OK Clergy, heres a thought for your call in 2015... I think its time you quit the ministry. I think its time to quit the ministry of doing ministry for everyone and embrace the ministry of calling ministers. The word CLERGY (from the Greek Kleros, meaning Lot, heritage - See Acts 1:26) is to make sure the MINISTRY is done in good, efficient, effective, godly, Christ-like order. Not to DO all the ministry for the people, but to make sure it gets done that way. https://google/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=what+does+the+word+clergy+mean%3F&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8#rls=en&q=define+cleric Now, heres where it gets kinda dicy. Some are called to be apostles. The Greek for apostle is sent out. Some are called to be prophets. The literal meaning of the word prophet is speak forth. Some are called to be evangelists. The word for evangelist is good news bearer. Some are called to be pastors. The word means shepherd. Do you need to be ordained to be sent out? Do you need to be ordained to speak forth? Do you need to be ordained to bear the good news? Do you need to be ordained to tend the flock of God that is in your charge and feed Christs lambs and sheep? Maybe the job of the clergy is to help those called to be sent out hear their calling, and to equip them to do it well. Maybe the job of the clergy is to help those who feel God stirring in them and have something to speak forth to hear their calling, and to equip them to do it well. Maybe the job of the clergy is to help those who have some good news to bear to hear their calling, and to equip them to do it well. Maybe the job of the clergy is to help those who are called to pastor (shepherd) someone - whether it is a child in their home or a grandparent in the nursing home or a prisoner in for life or a soldier sitting in Afgahistan to hear their calling, and to equip them to do it well. Maybe your call for 2015 is to be used by the Holy Spirit to call, gather, enlighten. (Well leave the sanctifying to the HS). Whats the goal of all of these functions of the church? To equip the saints for ministry and build up the body. Maybe the future of the ordained (which literally means to set aside for ministry) will include ordaining the masses - setting aside the SAINTS for their own unique ministries? Maybe this year youll be calling parents who once promised to raise their children in the faith to do a better job of it. Starting with every night in every home. Call them to their ministry and equip them to do it well. Give them all a role and a stole and turn them into priests of the Most High. Maybe this year youll be calling and ordaining people who care for their own aging parents in nursing homes to do a better, more intentional and consistent job of it. Maybe youll get them to do something like faith5 with their loved ones and their loved ones friends in the home - Maybe you can equip them to do ministry - like share, read, talk, pray, bless - in person once a week at the home (who said only YOU can lead worship there?) Bless the wine and bread at the altar on Sunday and train and ordain them as deacons to bring it to the home. Then invite them via Skype to check in with their loved ones every night for six weeks. Maybe youll even equip your THEME to equip their elder parents to minister to their own friends every night before meds. Imagine a nursing home filled with ordained ministers actually ministering every night! Give them all a role and a stole and turn them into priests of the Most High. Maybe this year youll actually ordain - set aside for ministry - those going on mission trips across the world and across the street. Not just do a co-missioning, but an actual setting aside for ministry. Give them all a stole and turn them into priests of the Most High.Give them all a role and a stole and turn them into priests of the Most High. Maybe this year all of the ordained CLERGY (from the Greek Kleros, meaning Lot, heritage - See Acts 1:26) will simply see their role as to equip the saints to build up the body and make sure their MINISTRY is done in good, efficient, effective, godly, Christ-like order. Not to DO the ministry, but to make sure the priesthood of all believers are equipped and proficient for every good work. (II Timothy 3:16 and 17). So clergy, what are you here for in 2015? Are you going to DO the ministry for them this year, or are you going to call, gather, enlighten, then give them all a role and a stole and turn them into priests of the Most High? Are you going to quit the ministry of doing all the ministry? Are you going to begin the ministry of calling and ordaining (setting aside) ministers? Which one do you think would be more fun and effective for you in 2015? Do you hear what I hear here?
Posted on: Thu, 01 Jan 2015 16:28:58 +0000
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