Quote: "In the early Church, because it was taught that all believers were priests, when the doctrine of the universal priesthood of believers was put into practice, it was the common experience that in any given assembly, every single believer present may have something to potentially contribute to the service. Every believer present might potentially stand up and say something for an unspecified duration of time. One might prophesy, another might speak in tongues and another interpret, another may stand up and sing, another stand up and teach, another stand up and simply testify, and so forth."This is the basis of the Religious Society of Friends, established by George Fox in England in 1660. The people are the Tabernacle. And the primary belief is that there is that of God in Every person. We are called to Wait Upon the Lord in our unprogramed meetings for worship and there is no minister or priest to run things.This leads to some unconventional testimonies as well as profound insights on the Love of God for all people.Sadly, the Society has broken up into programmed and unprogrammed meetings, with the programmed meetings having ministers and all the elements of conventional protestant worship services. There is little or no time in these services for waiting upon the Lord. Nor is there opportunity for anyone to testify.Anyone with an interest in learning more should check out http://www.quaker.org/Bubbaguy
I dont think there really was a revival/awakening. No doubt some reformers were truly born from above (the Spirit), but the majority still looked for a worship practise that was locked in place and form
The absence of a pastor only reveals what is already true people want religion more than they want God.
I suspect that those who truly hunger for God will grow BECAUSE of the Churchs perpetual tendency to quench the Spirit and permit growth. The resistance is like refining fire. It is truly costly to follow Christ. The entire religious system cannot receive it. You cant put new wine into old wine skins.
_________________Jimmy H
why does the church search for new pastors based on college degrees rather than the amount of Holy Spirit within an individual?
Good post Ron. I was recently teaching on this very thing a couple weeks ago in my Singles & College class at church. One must first as a priest minister unto the Lord. Such is the primary description of the priestly function within the Old Testament. God tells Moses several times in Exodus to anoint Aaron and his sons so that they "might minister as priests unto Me." Of course, there are a few verses that talk about the priests ministry unto the people, but these are much fewer than the ones that speak of ministering unto God.I like to use Samuel's example, where he was constantly in the temple ministering unto the Lord. Because Samuel chose to make this his primary ministry did God see fit to give Samuel visions in days when visions where rare. Because he chose to minister unto the Lord, all Israel knew Samuel was confirmed as a prophet, and the Lord did not let any of his words fail. I beleive if we had to choose between being a priest unto God or a prophet unto the people, we should choose to minister unto the Lord. I also like Job's example, how he would raise everytime his children completed the cycle of their festivals, and interceede on their behalf, raising early to offer sacrifice, just in case, perhaps, they had a wicked thought against the Lord. Our ministry as intercessors is perhaps the most important of all. It's a scary thing that in this world, there are some people who have nobody whatsoever to pray for them. Countless billions are walking around, without one soul remembering them before God. Help us Lord!