Abolish the laity

I like what Dave Black said this morning (8:53 AM) :

I do not wish to abolish the clergy. I wish to abolish the laity. All of us are to be ministers.

I think that is the right perspective. It is not a desire to drag down the pastors that motivates many of us, some sort of anti-authority rebelliousness that we are often accused of. It is a desire to see all of us minister in a real and meaningful fashion, a desire to see the whole Body equipped for the work of ministry. So many of the issues that concern me like the professionalization of ministry and the full-time, paid status of clergy we see is a result of a laity that is neither inclined nor equipped to fulfill what we have all been called to do. That is why ministry is subcontracted out to "professionals" instead of a burden shared by all. The great need in the church is for the people of God to wake from our comfortable, traditional religious slumber and to take the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world. All of us, without exception and without distinction.

For this to happen, two things need to occur. First, the "laity" needs to be unleashed and challenged to serve. Second, the "clergy" needs to let go and let things get a little messy. I truly believe that every regenerate believer in Jesus Christ desires to do the work of evangelism, do the work of ministry, serve God by serving one another. They just need to be given the opportunity, the tools and perhaps even a gentle push to get them going.