From Bishop Craig Miller: Oct 2024

“All truly pastoral ministry in the church has as an essential part of its content the training of others to be ministers of Christ in the world. … The test of our ministry will be the extent to which our people become ministers.”  Lesslie Newbigin

Reformation Day celebrates Martin Luther’s posting of the 95 Theses in 1517, seen as the beginning of a movement in the Western church that restored the pure teaching of the Gospel to its people. Out of this movement we have teachings such as Justification by Faith, Word Alone, God’s Two Kingdoms, and the Priesthood of All Believers.

This latter, as a slogan, has often been misunderstood to imply that the Office of Ministry (pastor) is somehow devalued or even abolished by the Gospel. In truth, the Priesthood of all believers claims that all those who believe and have been baptized into Christ share in a ministry to one another and to the world. As members of Christ’s priestly people, we each have responsibility for the prayers of the church: we are to intercede for each other with God and together intercede on behalf of all creation.

Similarly, this priesthood bears responsibility for bearing God’s Word into the world in word and in deed. Those who have been called through Baptism are to become light, salt, yeast, to “let your light so shine before others that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

How does your congregation equip and encourage members of Christ’s body for the ministry to which we as a priestly people have been called? The Lay Ministry Institute has begun offering training to help congregations in this important work. Please share with them what you would find helpful for our shared priesthood.