God’s people should be evaluated on the basis of their faith, ability to bear responsibility, and the exercise of spiritual gifts in their ministries, not on factors that have arisen in history to divide them into c/asses, such as status (clergy or laity), money (paid or voluntary), education (general or theological), time (full-time or part-time), or calling (specific or general).

Use your imagination again to step back into the first century to see the people of God on mission.

"Thank you, Aquila and Priscilla, for welcoming us into your home. We’ve heard of the phenomenal growth of the churches in Asia and would like to see yours."

"We are glad to have you, but it will be rather difficult for you to see our church. It is scattered all over town and throughout the provinces, wherever the disciples are."

"You mean you have no buildings?"

"We meet in homes like this one for worship and for fellowship. "

"But how can you grow a church in such a small house?"

"We can’t help but grow. Every week we have to start new churches in homes to meet the demand. As soon as disciples are equipped, they begin new churches."

"But couldn’t you evangelize your city faster if you had your own building? Lost people would be attracted to it, and the community would respect you more."

"We already have more attention than we want since the riot caused by the silversmiths. Besides, we’ve already taken the gospel to every person in Asia."

"Everyone in Asia! That’s impossible! You mean all the Jews and Greeks in Ephesus, in Smyrna, in Colosse, in Sardis, on up into Bithynia, and out to Cappadocia?"

"Sure. And many other places, too. Priscilla and I are planning to move to Rome soon to start a church in our home there as a beachhead for evangelizing the whole Roman Empire. Paul plans to go to Spain, and other disciples are moving to Alexandria and to North Africa."

"How in the world did you do it?"

"Asia was not nearly so difficult as the rest of the world will be, but the plan is quite simple. We are tentmakers, as you can see. That’s how we met our friend Paul in Corinth. He introduced us to the Lord. Since then, we’ve just followed the pattern of the first church in Jerusalem. Paul brought us to Ephesus when he went to Jerusalem on his second tour. We made some disciples and counseled others, like Apollos. But the job wasn’t finished until Paul returned and led twelve of Apollos’ disciples to Christ and baptized them. He taught them about the Holy Spirit, and things haven’t been the same around here since."

"If churches here at Ephesus were started by them in their homes, didn’t you have many doctrinal errors and divisions?"

"Not many. Paul taught us for two years in the school of Tyrannus while we were evangelizing Asia and beginning churches. "

"You mean that Paul left after two years? How could he do that?"

"Well, he actually stayed three years, but he felt his work of equipping us had been finished. Being an apostle, he wanted to go preach the gospel where no one else had been. "

"What did you do for a pastor?"

"Paul appointed several elders, like myself, and helped us understand our ministries as apostles, as prophets, as evangelists, as pastors, and as teachers. We concentrate on equipping all the disciples to minister."

"You mean that all of you are ministers?"

"Yes, in our own way. How else could we have evangelized so many in Asia? We each use our spiritual gifts to serve the Lord. We have gone from house to house testifying and teaching the Truth. We’ve also had a few public meetings."

"How did you get everyone to minister?"

"From the first day Paul came to Asia, he wept and testified everywhere. He was determined that no person would be lost because he had neglected his responsibility. We have caught his vision."

"This is amazing! Let us ask you one more question. Is each disciple a leader?"

"Of course not. God gives many kinds of spiritual gifts. Each gift supports the others. A person with a gift of mercy is as important to the church as one who has a gift of administration. Each of us ministers in the area of his spiritual gifts. It appears that much of this is strange to you. Is what we are doing unusual? Do you have any new ways that might help us get the gospel to every person before the Lord returns or before our generation passes ?"

"We have some new and modern means, but you have given us something much more valuable. Thank you for letting us visit in your home. You’ll never know how much your example can help us finish the job God has given us to do. "

EVERY BELIEVER IS A MINISTER

Not only does the church involve the laity; it is the laity. The word laity comes from the Greek word laos and means simply people. The Septuagint version of the Old Testament uses this word over two thousand times for the people of God. The New Testament uses it one hundred forty times for the church as God’s people.’

