Thursday, February 3, 2022

Emil Brunner on Who Is a "Minister"

"One thing is supremely important: that all minister, and that nowhere is to be perceived a separation, or even merely a distinction, between those who do and those who do not minister, between the active and passive members of the body, between those who give and those who receive. There exists in the Ecclesia a universal duty and right of service, a universal readiness to serve, and at the same time the greatest possible differentiation of functions." Emil Brunner, The Misunderstanding of the Church, p. 50. 

Look at any church website and you will realize our utter failure to acknowledge the truth of what Dr. Brunner is saying. We list only certain leaders as "ministers." And that is a very big problem. It is not only wrong, it is unhelpful.