The Ministry of the Laity

The New Testament uses the Greek word laos to mean “the people,” as in the phrase “the people of God.” It has become the English word “laity” or “layman” through the Latin translation of the Bible. The Bible does not know anything about the word “clergy.” It was invented after the New Testament was completed. Today, in English, it is common to refer to a “layman” as a person who is not professionally trained in a field, such as, “I am not an astronomer, I am just a layman who enjoys looking at the stars.” The stratification of this term into professional clergy and lay people is something that was manufactured outside the Bible.

In fact, Protestants don’t believe in the lay/clergy division at all. One of the founding principles of the Protestant movement—the Reformation—is “the priesthood of all believers.” Every believer in Jesus, regardless of their education or status, may pray directly to God and secure their salvation through faith in Jesus. No one is dependent on another person to gain access to Christ.

Protestant pastors are considered to be facilitators and teachers, not priests. They may lead out in worship, but it is not required that worship leaders be trained or ordained. Their spiritual authority comes from their spiritual gifts as equippers and leaders, not from the laying on of hands. The ceremony of ordination is recognition of spiritual gifts, bestowed by the Holy Spirit, not a bestowal of anything.

The ministry of pastors and elders (spiritual leaders) in the body of Christ is understood by most. What is less well understood is the ministry of the rest of the believers. They all have spiritual gifts. God expects every single believer, without exception, to serve Him through His body. What can be described as the over-riding single theme of this service? How can it be defined concisely as compared to the ministry of pastors?

As the ministry of pastors and elders is to the believers in the church, so the ministry of the laity is to the non-believers outside the church. The church is a missionary agency; a sending organization that sends the members out into the world to do the work of God in the secular context. If you are not a pastor or elder, then your duty to God is to serve His unsaved children in the secular world. If you are not doing this, then you are unfaithful to the call of God on your life.

“God bestows upon all members of His church in every age spiritual gifts which each member is to employ in loving ministry for the common good of the church and of humanity,” states the official Fundamental Beliefs document of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. “When members employ these spiritual gifts as faithful stewards of God’s varied grace, the church is protected from the destructive influence of false doctrine, grows with growth that is from God, and is built up in faith and love.” (Paragraph 17, Fundamental Beliefs of Seventh-day Adventists)

Notice in the paragraph above, that spiritual gifts are given not only for the church, but also for “the common good of … humanity.” The typical church member is to use his or her spiritual gifts in the secular world for the betterment of his or her neighbors, coworkers, professional associates, acquaintances in the community and the civic population in general. Jesus was once asked, “Who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10:29) He responded with a story (which may have been a current event at the time) about a man who was mugged and left to die on a deserted highway. Two respected religious leaders happened by and each left the man in a pool of blood and hurried on, evidently unwilling to get their hands dirty. Then a man despised for his ethnicity and heretical religion came along and immediately rendered first aid, put the wounded man on his mount and took him to the nearest town where he paid the innkeeper to care for the man until he was well enough to travel on. “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” Jesus asked His questioner, who gave the obvious response, “The one who showed compassion.” (Luke 10:36-37) The authentic followers of Jesus are those who employ their spiritual gifts to show compassion on all who are in need. This is the ministry of the laity, the people of God.