I’m fascinated by how people’s expectations are formed. Generally we think the way we grew up is “normal” and our expectations about houses, cars, vacations, family time, relationships, etc. are all formed accordingly.

And so it is with faith. How we grow up forms what we expect (and will tolerate) in spiritual gatherings, though this is obviously subject to change (as are all expectations) over time. But it establishes the baseline.

Which is why it’s so difficult for people like me to have high expectations for pastors. Because I grew up expecting professional religionists to be money-grubbing, empire-building, holier-than-thou dictators. And over the 14 or so years I’ve been pursuing Jesus I’ve had more than enough experiences confirming the stereotype. I’ve had many experiences exploding the stereotype as well, and as we’re searching for a new spiritual home I’m trying to latch on to those higher expectations.

And it’s why it’s so difficult for those who grew up in passive, clergy-centric churches (are there any other kinds? some, but few, and even fewer 20+ years ago when we all grew up) to give themselves permission to fully participate as equals in spiritual gatherings. It’s antithetical to their deeply rooted expectations.

It also seems these expectations affect how we approach the Bible. If only seminary-trained full-time religionists teach the Bible in church gatherings, then I think that creates an expectation that only seminary-trained full-time religionists are qualified to teach the Bible. Sure, others are allowed to teach in Sunday School and things like that, but only because the pastor can’t be in multiple places at the same time. So that affects people’s expectations of what they can do with the Bible. Can they dig in and understand it on their own, within Christian community and with the guidance of the Spirit? And can they teach it to others?

The answer is clearly yes, but most people think the answer is no. And that needs to change.

My thinking on this was inspired by Roger at the House Church Blog, who says it much more eloquently than I can:

Some would argue that we need “trained” Christians to do the teaching or believers will not learn what is needed, at best, or fall into error, at worst. However, there is much evidence that when God’s Word is preeminent and the Holy Spirit is present that God is able to work quite well. There are a couple of books that are very helpful in describing rapid church planting movements that have actually taken place (or are taking place) around the world: The Spontaneous Expansion of the Church, by Roland Allen, and Church Planting Movements, by David Garrison. Both books reference the ability of new believers to gather around the Word of God, learn accurately, and pass truth along to others who, in the same manner, pass it on to still others. The beauty of this is that it elevates the individual believer to the true role of priest and also allows God to rapidly pass His truth and life from one oikos to another. In other words, it works! There is an “oversight” that takes place via relationship from one believer to the next, but the heart of disipleship is the ability of every believer to hear and learn truth from His Word.