Release the Priests

If it's We live in uncharted territory.

We don't know what each day will bring, but one thing we do know is that "for such a time as this" has given the church a great opportunity to rise up and spur on revival.

"You are a chosen people.  You are a royal priest.  You are a holy nation. You are God's very own possession.  As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light."  1 Peter 2:9

Because of these things: being a chosen people, being a royal priest, being a holy nation, being God's very own possession, we can show others the goodness of God.  We talk a lot about priesthood of the believer especially in Baptist circles, yet very few practice the biblical promise.  We seem to collect around an individual in a "pope-like" system.

This being a royal priest promises that we can go directly to Jesus himself with our concerns, praises and needs.  This being a royal priest also promises that  we have a purpose in showing others the goodness of God.  This means that he has given every believer the title of priest as a matter of BEing the church and accomplishing his will.

This royal priesthood is played out in our gifts.  In Ephesians 4:11-12, it says, "And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of the ministry, to build up the body of Christ, until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God's Son, growing into maturity with a stature measured by Christ's fullness."

He has given every believer a major.  Your major is one of these gifts: Apostle (Missionary), Prophet, Evangelist, Shepherd, or Teacher.

So how what does this mean in our current context?

• We need to release the priests to be the church. Each person in our church has a gift that needs to be deployed in their home and in their community.
• Could it be that God is allowing the church to scatter so that ordinary people grasp on to their God given potential to be the church in their homes and businesses. 
• Are we enabling our people to not exercise their priestly duties, by not encouraging them to lead out in their homes during this time?
• Do we need to spend more of our time equipping online rather than preaching online?
• What if instead of having people watch a screen, we actually had them lead in their home?
• What if we were to equip to teach the Word in our homes?  What if we were to equip to shepherd in our homes?  What if we were to equip our people to evangelize in our homes?  What if we were to equip to have worship in our homes?
• Imagine the strength and the testimonies of the church when we are able to gather back if we deploy them to BE the church.

How can we move forward in equipping the body to BE the church in exercising their gifts?  How will we move forward in equipping Church Inside Out to Be the Church.

1.  Find out what your major is: Missionary(Apostle), Prophet, Evangelist, Shepherd or Teacher?  A couple of resources to help you:

• https://5qcentral.com/5qcentral.com/
• Primal Fire by Neil Cole (very practical resource that explains MPEST/APEST)
• APEST Assessment (Let me know if you would be interested in taking this assessment: $10)
• Saturate the World: SOMA https://saturatetheworld.com/

2.  Operate out of your gifts.  In your time of worship, exercise your gift.  If it is Missionary, lead your crew in seeking out how to minister to your neighbors.  If it's Prophet, bring your insight and make sure your crew remains true to God and his Word.  If it is Evangelist, lead your crew in praying for the lost, keep it in front of your crew and encourage/train your crew to share the Gospel through social media and in your neighborhood.  If it is shepherding, pray, encourage and care those in your circle and in your neighborhood.  If it is teaching, bring a daily devotional each week and if we continue to be quarantined, teach the Word.
3.  Recognize you don't have to be perfect in your attempt.  In this process, you will be working out your gift.  For me, even after 26 years of ministry, I am working out my gift as the Lord leads.  I am still learning.
4.  Parents, Husbands and Wives, you lead spiritually in your home.  You yourselves use this time to spiritually prepare.  
5.  Lead Church at Home.  I will be having a follow up blog here soon  on how to have Church at Home.

This opportunity God is giving us in scattering the church is quite phenomenal.  God is putting faith back into the hands of people rather than just at the church building.

It is time to release the priest.  It's time to hand over opportunity and responsibility of our faith to the ordinary person.