By Byeong
Over the years, I have come to understand that the Lay Pastors Ministry is built upon five foundational principles.
1. Every Believer Is a Minister
This conviction comes from Ephesians 4:11–12, the primary biblical foundation of the Lay Pastors Ministry. According to this passage, Christ gave pastors and church leaders “to equip the saints for the work of ministry.” This means that ministry is not reserved for pastors alone. Rather, every believer is called to serve Christ according to the gifts God has given.
In the 1970s, Lutheran theologian Oscar Feucht challenged the traditional understanding of ministry through his influential book Everyone a Minister. At that time, many Christians believed that only ordained pastors were ministers. Feucht argued that every Christian who belongs to Christ is called to minister. He even used the term ministerium in a broader sense to describe the ministry shared by all believers rather than only ordained clergy. His teaching helped many churches rediscover the biblical doctrine of the priesthood of all believers.
The Lay Pastors Ministry is founded on this same biblical conviction: every believer is a minister who should be equipped for meaningful service.
2. Partners in Ministry
A second foundational principle is the concept of partnership in ministry. Dr. James Garlow, former senior pastor of Skyline Church in San Diego, emphasized this idea in his book Partners in Ministry, which grew out of his doctoral dissertation at Drew University. He argued that pastors and laypeople should not function as separate groups but as partners serving together in God’s mission.
This concept has influenced many churches. For example, one influential church in Gangnam, Seoul, was once widely known for its emphasis on discipleship training. In recent years, however, it has shifted its ministry philosophy toward becoming a “church of partners in ministry.” This reflects a more mature and sustainable vision in which pastors and laypeople share responsibility for the work of God’s kingdom.
3. Mutual Growth of Pastors and Laypeople
The Lay Pastors Ministry benefits both pastors and laypeople. Certainly, Christians can grow spiritually without this ministry. However, without a biblical ministry paradigm that encourages shared ministry, both pastors and laypeople often experience only limited growth.
When pastors equip believers instead of doing everything themselves, laypeople discover their spiritual gifts, mature in their faith, and become active servants of Christ. At the same time, pastors also grow as leaders because they learn to shepherd, mentor, and multiply ministry through others rather than carrying the entire burden alone.
Thus, both pastors and laypeople grow together.
4. A Healthy Church Culture
The ultimate goal of the Lay Pastors Ministry is not simply church growth but church health. Healthy churches naturally develop healthy cultures, and healthy cultures encourage commitment, service, unity, and spiritual maturity.
When believers are equipped and actively involved in pastoral care, they develop a greater sense of ownership and responsibility for the church. This creates an atmosphere of love, mutual care, and shared commitment. Such a healthy church culture becomes the foundation for long-term ministry effectiveness.
5. Team Ministry: From “Me” to “We”
Finally, the Lay Pastors Ministry promotes team ministry. This does not merely refer to cooperation among pastors and church staff. It emphasizes believers serving together as one body.
Lay pastors work alongside one another as a ministry team while also partnering with their senior pastor. Ministry moves beyond “you and me” and embraces the biblical concept of “we.” The success of the ministry depends on mutual trust, shared responsibility, and a common vision.
Several years ago, I was attracted by the title of a book, Me to We. I purchased it, read it, and later translated it into Korean. The book presents a dialogue between an experienced pastor and a younger pastor who is struggling with ministry. The older pastor repeatedly points the younger pastor back to Ephesians 4, reminding him that the pastor’s primary responsibility is not to perform all the ministry himself but to equip God’s people for the work of ministry.
That message deeply reinforced my own understanding of the Lay Pastors Ministry. The church becomes healthier and stronger when ministry moves from “me” to “we,” from dependence on one pastor to the shared ministry of the whole body of Christ.