In the Bible, a layperson generally refers to individuals who are not part of the clergy or religious leadership but are members of the broader faith community. This term highlights the role of ordinary believers in contributing to the church and living out their faith in everyday life, as seen in passages that emphasize the priesthood of all believers (1 Peter 2:9).
Scripture
5 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
6 “Bring the tribe of Levi near, and set them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister to him.
7 They shall keep guard over him and over the whole congregation before the tent of meeting, as they minister at the tabernacle.
8 They shall guard all the furnishings of the tent of meeting, and keep guard over the people of Israel as they minister at the tabernacle.
9 And you shall give the Levites to Aaron and his sons; they are wholly given to him from among the people of Israel.
10 And you shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall guard their priesthood. But if any outsider comes near, he shall be put to death.”
Biblical Definition of Layperson
The concept of a layperson in the Bible underscores the significant role of ordinary believers within the faith community, emphasizing that every Christian has a part to play in the life of the Church and the advancement of God’s Kingdom. This notion is articulated in 1 Peter 2:9, which describes believers as “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession,” indicating that all members of the church, not just clergy, are called to serve as mediators of God’s grace and truth in the world. This democratization of spiritual authority fosters a sense of communal responsibility, whereby laypersons are empowered to share their faith, contribute to the edification of the body of Christ, and engage in acts of service and ministry.
Furthermore, Ephesians 4:11-12 elucidates the purpose of different roles within the church, stating that Christ gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers “to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.” This passage implies that the clergy’s role is not to monopolize ministry but to empower laypersons so they can actively participate in the mission of the church. As such, the layperson’s engagement is crucial, not only for personal spiritual development but also for the overall health and growth of the church community. Thus, in biblical terms, the layperson embodies a vital component of the Christian faith, demonstrating that every believer is commissioned to exemplify their faith in their daily lives and contribute to the Church’s mission.
In the biblical narrative, the role of the layperson is further illustrated through stories and parables that highlight ordinary individuals taking on significant spiritual responsibilities. For instance, in the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), Jesus uses the example of a seemingly unremarkable traveler—who is not a priest or Levite—to exemplify true neighborly love and compassion. This story underscores that even those outside of the formal religious structure can fulfill divine purposes by acting with kindness and mercy, thus aligning with God’s will. The actions of the Samaritan depict how laypeople are often called to demonstrate fellowship and grace in practical ways, emphasizing their integral function within the broader community of believers.
Additionally, the book of Acts provides vivid examples of laypersons engaging in transformative ministry. Stephen, who is described as one of the seven chosen to serve (Acts 6:1-6), emerges not only as a deacon but also as a powerful preacher and martyr for his faith. His ministry highlights that laypeople can take bold stands for the Gospel and lead others to a deeper understanding of Christ. Similarly, Philip the evangelist, another figure within the lay community, demonstrates the importance of personal evangelism and discipleship when he shares the Gospel with the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:26-40). These instances illustrate that the early church thrived not solely through the efforts of apostles and leaders but also through the dedicated service and fervent faith of laypeople who played key roles in spreading the message of Jesus and nurturing the burgeoning church. Thus, the Bible affirms that laypersons are essential instruments through which God’s work is accomplished in the world, reinforcing their vital status within the Christian faith.
The Role of the Layperson in the Community of Believers
In the biblical context, a layperson is often seen as a member of the faith community who is not part of the clergy or religious leadership. This role emphasizes the importance of every believer in contributing to the life and mission of the church. Laypersons are called to engage in acts of service, support the church’s ministry, and share their faith with others, highlighting the idea that all members of the body of Christ have unique gifts and responsibilities.
Spiritual Equality Among Believers
The concept of a layperson in the Bible also underscores the spiritual equality of all believers. Regardless of their formal role within the church, every individual is valued and has access to God. This notion challenges hierarchical structures that may exist within religious communities, affirming that all believers, whether clergy or lay, are equally important in the eyes of God and are called to participate in the work of the Gospel.
Empowerment for Ministry
Another broader meaning of the layperson in the Bible is the empowerment for ministry. Laypersons are encouraged to take an active role in spreading the message of Christ and serving others. This empowerment reflects the belief that ministry is not solely the responsibility of ordained leaders but is a collective mission that involves all believers. The layperson’s involvement in ministry can lead to a more vibrant and dynamic church, as diverse gifts and perspectives are brought together for the common good.
