Brookside Church: A Community of Priests?

Our recent visit to Bethel Church in Redding, California helped to restore and re-ignite a passion in me for encountering the kingdom of God and welcoming God’s blessing – whatever it looks like. Having been home for a few weeks, I have gained clarity and sharpness in respect of the kernel of our vision as a church. I believe God’s heart and purpose for us (and every church) is to be a community of His priests.

Priests are the “connectors and conduits” of God’s blessing.

God’s original purpose for His people Israel was for them to escape the slavery of Egypt and then to exercise a role as His priests to the nations of the world. In the New Testament, Peter tells us that the birth and death of Jesus (our high priest) has ushered in a new age where every believer is now part of a “royal priesthood.”

Let’s think about this. Priests have the privilege of entering the presence of God. They can spend time in the throne room of heaven, ministering to God and receiving from Him in the very real intimacy of worship. Its here we encounter the beautiful presence, power and principles of the kingdom that Jesus spent all His time demonstrating and describing.

Priests also “represent” God to people. In the New Testament this is described as an ambassadorial role – we literally carry the authority and representation of God and His kingdom. The role of kingdom priests is to release the kingdom blessing of heaven on earth. This of course is consistent with Jesus prayer, “let your kingdom come, let your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

For the church to function as a community of priests we must be connected at both ends - in heaven and on the earth. In a healthy church context, men and women with the gifts described by Paul in Ephesians 4 are equipping and enabling the priests to serve as such. Blessing cannot flow if we are disconnected at one or both ends. To be connected in heaven but not on earth will lead to indulgence and a church that shrinks further and further into a ghetto mentality. Eventually this church grows fatter and unhealthy, and finally the charismatic grace of God withdraws because God loves His world and has designed His church to even reveal His wisdom to principalities and powers.

To be connected on earth but not in heaven inevitably means we are left with good works and perhaps elements of a social gospel. Good news must involve heaven to really be good news! The great love story is that God loves His world and is looking to restore relationship with people – because of what Jesus has done. We can interrupt a world without hope with the amazing grace of God. Heaven very definitely wants to invade earth.

So, our vision as a church?

To be priests who connect with heaven, immersed in kingdom power and grace and ministering to God. To be priests who connect with earth, bringing blessing as conduits to every people group through acts of kindness and power, by being relevant and part of the communities we serve.

We understand secular to be “without God” and so wherever we are and wherever we go, there is no such thing as secular. Our work is our worship and our worship is our work.

Our dream becomes reality as we live as connectors and conduits. Naturally acting as priests to every neighbour, friend and stranger.