Unbiblical division between "clergy" and "laity"

God has been teaching me and convicting me much over the last month about this reality in the local church where I serve and churches in general.

As I am reading about this and studying and questioning, it is becoming more apparent to me that the division of "professional" ministers and "unprofessional" laity is a detriment in local churches--particularly in smaller, rural congregations.

The unintended consequences, and I believe they are unintentional in most cases even though they have become the norm, of this division has bred a generation of church members in our pews who are spectators making sure "the pastor" is doing his job.

Granted, not everyone sitting in the pew has this mindset--that I will readily admit. However, we cannot pretend like it doesn't exist either among many church members.

Some of this mindset has been perpetrated (strong word, I know) by men in my generation who I went to seminary with who came out of seminary with the attitude "I'm the pastor" and the attitude of "me vs. the congregation."

Friends, some of this is our fault as "pastors", because we "think" we know how to "run" a church and we have a "seminary" degree. God forgive us.

It is my prayer that this will change. That we, as those called by the church certainly, would serve in these positions with and among the members while immersing ourselves in the life of the body not serving above and over and in competition.

I know that with the current mindset of many people in churches, the one serving as "pastor" will always be an "outsider"; however, it ought to be our goal as pastor/teachers to seek ways to eliminate that division as much as possible for the glory of Jesus Christ and his mission moving in the direction of a more biblical understanding and practice of leadership within the church.

May God grant us wisdom and discernment in knowing how to proceed to become more biblical and less traditionalistic for His glory alone.