The New Reformation, Returning the Ministry to the People of God

by Greg Ogden

Ministry is to be by the people and for the people, and this book explains why it is needed and how it can be done.

224 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1990

About the author

Gregory J. Ogden (DMin, Fuller Theological Seminary) lives out his passion of speaking, teaching, and writing about the disciple-making mission of the church after spending twenty-four years in pastoral ministry. Most recently Greg served as executive pastor of discipleship at Christ Church of Oak Brook in the Chicago western suburbs. From 1998-2002, Greg held the position of director of the Doctor of Ministry program at Fuller Theological Seminary and associate professor of lay equipping and discipleship.

Greg is the author of several books such as Unfinished Business, Discipleship Essentials, Transforming Discipleship, Leadership Essentials(with coauthor Daniel Meyer), and The Essential Commandment. He is a partner in the Global Discipleship Initiative (GDI), which trains, coaches, and inspires pastors and Christian leaders to establish indigenous, multiplying, disciplemaking networks, both nationally and internationally. Greg and his wife, Lily, have been married more than forty-five years and have one adult daughter and two grandchildren.

Reviews

[C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Greg attempts to finish the work of Martin Luther's "priesthood of all believers" of transforming Christians from being passive spectators of institutionally-ordained few to all believers being baptized and thus "ordained" into ministry as Jesus was in the Jordan river. While recognizing the need for roles and order, the pastor is seen more as a "player-coach" than caste system of the holy and the secular. The paradigm shifts from top-down hierarchy of a select "called" to ALL followers of Christ called to minister with their various God-given gifts. The church is seen more like 1 Corinthians 12's organism with many parts taking orders from the head, Jesus Christ, as one, rather than 2 peoples-clergy and laity. There is only one ministry, not two kinds (the spiritually elite and the commoners; first-class vs. second-class Christians). In this biblical model, everyone serves God in the power of the Holy Spirit for the common good. We become priestly to each other. The pastor-teacher equips and encourages the saints to discover and explore their particular function(s), passions, and responsibilities within the context of the church. In being a sacramental people, who knows if one day we will take turns in administering the Lord's supper, performing baptisms, weddings, funerals, preaching, and other roles previously off limits to the non-"ordained".