laity and yet it was this group of rank and file believers that went forth preaching the word of God.
THE DEVELOPMENT OF MINISTERS
In the fourth chapter of Ephesians, we discover a powerful exposition of the ministries within the body of Christ. In verses 9-12, we are told that when Christ ascended as the victor over death, He gave certain gifts to His body. These gifts included apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. Now it is not to be supposed that these special callings were to be the official ministries while all other followers of Christ were to serve God only as a good laymen. Reading carefully in the Amplified Bible, Ephesians 4:12, we learn the purpose of the special ministers as related to the whole body of believers: “His intention was the perfecting and the full equipping of the saints (His consecrated people) that (they should do) the work of ministering toward building up Christ’s body (the church).” Thus we see that the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers are for the purpose of perfecting and equipping all the saints that they might be released each one into his own ministry. The purpose of all the ministries is to edify and build up the total body of Christ.
THE WAY OF SPIRITUAL HEALTH
The way of spiritual health for the church is so simple we miss it. It does not relate to better buildings, finer programs, more clever human leadership, or greater financial endowments. It is rare that evangelistic crusades or traditional “revival meetings” touch the real problem. We can preach, plead, shame, and pressure the members of God’s flock; but until we are willing to move on the simple principles of the Word—failure is almost certain.
The simplicity of the Christian Assembly revolves around the truth that Jesus is in the midst (Matthew 18:20). We are all members of His body. We recognize His presence. We yield to His Spirit and the body ministers to its own edification in love. It may be by prayer, song, psalm, testimony, praise, Scriptures, or other spontaneous expressions. But it is amazing how love, strength and blessing flows to all the body as the members minister Jesus one to another.
In Ephesians 4:13, we see that this edifying of the body is to the end of bringing all into the unity of oneness of faith and into the very fullness of Christ. The body is to grow up into the likeness of its head – Jesus. Jesus; not liturgy, doctrine, or denomination becomes the center of the fellowship. Worship and praise becomes spontaneous because Jesus is no longer merely historical but real. He is moving and ministering in might through His Body. Things are happening. The sick are being healed, prayers answered, the devils power broken. Christians renewed and sinners brought into new life in Christ.
EVERY CHILD OF GOD A MINISTER
May we never be guilty of saying: “I’m just a layman.” Christ has called all to a ministry; although He has not given all the same ministry. As we find our ministry, we will prosper in the Lord and the whole body of Christ will be strengthened.
Since every child of God is called to be a minister, not all can or will depend upon others for their full support. These will be ministers who are laboring in every legitimate occupation. Some ministers because of special callings should be supported in total by the rest of the body of Christ. Some like Paul will partially support themselves; but the greatest number of ministers will support their own families while carrying out their appointed ministry among the men of this world.
Jesus is doing a new thing today. A spiritual renewal is now in progress. Part of the renewal is restoration of the universal ministry of all believers. Will you become part of it?