the Priesthood of all believers

Over the last several years I have wrestled with whether or not to go back to school to become a pastor. One of the things that most holds me back is my obligation to my immediate family first and the Church second (see 2 Corinthians 7:32-35). The other is the ridiculous amount of politics an controversy in the Church (see 1 Tim 6:4 & Titus 3:9). There is an element of malcontents who make it their business to police the Church for heretics when they should be about the work of the Great Commission. Mostly it irritates me, but I'd be lying if I said that it didn't also intimidate me.

But the more I pray about it and the more I read the Bible, the less I think that it is necessary to wear a black collar and have the letters "Rev." before your name.

All of us are called to the "priesthood of all believers" (1 Pet 2:9). So, wherever God takes me, whether I remain a public school teacher or became a trash collector, He can use me and work through me as His instrument. I will not let myself feel inadequate or inferior for not being in "professional" ministry.

After all in His book "Babylonian Captivity of the Church," Martin Luther himself said that pastors are no better than laymen, they are only in a different office.

The first President of the Lutheran Church~Missouri Synod, C. F. W. Walther said: "Mission work is particularly the obligation of Lutheran Christians today because of the wealth God has given them and the open doors He has set before them. . . No one should say 'I am no pastor'. . . You have been baptized and through Holy Baptism . . . every Christian has received not only the power, but the full authority and the right, but also the obligation under penalty of losing divine grace himself or herself, to watch, to care and to help that others may also be enlightened and brought to Christ."

So if God wants me to be an actual pastor so badly, He can make it happen, but I don't need to stress-out about it anymore. I'm sick of fretting and fuming. I know that He has use for me and has touched people in my life already.

In so far as God speaks through me and uses me to share His Word with others, I am a Prophet.

In so far as God uses me as an intermediator when I intercede on behalf of others with Him in prayer, and represent His love and forgiveness to others daily, I am a Priest.

In so far as God uses me as an example and a leader and because Christ makes us heirs to His Kingdom, I am a King.

The name "Christian" means "little imitators of Chirst," or "little anointed ones." You and I are all called, made holy and set aside for God's purposes.

Thank God that He saved me by grace, through faith, in order to do the good works for which He created me (Ephesians 2:8-10.)