The NT gives us a beautiful picture of the open meeting assembly. Paul lays the ground work in 1Cor. 12 and 14, Ephesians 4, and Romans 12 for the MO of the body of Christ. No one telling another 'we have no need of you' like exists today.
In the first century, they 'discerned the body of Christ' aright! It was Jesus operating through all the folks!
So if every member is a functioning vessel, who gets the salary? Please take note when you read those chapters that the executive 'pastor' is missing. Maybe he went on a much needed vacation! That could be true if he was mentioned anywhere else in the word. He is not!
Epehesians 4 is speaking clearly of the empowering Christ and His spiritual gifts He's given unto all men. Look at the Greek, and those functions are singular. But does that mean that there is only one apostle, one prophet, one evangelist, one teacher, one poimen/shepherd, pastor? Of course not. It's pointing to the Holy Spirit that imparts those functions to different individuals at different moments in the context of the participatory meeting. Some maintain said functions for certain tasks such as evangelism, etc..
In light of the scriptures that describe the assembly of the saints and their open spiritual functions, '2 or 3 at a time, everything done decently and in order', I submit that most Christians, out of ignorance of the word, are indeed 'forsaking the assembling of themselves together', not forsaking getting together but forsaking the way we are to get together. How we function once we are together.
Right is is right and wrong is wrong and the 'body of Christ' has been lulled to sleep by wrong and we think it's 'having church'.
I have rattled on....you know me by now. The main question to you is this. If every member of the body of Christ is to minister in turn, who gets the pay check? Don't lay tradition on me. Lay scripture on me. The Greek for honor means honor, not money. So don't go there please!
In the first century, they 'discerned the body of Christ' aright! It was Jesus operating through all the folks!
So if every member is a functioning vessel, who gets the salary? Please take note when you read those chapters that the executive 'pastor' is missing. Maybe he went on a much needed vacation! That could be true if he was mentioned anywhere else in the word. He is not!
Epehesians 4 is speaking clearly of the empowering Christ and His spiritual gifts He's given unto all men. Look at the Greek, and those functions are singular. But does that mean that there is only one apostle, one prophet, one evangelist, one teacher, one poimen/shepherd, pastor? Of course not. It's pointing to the Holy Spirit that imparts those functions to different individuals at different moments in the context of the participatory meeting. Some maintain said functions for certain tasks such as evangelism, etc..
In light of the scriptures that describe the assembly of the saints and their open spiritual functions, '2 or 3 at a time, everything done decently and in order', I submit that most Christians, out of ignorance of the word, are indeed 'forsaking the assembling of themselves together', not forsaking getting together but forsaking the way we are to get together. How we function once we are together.
Right is is right and wrong is wrong and the 'body of Christ' has been lulled to sleep by wrong and we think it's 'having church'.
I have rattled on....you know me by now. The main question to you is this. If every member of the body of Christ is to minister in turn, who gets the pay check? Don't lay tradition on me. Lay scripture on me. The Greek for honor means honor, not money. So don't go there please!