The Mutual Ministry of Women and Men, Part 3 - Participant

The Mutual Ministry of Women and Men
- Part 3: "Called to Leadership in the Church"

Participant Book by Rev. Dr. Steven E. King
(Go HERE to purchase the Part 3 Leader's Guide)

This fifteen-session, three-part series focuses on how the whole people of God minister together as part of the Priesthood of All Believers. It looks at what it means for each of us to “do ministry” in our everyday life of faith, especially in regard to how we are called to communicate the grace and mercy of God to others in Christ. 

Part 3 of 3: Called to Leadership in the Church
(Click SAMPLE to download a sample session.)
This third part focuses on issues related to the participation of men and women in professional ministry and leadership in the Church, looking at biblical examples and advice for the Church today.

Session 11)    On Behalf of the Body
                        An Ordered and Accountable Public Ministry

Session 12)    For the Sake of Good Order
                        Making Sure the Gospel Will Be Heard

Session 13)    What We Proclaim is not Ourselves 
                        Ministry Under the Authority of Christ Alone

Session 14)    What You have Heard and Seen in Me
                        Paul’s Own Example of Servant Leadership

Session 15)    Workers in the Harvest
                        Walking Together in Service to Christ

Longer Description from the Introduction to the Study

Focusing on how the whole people of God minister together as part of the Priesthood of All Believers, the goal of the series is to help us all see ourselves as ministers of God in service to one another, no matter who we are or what our particular gifts may be. It looks at what it means for each of us to “do ministry” in our everyday life of faith, especially in regard to how we are called to communicate the grace and mercy of God to others in Christ. As the Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Corinth:

"If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us." (2 Corinthians 5:17-20)

With this passage as our central guiding compass, the series will explore Scripture texts across the Old and New Testaments to show how all of us are called to serve in Christ’s name. We will address the topic of Ministry in the broadest sense and discuss how both laity and clergy share in the same mission and goal set before us by Christ. In doing so, we will look at the biblical definitions of what it means to be a disciple, an apostle, a witness, and an ambassador for Christ and how Scripture says we are all priests in the service of God.

This series will also look specifically at how the Scriptures show us that women and men were created to live and work together in God’s service. We will also examine how we, as believers, make use of the varied and complementary gifts he has given as partners in the ministry of God’s kingdom. Toward the end of the series, we will talk about the difference between the callings of lay and clergy and how Scripture speaks of leadership in the Church as a matter of good order, rather than a differential in power. This study is intended to help all God’s people better understand their Christian calling, and it may be particularly helpful for those who are in the process of discerning a call to professional ministry.