Church Leaders

[imhereforyou]

Pastors, priests, clergy, ministers, deacons.....
How necessary are they?
Christianity is highly individualized and subjective: what something may mean to one person it might not mean to another.
If the gospels are to be believed, even some of those close to Jesus (so close they could smell him on those hot and sweaty days) eventually didn't understand all of what he was saying.
In light of this, and the fact that a church isn't a building as some claim, and that the Holy Spirit interprets the bible to each individual, as other claims, what's the point/need of these church leaders?
Surely if God is telling them what to say, he could tell you too, yes?
Or do these leaders have some 'inside baseball' within Christianity?

Can someone be a Christian without attending a church, much less following an individual in the position of authority?

[imhereforyou]

In fact, I did answered the first question.

So why did Jesus choose 12 Apostles and give them special instruction?

JW

I did answered the first question. [...]
Jesus was the first of his kind. He had to lead the way.

I see. You can perhaps understand my not recognizing this as a response to my question since there is no mention in your answer of the 12 Apostles. Can you maybe clarify what purpose (if any) a select 12 (possibly mentioning the 12 Apostles in your answer to a question about the 12 Apostles)?



JW

No not really ...

Fair enough. Well, I think I understand where you're coming from. Thanks for sharing.

I'll wish you a most excellent day,


JW

You as well my friend!
(we need better emoticons )

[tam]

Peace to you!

Surely if God is telling them what to say, he could tell you too, yes?

Yes, exactly.

(God... or now His Son)


I see absolutely no reason why not.

Can someone be a Christian without attending a church,

Of course.

In fact, the Church is the Body of Christ, a Body that is made of PEOPLE, with Him as their head. If you are the church, then you do not have to go to church, and you cannot leave the church (unless you were to leave Christ).

"...just as Christ is the head of the church, His body." Ephesians 5:23

"And God put everything under His feet and made Him head over everything for the church, which is His body..." Ephesians 1:22, 23

"Now you are the body of Christ, and each of you is a member of it." 1 Corinth 12:27

much less following an individual in the position of authority?

The exception to this of course being Christ, who is THE leader of His Church. We - as Christians and disciples - are supposed to be following Him.




Peace again to you,
your servant and a slave of Christ,
tammy

[TSGracchus]

Well, if it weren't for the shepherds who would fleece the flock? And who would slaughter the lambs? Without these sacrifices how would the sheep know how holy they were? How could they demonstrate the strength of their faith?

[marco]

Can someone be a Christian without attending a church, much less following an individual in the position of authority?

Christian seems to mean doing good, being nice to people, offering cups of water to strangers and visiting young offenders in prison, perhaps with a view to setting them free. As Isaiah says: ".... to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house."

Can one follow a football team without wearing the shirt?

[imhereforyou]

[Replying to post 14 by marco]

Christian seems to mean doing good, being nice to people, offering cups of water to strangers and visiting young offenders in prison, perhaps with a view to setting them free.

Where did you get that definition? That seems very likable but something that's normal - meaning that wouldn't set a Christian apart from many others.

".... to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house."

Then what happens to them once they're out?