ISBN 978-1-934741-07-8 The basic material in this leaflet originally appeared in a series of articles in theBaptist Standard in 2005. Wanting to share information about Baptist distinctives, Noble Hurley, shortly before his death in 2004, established the Jane and Noble Hurley Baptist Identity Fund to provide for publishing the series. He asked William M. Pinson, Jr. and Doris A. Tinker to prepare the articles. The financial assistance of The Prichard Family Foundation and Vester T. Hughes, Jr. enabled this series of nineteen leaflets to be produced based on the articles. Skyler G. Tinker designed and formatted the leaflets for publication. Each leaflet is for both individual and group study. The topics in this series: (1) Baptists: Who? Where? What? Why? (2) What Makes a Baptist a Baptist? (3) The Lordship of Christ; (4) The Bible as Authority for Faith and Practice; (5) Soul Competency; (6) Salvation Only by Grace Through Faith; (7) The Priesthood of All Believers; (8) Believer’s Baptism; (9) A Regenerate Church Membership; (10) Congregational Church Governance; (11) Church Autonomy; (12) Baptist Church Life: Organization, Worship, Officers, Ordinances; (13) Voluntary Cooperation; (14) Evangelism; (15) Missions; (16) Ministry; (17) Christian Education; (18) The Application of the Gospel; (19) Religious Freedom. © Copyright 2007. All rights reserved. over the lives and thoughts of others still abhor the Baptist understanding of the priesthood of all believers. Some would restrict the meaning of the priesthood of all believers. They are uncomfortable with the idea that each and every believer priest has a God-given competency to interpret the Bible under the leadership of the Holy Spirit: they prefer to place this responsibility in the hands of a pastor in a church, not the people who are members. Those who would restrict the meaning of the priesthood of all believers are also often uncomfortable with congregational church governance, that is the governance of a church by all of the members under the Lordship of Christ and the guidance of the Holy Spirit; they advocate that the pastor or some small group in the church is to exercise authority over all the others. However, such restrictive views would put in place a kind of spiritual elite over other believer priests. This is an idea alien to most Baptists who insist that no believer is to be over, or under, another. Pastors and other servant leaders have important roles and should be prayed for and their roles respected, Baptists affirm, but believer priests ought to never surrender their responsibilities to others. Conclusion So, which is it? Priesthood of the believer or priesthood of believers? It is not either/or but both/and. The term “the priesthood of the believer” communicates the biblical emphasis on the individual and soul competency. The term “priesthood of believers” communicates the biblical emphasis on community and fellowship. Throughout history a tension has existed between the individual and the group. Baptists have not escaped this tension. We do well when we refuse to elevate one above the other, but instead attempt to keep them in balance. For further information, see cbhh.dbu.edu
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