All Things Seen & Unseen

* The denomination that I am a part of seems wedded to the idea that full-time ministers of Christ only exist within the congregational structure. Therefore, it clearly implies that all the work done by the 'laity' (an abominable term btw) is outside the ambit of the Body of Christ. Just to make myself clear: I am NOT talking about involving the non-ordained 'laity' in congregational work such as song-leading, worship-leading, taking up the collection or dispensing the elements for Holy Communion. All of these tasks need to be done but the 'laity' spends most of its time outside the confines of the congregation.

Most of us know how God used the German monk, Dr Martin Luther (1483-1546), to shake to the core the medieval western (Roman) church in the early decades of the 16th century which led to the Protestant Reformation. We know that his views can summarised by: justification by faith alone in Christ alone. Of course, Luther did believe that the sinner is justified by faith in Christ alone without good works. (Nevertheless, faith in Christ, he said, is never without good works [Eph 2.8-10].) Luther's battle with the Roman church was also evidenced in Rome's doctrines surrounding the virgin Mary, its dead 'saints', clergy, bishops and Pope who could be said to be intercede between the Roman church believer and Christ.  Hence, the Roman church was in a powerful, politico-faith position because to be under its curse -an anathema- was to be dammed to eternal torment. Few kings, emperors or any others of the time were prepared to oppose Rome knowing their eternal dest...

I was conf ronted 30 years ago with a different form of the message cont ained in this book by James Thwaites (a Pentecostal), and it still faces me today. Some book titles are arresting and The Church Beyond The Congregation is one of th ese. However , it is more than just arresting because it is very easy to misunderstand what the book is proposing by simply interpreting its title within our normal categories. It's a creational given that we do this and it's das hed difficult to modify or abandon our settled categ ories. I could start by asking, what is the Church? Su ch a simple que stion but it is easy to get the answer wrong according to New Testament (NT) terms. The normal understanding of the Church is that it is only the institutional structure, the congregation that Sunday-by-Sunday meets to hear the scriptures read, to break bread, to pray and fellowship (Act 2.42). If you would like a snap shot of this regular view, Google 'the Body of Christ...