"lynx" <none@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote;
>> Who / what is a "Christian minister"????
>>
>> 1 Peter 2:9 "You are a royal priesthood and a priestly kingdom,"
>>
>> Revelation 5:10, "Through your blood you have made us into priests and
>> kings."
>
> I find it amusing that you quote the bible to sup****t your arguments,
but
> when others do, you deny the authority of the bible.
I've also quoted from one book of the bible that is a forgery and another
that is an apocalypse ... but that's what the priesthood of all believers
is
built upon.
> Ministers/Priests are supposed to 'shepherd the flock'.
.... not fleece them like a tv evangelist. ;-)
> They're supposed
> to teach, instruct, comfort those in need, perform religious and other
> ceremonies, funerals, marriages, charitable works, etc., and be leaders
in
> the Church. They are supposedly ordained by God for the purpose and
> therefore (supposedly) have divine authority. Ordinary/lay ppl are not
so
> ordained, and don't have divine authority to do those things. (You can't
> be married by an ordinary Church person).
The things that differentiate a layperson from a minister in the list
above
are that the minister is the only one allowed to perform marriages ...
unless the lay person is a celebrant. In some churches the minister is
also
the only one able to do the magic trick of turning a bit of dry cracker
and
grape juice into Jesus.
SO ...
Of what use is clergy in the real world where many people never get
married
and do not attend communion / eucharist?
The term "Christian minister" implies ministry and ministry means help.
If you don't help then you don't minister.
A Christian minister who does not help is not a minister at all.
Christian teachers in Christian Community Schools were originally supposed
to be on a stipend as "ministers of the gospel". That would also have
meant
that you could pay them less and it would be tax free.
Chrisitian rock bands are also supposed to be a "ministry" but they don't
get tax free status either unless they are clergy.
> Possibly you would make a better minister than Rowland.
I could make more money by opening the Triple Tithe Temple and placing it
on
tv across Australia. ;-)
Look at Athanasius (you'll have to stretch your neck upwards as he's
bigger
than you). Will he ever become a millionaire through preaching the gospel?
No way! If "ble$$ing" means getting rich then God obviously doesn't ble$$
Deacons.
Does Athanasius minister to / help others. Definitely. I've met the
giant.
Rowland also ministers / helps. I've also met him. The two are different.
They both have their strengths and weaknesses. I could never mix with
some
of the slimeballs that Rowland mixes with. A certain local Baptist
minister
is one of the worst slimeballs I've ever met. I rate him lower than the
hitman I met who worked for Abe Saffron. He had more morals that "Gibbo"
(the subject of one of my poems.)
The Apostle Paul could work a real job as a tentmaker AND evangelise the
Roman empire without the aid of a congregation paying him tithes,
offerings,
love gifts and perks but modern clergy find it far too difficult.
What changed?
If all clergy took a vow of poverty would we have any clergy left today?
--
MY BLOG - MARK T - my thoughts on Christianity & links
http://www.blognow.com.au/strooth/
MY SOUNDCLICK PAGE- download my original songs in mp3 format
http://www.soundclick.com/marktindall
FUNDY FUNHOUSE -
http://fundamentalistfunhouse.blogspot.com/
- a resource on the current Fundamentalist Dark Age and Christian
fundamentalism.
PASTOR DALE K WHANGKE
http://dalekwhangke.blogspot.com/
Wyrst Pentacostal Church
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