How to Embrace Active Faith in Daily Life
Embracing active faith in our daily lives is a beautiful journey that invites us to weave our beliefs into every moment, transforming the mundane into the sacred. Start by cultivating a habit of prayer, not just as a ritual but as a genuine conversation with God, inviting Him into your decisions, challenges, and joys. Look for opportunities to serve others, whether through small acts of kindness or larger commitments, as these actions reflect Christ’s love and teachings. Engage with Scripture daily, allowing it to guide your thoughts and actions; even a few verses can inspire and challenge you. Surround yourself with a community of believers who encourage and uplift you, sharing in both struggles and triumphs. Remember, active faith is not about perfection but about progress—it’s the willingness to seek God in every aspect of life, trusting that He is at work in you and through you.
Bible References to Layperson Meaning:
Numbers 18:1-7: 1 So the Lord said to Aaron, “You and your sons and your father’s house with you shall bear iniquity connected with the sanctuary, and you and your sons with you shall bear iniquity connected with your priesthood.
2 And with you bring your brothers also, the tribe of Levi, the tribe of your father, that they may join you and minister to you while you and your sons with you are before the tent of the testimony.
3 They shall keep guard over you and over the whole tent, but shall not come near to the vessels of the sanctuary or to the altar lest they, and you, die.
4 They shall join you and attend to the needs of the tent of meeting for all the service of the tent, and no outsider shall come near you.
5 And you shall keep guard over the sanctuary and over the altar, that there may never again be wrath on the people of Israel.
6 Behold, I have taken your brothers the Levites from among the people of Israel. They are a gift to you, given to the Lord, to do the service of the tent of meeting.
7 And you and your sons with you shall guard your priesthood for all that concerns the altar and that is within the veil; and you shall serve. I give your priesthood as a gift, and any outsider who comes near shall be put to death.”
Leviticus 22:10-16: 10 A lay person shall not eat of a holy thing; no foreign guest of the priest or hired worker shall eat of a holy thing.
11 but if a priest buys a slave as his property for money, the slave may eat of it, and anyone born in his house may eat of his food.
12 If a priest’s daughter marries a layman, she shall not eat of the contribution of the holy things.
13 But if a priest’s daughter is widowed or divorced and has no child and returns to her father’s house, as in her youth, she may eat of her father’s food; yet no lay person shall eat of it.
14 And if anyone eats of a holy thing unintentionally, he shall add the fifth of its value to it and give the holy thing to the priest.
15 They shall not profane the holy things of the people of Israel, which they contribute to the Lord,
16 and so cause them to bear iniquity and guilt, by eating their holy things: for I am the Lord who sanctifies them.”
1 Peter 2:9-10: 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Romans 12:4-8: 4 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function,
5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.
6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith;
7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching;
8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.
1 Corinthians 12:12-27: 12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.
13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.
14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many.
15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body.
16 and if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body.
17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell?
18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose.
19 If all were a single member, where would the body be?
20 As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.
21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”
22 On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,
23 and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty,
24 which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it,
25 that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.
26 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.
27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.
Ephesians 4:11-16: 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers,
12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,
13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,
14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.
15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ.
16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
1 Timothy 2:1-7: 1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people,
2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.
3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior,
4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.
7 For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.
1 Timothy 3:1-13: 1 The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task.
2 Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,
3 not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.
4 He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive,
5 for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God’s church?
6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil.
7 Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil.
8 Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain.
9 They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.
10 And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless.
11 Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things.
12 Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well.
13 For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.
Titus 1:5-9: 5 This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you—
6 if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination.
7 For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain,
8 but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined.
9 He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.
Hebrews 5:1-4: 1 For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.
2 He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness.
3 Because of this he is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins just as he does for those of the people.
4 And no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was.
Hebrews 13:7-17: 17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.
8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
9 Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them.
10 We have an altar from which those who serve the tent have no right to eat.
11 For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp.
12 So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood.
13 Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured.
14 For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.
15 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.
16 Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.
17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.
Reverend Ogunlade is a seasoned Church Minister with over three decades of experience in guiding and nurturing congregations. With profound wisdom and a serene approach, Reverend Ogunlade has carried out various pastoral duties, including delivering uplifting sermons, conducting religious ceremonies, and offering sage counsel to individuals seeking spiritual guidance. Their commitment to fostering harmony and righteousness within their community is exemplified through their compassionate nature, making them a beloved and trusted figure among the congregation.