One of the most radical ideas to emerge from the Protestant Reformation was this: you do not need a priest to access God. In the 16th century, Martin Luther drew on the New Testament to argue that every Christian stands in direct relationship with God, without need of an intermediary. He called this “the priesthood of all believers.”
In practice, this means that ministry belongs to the whole people of God, not just the ordained. Every person in the pew carries the same dignity and the same calling as the person in the pulpit. The pastor is not a mediator between the congregation and God. The pastor is one minister among many, set apart for particular tasks but not elevated above the rest.
This idea has always sat at the heart of congregational traditions like our own. We do not believe that God’s voice comes exclusively through the clergy. We believe it comes through the gathered community.
This is why services like today’s are important. When the congregation leads worship, teaches, prays, and preaches, it’s not filling in for the clergy. It’s being exactly what the church is meant to be!
