In Pagan Christianity, Barna & Viola provide truckloads of footnotes and endnotes. They encourage you to examine the evidence that they have put together. I understand that it is very easy to misquote a reference or pull something out of context. Still, the questions that are asked in the book cry out for legitimate soul and Bible searching.

As an individual who “earns his check” from the “local church” I’ve had to do a lot of soul searching. I’m totally not sure where I will land on that, but as one who is a pastor and even elder in a church I wonder if we’ve crafted something to fit ourselves more than to fit what God has for His ekklesia. Part of my “job requirement” is to teach a class that I’ve developed to help people get connected into our local church. In it I point out in scripture that we all are ministers and royal priests. It’s amazing to see the lights go on in people’s minds. What’s also amazing is that I have to teach a class and basically try to sell people on a Biblical truth like that. Why is that? Is it because of the almost 1700 year old tradition of paid clergy and the clergy/laity division that it has caused?

In response to Paul’s instruction in 1 Corinthians 14 I’ve begun to invite a good number of people to join me in planning our worship gatherings via a blog. I’m thinking of it as baby steps towards the “So each one bring…” ideas of Paul. In response to my invitation I received a scathing email from a “volunteer” who instructed me that it was my “job” to do what I was inviting others to join me in doing. If the flow of being a pastor/teacher is to EQUIP THE SAINTS TO DO THE WORK OF THE MINISTRY why are people so resistant to go any further than handing out bulletins, greeting, passing offering plates, singing, pushing a couple of computer buttons or doing baby sitting?

To me, Viola and others like him are asking hard legitimate questions of all of the saints including those of us who are pastors and elders. I do believe that much of our history has added unnecessary girth to our midsections. Largely due to the fact that we’ve successfully raised a host of consumers who come to a 1.5 hour event to watch one or more paid professionals provide a service for them. After successfully doing church the gathering of people leaves to go onto their regular secular lives until the next week’s church service meanwhile critiquing the performance to their friends and family members. Hmmmmmm…..

-Peter

Interesting.

From Argentina, with love

By which time the point will be moot.