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What
is the literal meaning of words in the scriptures that are
often translated “minister” or “ministry”?
In his book The Shape of the Ministry, Melinsky
notes that “All the ... terms [doulos,
diakonos, huperetes, poimen, apostolos, leitourgos]
are chosen from the world of secular service in its many
forms. … All of them denote someone of inferior social
status whose prime task is to see that someone else’s
will is carried out.
When Greek came to be translated into Latin, the
word minister
lay to hand. It
comes from minus
meaning ‘less’, and it was used to refer to
cup-bearers, under-officials, legal assistants and
mediators.8
These words suggest the inclusion of
all God’s people in the task of ministering his grace
and love to his world.
It involves all Christians –
disciples of Christ who seek to follow him in all
details of their lives.
The aspect of that Christian life here under
discussion is that of service,
to God, to sisters and brothers in Christ, and to the
wider world, its members and its institutions.
In his book Practising Community -
the Task of the Local Church, Robin Greenwood writes,
“The first [principle] is a renewed understanding of
baptism, supported by respected scholars of all the major
denominations, and experienced as authentic in the lives
of many Christians. This emphasizes that every
committed member has a rightful share in the mission and
ministry of the body of Christ.” This leading
(Anglican) writer on church and ministry goes on to note
developments that flow out such as “an acceptance of the
responsibility of the whole people of God as the primary
agents of Christian ministry, rather than ... merely the
recipients of ministry.” And that “... for
the vast majority of laity it would be a recognition that
the main focus of their ministry lies in the opportunities
presented by their everyday responsibilities and
challenges amongst the people and in the communities with
whom they are engaged.”9
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This is not a view peculiar
to the Church of England, it is common cause across the
church traditions. The Methodist Dr Esther Shreeve
has recently written10 “But what was
very moving was to see over thirty people all going out
to minister in a wide variety of situations, the course
having equipped them as well as it could. I had the
opportunity to speak to them that weekend about ministry
- ministry in the context of being the other side of the
coin of discipleship, the outworking of the faith and
commitment of the laos, the People of God. I based much
of what I was saying on recent Methodist reports,
particularly. Called to Love and Praise (1999):
The word laos hardly ever denotes lay people as
different from leaders and presbyters. The ministry of
the people of God in the world is both the primary and
the normative ministry of the Church, for the Church
is as much itself in the world as it is in the Church
... the ministry is expressed in Christ-like giving,
in social action, and in witness to the Christian
gospel … In Methodism, the ministry of lay people
has been essential to the very functioning of the
church from the start ... the partnership of ordained
and lay ministers remains vital to the work and
well-being of the Church.11
Other churches have come to see this in recent years;
the Roman Catholic Church, post Vatican II, has seen
some interesting developments, as Peter McIsaac has
pointed out:
The Second Vatican Council, then, calls the laity
to exercise their unique ministry in the Church’s
mission, which comes from their privileged place in
the world. In the daily labours of their working
lives, the laity are at the heart of the world where
the Church needs to bring its healing, reconciliation
and transformation. But they do not only bring the
grace of the Church to the world; they also bring the
needs desires and sufferings of the world into the
worship of the Church and before the altar.”12
Or we can note the Vision Statement of one of many
community churches:
- Every member actively involved in praying for the
church, the city and the nations.
- Every member operating in the gifts and power of
the Holy Spirit.
- Every member brought to Christ-like maturity and
released into ministry.
- Every member demonstrating the love of God to one
another.
- Every member bringing people to Christ and
contributing to world mission.13
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These
are but a
small selection from many recent publications affirming
the role of the laos, the people of God, as ministers
of his grace, mercy, love and truth. Logically
or theologically, the conclusion is hard to escape: Paul
writing to the young church meant what he said:
"The gifts
he [Jesus] gave were that some would be apostles, some
prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to
equip the saints for the work of ministry,
for building up the body of Christ ..." (Ephesians
4:11-12)
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