Since about the 4th century, the Christian church has adopted the pagan idea that the church is to be made up of a religious professional and his audience. The professional (called father, reverend, etc.) does the religious stuff whilst the congregation sits back and enjoys the show.
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A Church without Walls
• Greg Boyd
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Since about the 4th century, the Christian church has adopted the pagan idea that the church is to be made up of a religious professional and his audience. The professional (called father, reverend, etc.) does the religious stuff whilst the congregation sits back and enjoys the show. As we see in Acts 2:41 – 47, the Christian church wasn’t meant to work this way.
As it is today, most churches revolve around one person (the religious professional), one place (the church building), and one day (Sunday morning). This causes the congregation to remain passive, highly individualistic in their faith, and divested from the church body. People stop growing spiritually.
But the Christian church was meant to be much more than that. The role of leadership in the church is not to completely take over the duty of ministry, but to prepare and encourage the rest of the body to minister to one another. Also, leaders are to help believers find and use their spiritual gifts.
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Focus Scripture:
"We have been podrishioners for several months. Our daughter, son-in-law and grandkids moved back to California after living in MN for 10 years. They attended Woodland Hills for about a year before they moved. Now we all go to the beach together on Thursdays, come home and have dinner together, then we watch last Sunday’s sermon together. It is a special day for our family."
– Dale and Patricia, from California