Sunday at Five is at the Bowlers. Eucharist at five pm, supper at 6pm followed by a discussion on Christian Leadership and the purpose/meaning of ordination.
Ministry of the Whole People of God:
The concept of the laity (as non-experts) as distinct from the clergy (religious experts) is foreign to the New Testament. The closest to it is the term laos which refers to the whole people of God, the church or the body of Christ. The functions of oversight (episcope), leading in the service of God (leitourgia, from which we get the word liturgy) and service to neighbour (diakonia) are exercised within the laos and are epitomized by, but not limited to, the orders of bishops, presbyters and deacons. Parents, Sunday School teachers and youth workers exercise episcope in their respective fields. Readers and worship leaders and indeed the whole congregation participate in the liturgy (the “work of the people”). Anyone who serves another is practicing diakonia.
As Anglicans we often conceptualize the three orders as a pyramidal hierarchy with a fixed barrier between laity and clergy. It would be better to think of four orders in a series of concentric circles the largest being the laos. Within the church some are called to be deacons. Some deacons are ordained to be presbyters, and within the college of presbyters some (usually one in each location or diocese) are called to exercise Episcopal oversight as pastors of the pastors. One becomes a member of the church through faith, repentance, baptism and receiving the Spirit. The laity are commissioned for service through Baptism followed by the laying on of hands and invocation of the seven-fold Spirit at Confirmation. The other three orders are ordained similarly. Each sequential order includes the preceding one so that a deacon does not cease to be a member of God’s people when he is made deacon, a presbyter does not cease to serve and a bishop is still a priest.
The gifts of the Spirit are given for the benefit of the whole church. The five-fold ministry of apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers and evangelists exists to equip the saints (i.e. all Christians) for the work of the ministry. In South East Asia, for example, great store is laid on lay leadership. Lay evangelists and church-planters are sent out and their work is later followed up by clergy. Potential pastors are trained on the job and are sent to seminary later rather than before initiating their ministry.
People who sense a call to ordained ministry have to have demonstrated gifting and fruit-bearing in a lay capacity before the process of postulant selection begins. This process will need to be owned by and signed off by a local church who also sense giftedness and would endorse their application.
Readings:
Five-fold ministry: Ephesians 4:11-12
Apostles were the first overseers of the church: John 15:16. Acts 1:26
Ordain means to appoint by laying on hands: Greek: Kathistemi or cheirotoneo (Acts 14:23), 1 Timothy 1:6. This is accompanied by prayer and the invocation of the Holy Spirit.
Presbyter =priest =elder, Deacon=servant, Bishop=shepherd or overseer
Deacons: Acts 6:1-6, 1 Timothy 3:8-13, Woman deacon: Romans 16:1, 1 Tim 3:11
Presbyters: Acts 14:23, 1 Timothy 4:14, 1 Timothy 5: 17 &22
Titus 1:5-7
Bishops: 1Timothy 3:1-12
See also: Philippians 1:1
Questions: 1. What are the differences between the Old Testament priest and a Christian presbyter? 2. Who is our great high priest? Hebrews 7-8. 3.What do people mean by ”the priesthood of all believers”? Ex 19:6, 1Peter 2:5. 1Peter 2:9, Rev 1:6, Rev 20:6
3. What did Jesus teach about leadership? John 13:1-17, Luke 22:24-27
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