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March 16, 2009
Those Annoying Labels!
Why "lay" small-group leaders should carry "clergy" business cards
For years, I've struggled with the labels of "clergy" and "laity." I've had the opportunity to wear both labels at different times in my adult life. And truthfully, I'm at a point now where no one knows what to label me. My secret confession is this: "I like it that way!" For me, the labels have very little significance to our life in Christ. And really, when you think about it, shouldn't every believer be a blend of clergy and laity? Sure, everyone has unique gifts and callings, but biblically, your title doesn't limit or distinguish who can lead, serve, or follow.
Some would say, Dan, you're not being very respectful. There should be special recognition for those whose income and vocation result from the "work of the Lord." Really? My question is: "How do you define the work of the Lord?"
My wife and I had the incredible privilege recently to leave the January frozen tundra of Central Indiana and travel to Honolulu, Hawaii, and participate in the "Doing Church as a Team Conference" (DCAT '09) hosted by New Hope Fellowship Oahu. Wayne Cordeiro (if you need a label, he is senior pastor at New Hope Fellowship Oahu) spoke of a culture they promote at New Hope. A culture where all Christian leaders are considered vocational ministers. He pointed out that we should not mistake the source of our income with the avenue of our income. If you track the source of our income, it all comes from God. Try it with whatever income source you can think of - if you track that income back to the source, it will always be God. The avenue of our income may vary: construction work, office work, church work; but the source of our income is the same. God provides! Therefore, if you are mechanic, a small-group leader, or a full-time pastor, you are working for the Lord (Eph. 6:7).
The other objection to the notion that all Christ-followers are clergy is the training/education issue. If you haven't got the training, the Bible knowledge, or the degree, then you are not qualified to do the work of ministry. However, as Wayne Cordeiro also pointed out at DCAT '09: "?your heritage and your dysfunction do not determine your usefulness to God. Anything fully in God's hands can be incredible. Dirt in God's hands can become human. Nothing in God's hands can become the universe. Put your life in God's hand and watch the adventure begin!"
I agree. So, for years I've been telling "lay" small-group leaders they are ministers, pastors - whatever "clergy" title you want to use. And, at our local church, we make business cards for each small-group leader with their name and a "clergy" title. We tell them, "Let this business card be a reminder to you that God can and will use you to impact the course of eternity in many people's lives. Use this card to visit people in hospitals and jails and know that Jesus is with you and has ordained you to be His ambassador, taking the message of reconciliation to the people you are serving."
Scandalous, you say? Perhaps. But no more scandalous than Jesus uttering these words to a handful of ordinary people on an extraordinary mission: "I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age." ?Matthew 28:18-20
posted by Dan Lentz on March 16, 2009 12:50 PM
Comments
I really like this take on labels. It serves to unify the pastor, paid staff, and unpaid volunteers together, and it signals that they're all on the same mission together.
This reminds me of something we do in our church, which is seeing what we do in our Christian community, not as a single church, but as a small piece of one church in the entire city. We try to see all the churches in our city as one church. It's been quite transforming for how we think and how we interact with other churches.
Posted By: Cory | March 17, 2009 12:03 PM
Dan, I so agree with you! My husband and I have been in small groups for years. Our personal Bible reading is directed and fortified by sound teaching from the pulpit by the "clergy." And much of our spiritual growth and application have come through our small group experience over the years. We "lay" people take turns facilitating our gatherings as we learn, pray, and encourage each other to apply what we cover in our Bible study. This growth is practical and real. We are ministering to each other, and titles are unnecessary.
Posted By: Mary | March 17, 2009 12:42 PM
If people are feeling insecure about their identity and therefore need to designate who's who with labels, then I would agree that labels are a man-made, self-security issue (I suppose that would be directed at those in leadership who feel the need to specify who gets a ranking title). In addition, the term "lay" seems an unnecessary stand-alone label. "Lay" is a term needed only in relation to "clergy"--a word to call that which is not clergy.
I am, however, so grateful for the clergy in my church who are truly clergy. There is a very real distinction between the designated leadership of the church and those of us who are not part of that group. I completely agree that we ALL serve in both capacities by giving of our gifts and strengths and receiving the gifts and offerings of others. But I find much comfort in having clergy leading our church in an official capacity who I implicitly trust to do just that. I also see a problem in someone who would fall into the "lay" category insisting on the removal of terms and labels in order to feel their work more valuable in the kingdom. Jesus preaches humility, while promising that seeking the kingdom of heaven will be rewarded. We should serve as laity without a need for recognition or a fear of being in what we may feel is a humble category.
Posted By: Sarah | March 18, 2009 9:10 AM
Dan: If we accept "The Priesthood of Believers" does that not mean we are all equally yoked???
Posted By: C. Ron Culberson | March 18, 2009 3:32 PM
Great points, Dan. The difference between church staff and lay workers is usually a false distinction defined by the individual church as an institution, not the calling or gifting of God. If anything, those volunteers deserve special encouragement because they're not getting paid to do the work of the Lord. And most of them have other jobs and busy family lives on top of their ministry in the context of the church.
Posted By: Amy | March 18, 2009 3:55 PM
Mr. Culberson,
What do you mean by "equally yoked"? I'm not familiar with that term outside of a discussion on marriage.
Posted By: Sam O'Neal | March 18, 2009 4:06 PM
Sam: The concept is based on all believers being equally responsible for speading the gospel and doing the work of the church. Ron C.
Posted By: C.Ron Culberson | March 21, 2009 8:42 PM
Labels? Yeah everyone wants to be someone but nobody wants the responsibility. The church and THE LAITY really need to look at what they have been called to do or should I say Commanded to do and stop fussing over the little things.
We have been commanded to MAKE DISCIPLESHIP. It really doesn't matter what we are called or what others are titled... know the TRUTH and you will be set free.
Let focus on do and let everyone else spat over what we are called!
Blessings.
Posted By: D Schreck | March 26, 2009 9:52 AM