PRIESTHOOD OF ALL BELIEVERS

Most meetings in the church today consist of a chosen few, around half a dozen people, who perform at the front of the room for the entertainment of the rest. The spectators, consisting of the majority of the church membership are there to sing a few songs at the direction of the front platform, and listen to the lecture for the day.

When it is all over they are supposed to be grateful that they have received a blessing from the performers and been instructed how to do…what one might ask as most lectures consist of a few thoughts of the person giving the lecture on a few verses of scripture.

The relevance and practicality of what is said is minimal. No worries, that is what he is paid to do and he has done it to our satisfaction so what more can we ask.

On a day to day basis, the New Testament church knew nothing of this type of exercise. There’s was an every member community where every believer was required to contribute to the gathering of God’s people. Whilst it was obvious that was not always the case, the potential was there.

There were no platforms, no pulpits, no programmes, no preachers, and no pastor organising and controlling everything. Things happened because the members of the body of Christ functioned in the gifts of the spirit that they had been given at his sovereign will.

Using the Holy Spirit’s leading gave them the guarantee that whatever was said and done was relevant to everyone there. The end result was a lively exchange of ministry amongst the congregation, with the supernatural present every time they met and a sense that they were an essential contributing member.

In most meetings today we are lucky to see that once a year. In most meetings it is planned down to the last detail and to the last minute, with everyone taking part chosen and approved by one man “the pastor”.

The Holy Spirit has little or no say in what happens so it is not surprising that he is rarely in attendance. After all, we don’t need him as we can organise everything ourselves.

If by any chance the Holy Spirit should show up he usually has to fit in with the man made programme. If he decides to grace us with his presence, he can only do so as long as it doesn’t encroach on communion or preaching time. Should he do so, he will summarily be cut off so as not to disturb the programme.

You work it out which type of meeting is going to be of more value to those attending. The one where everything is prim and proper and man made and controlled by one man who decides what is good for us or the one where the Holy Spirit is in charge and pouring himself out through whomever he chooses so that everyone can experience his direction and leading and gain a little of his power for living.