You wrote: I ordered the book you recommended; sounds good. We support a friend (who married us, actually) who quit the pastorate to be a traveling missionary to Asia. It is a calling I am relieved not to have, but I'm happy to support those who do. I am sorry to hear of your illness--are you well yet? Will
pray..."
Glad to hear you ordered a copy of KP's book. It is a heart-searching and very worthwhile read!
I too "quit the pastorate" about 25 years ago as I began to realize there was no scriptural distinction between "clergy and laity". They are both the very same group of people as far as scripture is concerned!
-All believers are priests I Peter 2:4-9;
-all are LAOS "the people of God" I Peter 2:10;
-all are gifted for ministry I Peter 4:10,11;
-all are God's KLEROS (clergy) "heritage" I Peter 5:3;
-all are ordained to bear fruit that remains John 15:16! and
-all are called by our faithful God to the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ! I Cor.1:9
That is why the emphasis of ministry of new covenant saints is not from a hierarchical, top down pyramid structure like that of the kings of the Gentiles (Luke 22:24-27), but a mutually edifying "one-anothering" ministry of a variety of members in one Body under the Headship of Christ!
Every artificial distinction of men's invention between believers which God has joined together in Christ, i.e. "clergy and laity", "spiritual work/secular work", "this denomination against that" etc are positive hindrances to the work which God has purposed to do among us! Oh, that we might realize who we are in Christ, that we might go in for living for Him and serving one another that Christ might be seen in us by the world around!
Thank you for your prayers! About a week and a half ago I got a really sore throat, coughing, running nose, temperature etc. Those symptoms have mostly dissipated but I have no energy and after the least bit of exercise or exertion, I sleep for a couple of hours! So at this point, I'm not much use in the very physical work of tree removal!
Your brother in Christ, Bruce
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