Do as the occasion demands; for God is with you. 1 Samuel 10:7 (NKJV)
Paul wrote: And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3:17
REFLECTION:
Clericalism is bad for Christianity.
Let me explain.
"Clericalism" is defined as "a policy of maintaining or increasing the power of a religious hierarchy." It is the over-focusing on the power of pastors over against the importance of all other Christians.
Often, in my circle of family and friends, the term "religious hierarchy" makes people think of Roman Catholicism. However, since I am not a Roman Catholic, I can only speak to the way "clericalism" has taken root in the modern Protestant church.
Within Protestant circles, this rears its head any time we assume that we need a pastor to "fix" the church. I hear it any time church members say things like, "if only we had the right pastor, our church would grow," or "only pastors should do (fill in the blank)." The truth is, at least in the ELCA of which I am a part, there are only a handful of things you must be ordained to do:
1. Preside at Communion (already-blessed bread and wine can be distributed by lay people).
2. Baptize
3. "Marry and Bury" (Weddings and Funerals)
Everything else can be, and often IS, done by other members of the church. And when pastors or churches think that anything NOT on this list is "off limits" to lay people, they are making a mistake.
Plenty of people in the church I serve are amazing at listening and offering comfort; so I should "share" the work of visiting people in their homes, because it gives those members a way to use their god-given gifts to make a difference. Plenty of people have superior gifts to mine in the area of administration and HR matters; so they should be the ones doing much of that work. The list goes on and on.
I started this devotion by saying "clericalism is bad for Christianity." Why? Because it downplays the everyday ministry of all the baptized people of God. And last I checked, Jesus entrusted this powerful message of reconciliation to twelve everyday, uneducated people. Now, he did raise them up as his disciples, which gets us closer to what the role of pastor should be, to "shepherd" people...but ultimately, we do trust that this incredible message of hope for the world belongs to ALL of us, not just those who have the special training. And, more to the point, we believe that God USES the diverse gifts we all have...plumber, mechanic, engineer, teacher...to reach the diverse people with whom we interact. Martin Luther famously called this concept the "priesthood of all believers." We are all ministers in our own right.
I believe my job as a pastor is to be like the main stage hand at a play...making sure the actors (that's you) have all the lines, the props, the preparation you need to walk out onto the main stage of ministry, which is your daily life. For an hour every Sunday morning, we rehearse. And I run that rehearsal based on the study I have done. That's my role. Then, at the end of the service, the curtain begins to rise. Rehearsal time is over, and the rest of your week is the main stage of ministry; where God uses your gifts to communicate Love in the world. If you need a reminder of a line, I'm here for that. If you need a different prop, or support in any way, I'm here for that. That's my role. But you, the one reading this, are a minister on the main stage. Your main stage may be your family, your office, your circle of friends...but wherever God has placed you all week, that's your stage.
To close with a different analogy...I once heard Shane Claiborne speak, and quoting another pastor, he explained that we are like the donkey that carried Jesus into Jerusalem on his back. It wasn't about the donkey. It was about the one riding him. Shane said, "we're just the asses that get to carry Jesus into the world...and what a beautiful thing it is that the God of the universe lives IN YOU."
So today, and every day, do what the occasion demands. God is with you. (1 Samuel 10:7). Whatever you do, do it for Christ, and give thanks that pastors aren't all there is. We're just there to make sure you have what you need to speak Life and Love into a world that needs it.
PRAYER:
We remember, Jesus of Nazareth, that you worked with your hands during your earthly sojourn. May we regard all that we do today as a sacred trust from you. Amen.*
*Prayer taken from the Moravian Daily Texts
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