The word clergy is derived from the Greek word kleros, which means heritage. It means all of God’s people, as in 1 Peter 5:3, "Neither as being lords over God’s heritage." In 2 Corinthians 6:16, kleros has the same meaning as lags.

Therefore, the biblical meaning of laos and kleros includes all of God’s people and does not make a distinction between laity and clergy.

Our modern usage of the terms is derived from the Graeco-Roman political situation rather than from the Bible. The Roman government was divided between the kleros, who were trained, powerful magistrates, and the laos, who were ignorant, uneducated peasants.

. . . in Western culture . . . "lay" came to indicate the mass of the uninformed (in any field) who are incapable of making responsible judgments or of acting with authority.

Nothing could be further from the Biblical idea of God’s chosen laos. His people have been called into being out of the mass of humanity, and the people as a whole are distinguished by their knowledge of God and their power to do his will.²

Many churches have resisted the idea of a distinction between clergy and laity. Nevertheless, the philosophy and practice have crept into our churches. Some even feel that church members should be like assistant pastors who are to help pastors get the work done. The Bible teaches that as equippers, the pastors are servants who should train the people of God so the people themselves get the work done.

Another biblical term that has acquired a new meaning in modern usage is the word call. This is the translation of a Greek word, kaleo, used in the New Testament to refer to those who have been called by God and who have listened to his voice addressed to them in the gospel, hence those who have enlisted in the service of Christ.³

Today we use call in a special sense, such as "called to be a preacher," "called to be a missionary," "called to a church." This elevates the call of part of God’s people over the call of the rest of God’s people. In the New Testament, God’s call is his act of electing and marking off an entire people for his special purpose.

Jesus called persons to a new way of life. He demanded their complete dedication before he would allow them to become his followers. The call to discipleship is the call to ministry. Any other service is a part of that call, not a higher call. One cannot surrender more than everything. Jesus turned away those who gave first allegiance to possessions, to family, or to position. We must not downgrade a part of the body of Christ to elevate another part.

Findley Edge said: "The call to salvation and the call to ministry is one and the same call. That is, when one is called by God to be a part of his people, he is also called into the ministry."⁴

Every believer is called to perform a ministry. Each member of the body has been called to build up the body so that we

. . . may grow up into him in all things, who is the head, even Christ: from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love (Eph. 4:15-16).

Arnold B. Come said:

Whenever a particular formation of the church’s ministerial functions fails any longer to impart to the whole membership a sense of mission to the world, then that formation lies under the judgment of God. The time for reformation is at hand.⁵

EVERY BELIEVER HAS A SPIRITUAL GIFT

God has given each Christian one or more spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 12:7; Rom 12:4-6; Eph. 4:7; 1 Pet. 4:10). These gifts enable him to minister in the power of the Spirit alongside other Christians who minister with their gifts.

Spiritual gifts are abilities given to men by the Holy Spirit to be manifested in his service for the good of other people.

The correct words are defined above in the following order: verses 1,4,6,7,5.

In summary, spiritual gifts are abilities or powers given to a person by the Holy Spirit to be manifested in his service for the good of other people.

As the people of God we no longer can ignore the spiritual gifts that equip God’s people to minister. Interpretations differ as to how many gifts there are, which ones are operative today, and what evidences show that one has a certain spiritual gift.

One list includes prophecy, service (helps), teaching, exhortation, giving, administration (ruling), mercy, word of wisdom, word of knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, discerning of spirits, tongues, interpretation of tongues, apostolic (missionary) gift, evangelism, and shepherding.

Each Christian should know his gift(s) and allow the Spirit to develop it(them). The certainty that one has a gift comes as he serves God, develops the abilities he has, and is sensitive to the Holy Spirit who distributes and affirms his gifts.

Spiritual gifts are not merit badges given for holiness or effort. They are spiritual abilities given to persons to enable them to minister to the entire body (1 Cor.12:11-18,25). Spiritual gifts are not to call attention to themselves or to be used for personal benefit. They are to point to Christ, his presence and power. Some in the church at Corinth thought that a particular gift was for the exclusive benefit of the individual. Such a belief denies the function of the body (1 Cor. 12 :25). Even the body of Christ does not function for its own good but for Christ and the world. Spiritual gifts are always to be used under the guidance of the Spirit and the local congregation to avoid the errors of the Corinthian church.

