Dr. Eckleburg wrote:
“We do not serve the church. The church serves us.”
I know what you mean, but pardon me for a little sharpening up of language. We are the church. We do not serve ourselves, except insofar as we each do good to our neighbor. The ministry of the church serves us. That is what the term “minister” means, after all. It is Christ’s ministry. He serves us (John 13) with the Gospel in word and sacrament through the ministry He instituted. And that is what has been knocked so off balance under the Roman system.
Ministers of Christ serve the royal priesthood, i.e., those who are Christ’s by faith. It is that simple.
Certainly Christ insisted that he who would be greatest of all must be servant of all.