In a brief but highly provocative post on the Lausanne website entitled, Tear down this wall: A note for pastors and laity,?Kent Humphreys makes the following assertion:
“… a small minority (perhaps one to five percent of the ?professional vocational ministers?)?do?understand the problem and are modeling the biblical paradigm. Another fifteen to twenty percent may think they understand (and may even preach it), but they?do not model it. I am convinced that a full eighty percent of ?ordinary? believers?do not understand their calling?as full-time ambassadors of Christ.”
He goes on to outlines obstacles for pastors/Christian leaders and the laity and makes some suggestions as to how each group can begin to address the issues. ?We’ll break the comments up into four posts to allow time for you to ruminate on the issues. ?Of course, the impatient ones can press the link and get the whole story in one go!?
Obstacles for Pastors and Christian Leaders?
Some reasons why Humphreys believes that pastors and leaders of Christian groups are hesitant to build bridges and let the walls come down.
- They believe in the ?priesthood of every believer,? but have not seen a biblical model of it.
- They do not see the wall they have created that separates the ?professional? and the ?ordinary? believer.
- They have confused teaching with equipping and modeling.
- They have elevated programs and buildings over relationships, and growing their local church over building God?s kingdom.
- They have allowed walls to exist so that they will not?have to be vulnerable to a small group or other individuals.
- They hate to give up control and are intimidated by strong lay leaders.
- They do not understand the difference between leading followers and equipping leaders.
- They enjoy the platform and attention of the crowds.
- They have elevated the teaching of the mind over the changing of the heart.
- They are afraid of partnerships with other churches, other denominations, and even other strong leaders in their own churches.
What do you think? ?If you are a pastor, do any of these comments resonate with your experience? ?If you are part of the so-called laity, are there any of these that ring true for you?
Next post:?Obstacles for the Laity