The fruit of the Spirit expresses the new spiritual nature. Paul identified the fruit of the spirit as love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance (Gal. 5:22-23). A life that has these qualities is the kind of life in which spiritual gifts can flourish.

The best evidence of a Spirit-led life is the presence of the fruit of the Spirit. All Christians should have all nine expressions of the fruit (singular) of the Spirit. Not all Christians have all the gifts (plural). In fact, it would be exceptional if one had all the gifts, since one purpose of the differing gifts is to bind all Christians into one interdependent body (1 Cor. 12:11-27). Specific instructions are given to prevent the misuse of the gifts (1 Cor. 12-14). If the gifts are functioning properly in the body of Christ, the church will be built up, and Christ’s ministry to the world will be performed.

Spiritual gifts are given by God, not chosen by Christians. The Holy Spirit gives them to individuals according to his will (1 Cor. 12:11,18). God determines the gift(s) you have and the ministry you perform. You are not to covet another’s gift or look down on your own. First Corinthians 14 emphasizes that the best gifts for you are the ones that make it possible for you to have the widest ministry to others. The Bible does not teach that a person can choose his own gift or that everyone must have a certain gift (such as tongues). If you have a particular gift, you have no reason to be proud; or if you do not have a particular gift, you need not be embarrassed. God decides.

Spiritual gifts differ from the fruit of the Spirit and from talents. Talents are endowments from God given at birth; spiritual gifts are endowments given at spiritual birth.

Spiritual gifts may be developed or misused. Paul urged Timothy to stir up his gift (2 Tim.1 :6). If you identify your gift(s), you can use and develop it (them) better. The gift resides in you by the grace of the Holy Spirit, and he endeavors to develop and to refine you to maximum usefulness. Spiritual gifts may be misused, also. Misuse of gifts shows immaturity. You need to be sure that you are filled and led of the Spirit to avoid excesses (Eph. 5:18).

Satan, as usual, attempts to counterfeit what God does, and you need to be on guard lest he deceive you into exercising your gift(s) in the flesh. Test also the spirit of others lest they deceive you (1 John 4:1-2). Do not be surprised that Satan attempts to discredit the Holy Spirit. And do not allow him to confuse you or to cause you to shy away from God, the Holy Spirit, his gifts, and his ministry.

The presence of a spiritual gift proves that God has given you a spiritual ability to minister. The gifts function best in connection with the fruit of the Spirit, especially love. Talents should be surrendered to God for his complete use in the kingdom. Let your ministry flow out of your spiritual gifts. Your spiritual gift(s) may be expressed through a talent if you are surrendered to God and let the Holy Spirit guide you.

EVERY BELIEVER EXTENDS THE BODY TO THE WORLD

Early churches grew because they served in the world. They worshiped and ministered in homes. (See Matt. 8:14-15; 9:23-24; Mark 2:15-17; Luke 10:5-7; Acts 2:2-4,46; 5:42; 10:24-48; 20:20; 21 :8-14; 28:30-31; Rom.16:3-5; Col.4:15; Philem. 2; Jas. 5:14-16.) The "house church" is making a comeback in Korea, in Brazil, in Chile, in Africa, in Indonesia, in America, and in other countries. It is the only kind of church that has survived in some Communist areas.

I talked with the pastor from Seoul, Korea, whose church had grown to 50,000 members in ten years. He said: "One secret of our growth is 2,600 cell groups that meet in homes under the leadership of church members. Evangelism is automatic now. It happens so easily because the cells are working. If each cell adds only one family, that is over 2,000 families. On Sunday they come to the church building. Our auditorium holds only 8,000, so we have many services to take care of about 45,000 who attend." Six years later I visited the church, and it had 280,000 members.

The New Testament practice of using homes for worship has many advantages. Unsaved persons who seldom attend church services or revivals can be reached often by small groups in homes or in apartment complexes. A warm Bible study in a Christian home appeals to many in our alienated, lonely society. Services in homes allow each ethnic or social group to worship and to take their first steps toward Christ without having to cross natural barriers. Church growth is not limited by the space available in church buildings or by particular times of the week.

