Church differences

David Black wrote:

The early Christians found that there was no joy like the joy of serving one another according to each person's talents. Alas, we have become dependent on the clergy to the degree that we would rather hire a "professional" to do the work than use a "layman" with the same gift set. But if we are to see a revolution of "lay" participation there has to be a revolution in our attitudes. The early church was open enough to the Holy Spirit to allow its members to exercise their gifts. Each of us is but a limb on the tree, a stone in the building, a sheep in the flock. We need the strength and abilities of each other if for no other reason than none of us can "do it all."

This may well be the biggest difference between the New Testament church and our own. Their responsibility to care for each other rested squarely on the shoulder of every single member. The early church grew rapidly without the aid of some of our most cherished assets -- large staffs, expensive programs, complicated strategies and methods -- simply because they opened their homes, their hearts, and their hands to each other."