Sunday morning with Guest Speaker Pastor Tim Adour

Pastor Tim embarks on a "church history lesson," explaining a traditional medieval church teaching that full-time clergy were superior to laypeople due to their “vocation” or calling from God. This teaching created a division between clergy and laity, where only the clergy were considered truly called or anointed by God.

He contrasts this with the revolutionary teaching of Martin Luther, who in 1517 challenged this hierarchy by emphasizing that all followers of Jesus Christ share a divine calling and priesthood. Luther’s reading of 1 Peter 2:9-10 revealed that every believer is a "royal priesthood," able to approach God directly, not just clergy. This reformation broke down the barriers that separated clergy and laity, and emphasized that every Christian has a vocation — a divine calling in their everyday life.

Pastor Tim then explains the biblical foundation of this teaching, referencing the tearing of the temple veil at Jesus’ death, symbolizing that all believers can now enter God’s presence directly. He stresses that vocation is not limited to church roles but applies to all walks of life—workplaces, schools, homes, and even retirement. Every believer’s daily activities are sacred and should be done “as unto the Lord” (Colossians 3:17).

He challenges the common Pentecostal tendency to seek God only in spectacular spiritual experiences and miracles. Instead, he encourages the audience to find God in the mundane and ordinary aspects of life. Quoting author Jean Vive, he explains that God “hides” himself in everyday vocations, meaning God’s presence permeates all areas of life, not just religious settings.

Pastor Tim concludes by urging all believers to rise in their calling, seeing themselves as priests in their daily environments—whether at a desk, in a factory, or caring for family. He calls on them to reject feelings of insignificance or second-class citizenship in God’s kingdom and to embrace their divine vocation as a ministry of representation for Jesus in the world.

-Traditional medieval church teaching: clergy were seen as superior due to their “vocation” or calling.  

-Martin Luther’s Reformation challenged church hierarchy, promoting the “royal priesthood of all believers.”  

-Key Scripture: 1 Peter 2:9-10 declares every follower of Jesus as a chosen priesthood.  

-Jesus’ death tore the temple veil, granting all believers direct access to God’s presence.  

-The danger of seeking God only in miracles; God is found in everyday life and vocation.  

-Your current vocation is your divine calling—live it fully today, not just in the future.  

-Every believer is called to be a priest in their daily life and work, bringing glory to God.  

-Pastor TimThe Clergy-Laity Divide: Historical Context and Its Impact

The medieval church’s teaching that full-time clergy were inherently superior created a spiritual elitism that marginalized laypeople. This division fostered a mindset of spiritual hierarchy, stifling the understanding that all believers share God’s calling. This insight helps explain why many Christians today may still feel their everyday work or life is less valuable spiritually.

-Martin Luther and the Democratization of the PriesthoodPastor Tim  

Luther’s reading of Scripture led him to reject the clergy-laity divide. By declaring all believers as a “royal priesthood,” Luther fundamentally shifted the church’s understanding of vocation. This reformation helped empower lay believers to see their everyday lives as arenas for God’s work, breaking the monopoly of spiritual authority from professional clergy.

-Biblical Foundation: 1 Peter 2:9-10 as a Universal CallingPastor Tim  

The passage emphasizes that every Christian is a chosen, holy priesthood with a divine purpose: to declare God’s praises and live out mercy. This Scripture serves as a cornerstone for understanding vocation not as a select elite calling but as a universal identity for all believers.

-Jesus’ Death and the Tearing of the Veil: Access to God for AllPastor Tim  

The veil in the temple symbolized separation from God, accessible only by priests. Jesus’ death symbolically tore this veil, granting all believers direct access to God’s presence. This theological truth liberates believers from spiritual intermediaries and underscores personal intimacy with God as fundamental to Christian vocation.

-God’s Presence Is Not Limited to Miraculous ExperiencesPastor Tim  

Pastor Tim critiques the Pentecostal tendency to equate God’s presence with spectacular spiritual events. Instead, he echoes Jean Vive and Martin Luther in teaching that God “hides” himself in everyday life and work. This insight encourages believers to recognize the sacredness of ordinary tasks as venues for God’s activity.

-Vocation Is Present Now, Not Just in the FuturePastor Tim  

Many people view vocation as a future calling or something to be attained later. Pastor Tim challenges this by insisting that your current role—whether student, worker, or retiree—is your vocation now and should be lived fully as a divine calling. This reframes everyday life as meaningful and spiritually significant.

-Living as Priests in Daily Life: The Call to RepresentationPastor Tim  

The message culminates in a powerful call for believers to rise as priests in their everyday contexts—workplaces, homes, schools—bringing God’s presence and glory wherever they go. This reinforces that vocation is not about title or position but about representing Jesus in all aspects of life, challenging believers to live with dignity and purpose.

This message powerfully reframes the concept of vocation from an exclusive, clerical privilege to a universal calling that every believer shares. By grounding this truth in Scripture and church history, Pastor Tim dismantles spiritual elitism and elevates the dignity of everyday work and life as a holy ministry. The encouragement to find God in the mundane and to live as priests in every context is both liberating and challenging, inviting believers to embrace their identity and calling fully in the present.