In home meetings evangelism becomes a more natural part of an individual’s life as he worships and functions in society. Each person can minister more easily according to his spiritual gifts in the nurture and the interaction of a small group that aids in the maturing of Christians. These groups can be feeders for the corporate worship services of the entire local congregation or can create new ones as they expand.

Churches should consider this New Testament practice before problems such as the energy shortage, taxation of church property, government restrictions that could come with political change, and lawlessness force them to it. Practical experience in house churches equips Christians to begin new churches when they move to unchurched areas. Missionaries can have field experience before going to other nationalities or countries. In many countries the only way left to begin churches that grow out of and that thrive in the environment is the church in the home.

If this method seems too radical, remember that Sunday School first began in homes. One of the reasons Baptists and Methodists outgrew other denominations on the American frontier was that they met in homes and in schools, as well as in church buildings. They were led by their local leaders.

New Testament churches grew in ever widening circles. As Christians witnessed, people responded and new churches were started. The local church is God’s plan for missions. Reproducing disciples multiply churches. As churches grow and multiply, they become advance stations for world evangelization. Churches can extend their witness to the world through cooperative efforts in associations, conventions, and agencies. Modern-day examples can be seen in the way Baptist churches, associations, state conventions, and the Home Mission Board combine their efforts to extend the kingdom.

In 1965, while Watts was still burning after massive riots and looting, lack O’Neal, California director of Cooperative Ministries with National Baptists, called E. V. Hill, a prominent National Baptist pastor in Watts. "Ed," he said, "I’m watching all this on TV. What can we as Southern Baptists do?"

One thing they tried was saturating the area with the gospel, and they started through Vacation Bible Schools.

Hill’s church, Mt. Zion, sponsored four Vacation Bible Schools the next summer; the Home Mission Board sent two summer missionaries to help.

In 1967, Mt. Zion sponsored ten Vacation Bible Schools, and the Board sent four student missionaries.

In 1968, Mt. Zion had eighty-two Vacation Bible Schools which reached six thousand people.

Out of this flurry of activity came the idea for the twin-triplet program. Sid Smith came to Los Angeles in September 1968. He wanted to extend Vacation Bible Schools into backyards, garages, or wherever he and the churches could find a spot to meet.

In 1969, five area churches had ten Vacation Bible Schools each. In 1970, the element of twinning was added, pairing three white churches with three black churches. In 1971, Smith expanded that to the triplet program, bringing in Spanish churches.

In 1974, a dozen churches, including a Chinese church, cooperated in triplet or twin programs. Each team of churches has to hold at least ten Vacation Bible Schools. "Many have never held more than one Vacation Bible School," Smith said. "At first, they say: ‘New, ten? We can’t do ten.’ But they do."

By 1978, 25,000 had attended Vacation Bible School, and 2,000 professions of faith had been made.⁶

Associations initiate many kinds of mission projects to help Christians to extend the body of Christ. Associational projects in Arkansas in 1979 included such ministries as administering disaster relief funds to tornado victims, sponsoring a joint revival crusade of white and black churches, establishing a mission Sunday School in a mountain community, beginning a new mission using a portable chapel building owned by an association, developing a broad ministry to Hispanic migrants, and ministering to Vietnamese and Laotian immigrants.⁷

The state and national conventions cooperate to extend the kingdom across natural and ethnic barriers. Baptists have established churches among eighty-seven different language groups in the United States.

First-century Christians crisscrossed the nations of the known world as businessmen, as tourists, as soldiers, as explorers, as students, and so on, but "they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word" (Acts 8:4). They went for many reasons but with one purpose-the spreading of the gospel. When Christians recognize their call, develop their gifts, and engage in missions in their natural surroundings, they will minister to people of other nationalities as they go (Matt. 28:19).

God calls missionaries out of growing, spiritual churches to go to the uttermost parts of the earth. The first fruit of missions, the church at Antioch, sent their two best equippers to other nations.

As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away (Acts 13:2-3).

