You’re welcome. I appreciate the absence of sarcasm too. It’s distracting when you feel you have to dish it out, and I’m certainly guilty of doing that too much.
Now, I don’t claim to have the holy grail of church structure. I simply am very suspect of anybody getting between the Lordship of Christ and His flock- who are shepherded through the Holy Spirit. I include pastors, priests, teachers, anybody who starts in with a controlling attitude. Counsel, wisdom and advice is good, but when that crosses the line into controlling and manipulating the church, I have a real problem with that. He did say ‘call no man father’ for a reason. That parental role, proper as it is with children, becomes a too easily abused position of influence among church leadership.
I don’t know. Maybe I just trust regular old people too much.
But Jesus said that it was better for His church if He went away, that the Comforter might come. He must have thought that the Holy Spirit could do a better job of raising up and directing His church than He could- probably because He was limited to a single location, whereas the Spirit can indwell us all and lead us internally- so I believe in the royalty and priesthood of all believers.
Nevertheless, He never set up a rulership class, but rather a relationship whereby the more mature would care for the newbies and provide leadership by example.
Which brings us to the ones who devote so much time studying and praying, etc. That relationship translates into great gravity in one’s words. It’s easy to recognize who is due greater honor- not by vestments and titles, but by the content of their character. Such a demeanor attracts trust and a willingness to submit to that person’s opinions. That to me is true leadership.
Which brings us to the ones who devote so much time studying and praying, etc. That relationship translates into great gravity in one’s words. It’s easy to recognize who is due greater honor- not by vestments and titles, but by the content of their character. Such a demeanor attracts trust and a willingness to submit to that person’s opinions. That to me is true leadership.
Interesting. I think where, in the Church, you see the Clergy as a "rulership class," I see the "true leadership" you mentioned. All the Priests I've come across had the content of character you mentioned prior to becoming Priests - it is a chicken-or-egg question. I guess my concern is why are the Keys and the power associated with them explicitly given to Peter and the Twelve, respectively, if not to create a Priestly class? I've got a conversation about this going on with dan currently on this thread...
Now, I am probably one of the youngest posters on this board, so I may be naive, trusting and idealistic, and all my thoughts might change in the future. I reserve that right. :-P