Are you a minister of God? If you are a layperson, is your work as important as full-time ministry?
In the above video, Jason and David Benham argue that it is. But the idea that ministry is somehow higher than other work has a long history.
The Benham brothers explain that Aristotle split work into two categories:
- High work: thinking and culture.
- Low work: labor and trade.
Aristotle’s ideas influenced many of the early church fathers, causing the sacred-secular divide to extend throughout church history into both Protestant and Catholic congregations today.
Photo courtesy of Matthew Robinson.
But many of the reformers questioned this teaching. One of their mottos was,
A Bible in the hands of every plowboy.
The Benham brothers explain,
The plowboy is just as much a minister of the grace of Jesus Christ as the priest, and that’s the exact same thing in the marketplace.
The teaching that all Christians are in ministry through their work is known as “the priesthood of all believers.” How did this impact the Benham brothers? They went into real-estate. Regarding this decision, the recall:
As ministers of God, we said “Lord, how are we supposed to inject the kingdom of God into the marketplace?” Is it all about just making a bunch of money so that you can give it away to ministries? No. Giving money to ministries is very important, but you’re in ministry as a business leader already.
Who are Jason and David Benham? Find out more here. For a more thorough treatment of the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers, check out Dr. Art Lindsley’s white paper and blog post. Then leave your comments here.