The Antioch church furnishes us a model for sending missionaries. First, they spent time in fasting and in prayer, thereby placing themselves in position to hear God speak. Second, they sent their best equippers. Third, they cooperated with the Holy Spirit to send missionaries. (Acts 13:3 says the church sent them; verse 4 says the Spirit sent them.) Fourth, they commended them to the grace of God for mission work. Fifth, they received reports of the fulfilled ministries of the missionaries (Acts 14:26-27). Sixth, they commended them to return for further missionary service (Acts 15:40).

Extending the kingdom to all people will require sending out tens of thousands of missionaries from churches of all nations to other nations. Two and one-half billion persons who are not Christians live in an environment where there are no known Christians. This means they will not hear the gospel until someone has crossed cultural and communication barriers. Every country in the world is made up of a widely varied mix of people-tribes, castes, occupational groups, language groups, religious groups, and combinatio⁸ns of these. The U.S. Center of World Missions estimates that there are 16,750 such groups in 221 countries of the world.

Missionaries must impart to their converts the spirit of missions that brought them as missionaries, or they will forge dead-end links in God’s chain of purpose. Any Christian or any church that is not missionary is out of the will of God. Nonmissionary churches are too immature to think beyond their own needs to the needs of others, are ignorant of God’s purpose, or are disobedient to their Lord.

In the people-packed harbor area of Jakarta, Indonesia, thrives an unusual church that bears a close resemblance to New Testament churches. After the pastor moved to another church several years ago, the members began to lead the services. Thirteen of them study in the Indonesian Baptist Theological Seminary’s extension program which trains them as they serve. In time the church began satellite churches in five homes to reach non-Christians during the week. On Sunday they attend the services at the mother church. A dock worker, a lawyer, a schoolteacher, an office worker, and others take turns leading the services.

When I preached a revival there, I asked if they planned to call a pastor. "We want to," they replied. "We need one to train us, but we don’t want a pastor who will not let us work and lead services in our homes. He won’t have to do regular visitation; we do that. He could just train us and help us work with difficult individuals and situations. We haven’t found a pastor yet that we thought would let us do that." I can testify that this young church does witness and does minister, for by the close of the week seventy-eight persons had accepted Christ as Savior.

One church leader has moved to the island of Sumatra to teach school. Naturally, he has begun services in several surrounding villages. Another member has helped administer disaster relief funds on an island several hundred miles from Jakarta. A third member has helped lead the associational Baptist Women’s group to send a home missionary to a transmigration area in Lampung, Sumatra. Extending the kingdom has become a life-style for these Christians.

NOTES

1. Howard A. Snyder, The Problem of the Wine Skins (Downers Grove,Ill. :Intervarsity Press, 1976), p. 102. Used by permission.

2. Arnold B. Come, Agents of Reconciliation (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1960), pp. 88-89. Used by permission.

3. Joseph H. Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Nashville: Broadman Press, Copyright 1977 by Baker Book House; reprint of fourth edition printed in 1889), p. 321.

4. Findley B. Edge, The Greening of the Church (Waco: Word Books, 1971), p. 38.

5. Come, p. 94.

6. Elaine Selcraig Furlow, The Human Touch (Atlanta: Home Mission Board, Southern Baptist Convention, 1975), pp. 137-52.

7. Arkansas Baptist, Vol. 78, No. 19, May 17, 1979, p. 11.

8. Mission Frontiers, Vol. 6, No. 4, April-May, 1984.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Adventures in Christian Service. Equipping Center module. Nashville: The Sunday School Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, 1982.

Edge, Findley B. The Doctrine of the, Laity. Nashville: Convention Press, 1985. Grimes, Lewis Howard. The Rebirth of the Laity. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1962.

Hoekendijk, Johannes Christian. The Church Inside Out. Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1966.

Manson, T. W. The Church’s Ministry. London: Dodder & Stoughton, Ltd.,1948. . _____.Ministry and Priesthood: Christ’s and Ours. London: Epworth Press, 1958.

Trueblood, David Elton. Your Other Vocation. New York: Harper & Row, Publishers, Inc., 1952.