Hierarchy in the Kingdom

[Kabowd]

Is being a minister, pastor or spiritual leader more important than say...an artist? Or a janitor? Is an actor or singer equal to a doctor or nurse? Why or why not?

[boblandis]

It is not what occupation or talents you have that matters. It is using your God given talents and using them for God's glory. That includes surrendering your heart and soul for His sake. He did not take us up to heaven when saved. He left us here to reach and minister to the lost and bring them to Him, until He calls us home. That is what is important. We all have just a short time in these finite bodies, live every day for Jesus as if it was your last. You won't believe how much more enjoyment out of life!

[nebula]

We are all ministers in the eyes of God.

Wherever wwe go and whatever we do, we are to be ministers of His Gospel to those around us in whatever capacity we are capable of.

[apothanein kerdos]

We are all ministers in the eyes of God.

Wherever wwe go and whatever we do, we are to be ministers of His Gospel to those around us in whatever capacity we are capable of.

That avoids the question though. Is a pastor, who does ministry full time, more spiritual or higher than a person who is a janitor?

[SpiritLedEd]

Is being a minister, pastor or spiritual leader more important than say...an artist? Or a janitor? Is an actor or singer equal to a doctor or nurse? Why or why not?

I think that the answer depends on how one defines "important". If one thinks of importance in wordly terms of being trained (or qualified) to perform a certain function, importance does come into play. In performing the work of pastoring, pastors are more important than janitors, but, in the matter of mopping a floor, the janitor may be pre-eminent if he/she knows more about proper floorcare, even if the pastor is the employer, too.

In performing surgery, the surgeon is more important than, say, the actor. But, by virtue of his/her drama training, the actor would be the more important on a Broadway stage. In terms of training and skill levels, a person's importance is relative.

In the Body of Christ, however, Jesus is the one who is of pre-eminent importance. The rest of us are all on the same level. "For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body-whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free-and we were all given the one Spirit to drink." (1Cor 12:13)

SLE

[Kabowd]

By importance I mean more spiritual or more valuable (spiritually).

[Prodigalson123]

Jesus said if you want to be great in the kingdom, then you must be a servant to people here. That may mean a minister, or whatever. It takes a spirit of humility and a heart of a servant. All I know is that I hope that the amount of grief I get when I post online, not here but another site, that the Lord will acknowledge that I was ministering to these people and all the aggravation will be rewarded with "Well done, my good and faithful servant"

[nebula]

We are all ministers in the eyes of God.

Wherever wwe go and whatever we do, we are to be ministers of His Gospel to those around us in whatever capacity we are capable of.

That avoids the question though. Is a pastor, who does ministry full time, more spiritual or higher than a person who is a janitor?

It depends on the person and their heart for the Lord and how theyconduct themselves, . . . .

It's not avoiding the question per se, just refusing to acknowledge the Hellinistic viewpoint that there is a division of labor between sacred and secular.

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I'll put my answer this way, too -

There was a song a while back by an artist name Rick Cua who had this verse to sing:

Quiet one with a dusty broom

Sweeps the floor of the Sunday school every Saturday

It's a dirty job that few would do, but she says someone has to

and she does it well

Some days she might not like it, but she'll do it anyway

For the love of God!

[other one]

We are all ministers in the eyes of God.

Wherever wwe go and whatever we do, we are to be ministers of His Gospel to those around us in whatever capacity we are capable of.

That avoids the question though. Is a pastor, who does ministry full time, more spiritual or higher than a person who is a janitor?

no

[apothanein kerdos]

This is generally an issue evangelicals don't struggle with. Some people do (they elevate their pastor to a higher spiritual level), but this really is more an issue for traditional protestant churches or Catholic churches.