Priests in Working Clothes
As we know, word-meanings change over time. Sad first meant satisfied or settled. Session (a good Presbyterian word) originally described place for sitting, the act of sitting or the state of being seated. Occult simply referred to something hidden. In the 16th century, saying someone was a bully amounted to calling them darling or sweetheart. And how would a teenager today, on hearing Deck the Halls, react to the words “don we now our gay apparel”?
When word-meanings shift, it sometimes makes little difference. But they’re dangerous if such changes tempt us to forget who we are. That’s spiritual amnesia. An example? What picture flashes through your mind when you hear the word priest? Probably someone (most likely male) wearing a stiff, white band around the neck that (we assume) must fasten somewhere in the back.
A Shortage of Priests
Worldwide, fewer and fewer are wearing such collars. For example, in the Catholic church, the priest:parishioner ratio is about 1:2,964. Picture that ratio as a single mile over against the nearly 3,000-mile highway trip from Los Angeles to New York City. What a contrast to what Martin Luther said in the 16th century: "All Christians are priests.”
Of course, Luther’s definition of priest came from Scripture. Revelation 1:6 says Jesus “has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father.” And 5:10 says it again: ”You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God.”
In the 500 years since Luther lived, the meaning of priest has narrowed. Ask yourself: How many times last week did I think of myself as a priest? Or, Did I encounter any priests in my workplace yesterday?
Switched Labels
The reality is that few Christians today see themselves as priests. Instead, they have heard themselves repeatedly labeled as “laypersons.” Definitions of that term usually describe what those persons are not. For example, one dictionary says laypersons are “members of a religious community that do not have the priestly responsibilities of ordained clergy.” They are not ministers, not priests, not reverends.
But suppose Luther and John, the author of Revelation, are right. What if all Christians are priests. In that case, goodbye priest shortage. Wherever you meet a Christ-follower, you meet a priest. The implication? God has sprinkled his priests into workplaces all around the world—into shops, offices, factories, fields, schools, hospitals, homes, neighborhoods, and so on.
The expertise of these priests comes not from spending years in seminaries or theological schools. Instead, they minister by doing the work they are trained and experienced in, the work in which they serve God and bless his world. If you are a Christian in the work world, how do you act there as a priest? What are you meant to do?
Basic Roles of Priests
As a priest, you have two primary roles. One, to represent God before those in your work circles. And, two, to represent them before God.
You represent God before them by doing your work as Jesus would do it if he were in your shoes. Let’s say someone makes a costly mistake. Instead of responding with condemnation or cancellation, you extend generous forgiveness. When everyone is compromising through shoddy or shady practices, you stand firm for integrity. You do quality work whether or not the boss is around.
And, again like Jesus, you represent your coworkers before God by praying for them. You ask God to give those in charge of your organization both the wisdom and courage to make fair and right choices. For non-Christians, you pray that God would make himself known to them. For Christians, you pray that their faith will not fail—as Jesus prayed for Peter.
What role, then, is left for those whose work is in the organized churches? Scripture, again, makes that clear. God gives them to the church so that they may equip those priests “for the work people who follow Christ must do” (Ephesians 4:12, UBS New Testament Handbook Series). In other words, the work of church leaders is to provide an apprenticeship in “priesting” for those whose work mostly takes place in the scattered church.
Just imagine the changes in a world whose workplaces were filled with Christians serving God and others as priests!
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