So we've talked a little about chapter 5, particularly the "classism" of preaching. But I want to ask some more questions and get you all's feedback on:
1. Did you agree or disagree with the author's view of ordination being a fallacy and that it creates a "special caste of Christianity?"
Its been a while since I read chapter 5 ... so I may be off base with some of my answer. I do not believe it is the ordination that creates teh "special caste of Christianty" I believe it is us the people. Who are carnal minded who like to see something physical which we can imagine how our God actually looks like.He says "In the first century, the laying on of hands merely meant the endorsement or affirmation of a function, not the installment into an office or the giving of special status." Do you believe that the current system of ordination in many denominations and organizations support the idea of ordination being a "giving of special status?"
Not that the ordination causes the special status, again it is the people, which make up the denominations and organizations that bestow the special status Do you believe ordination can be done without the "hierarchal" attitude? Why or why not?
sadly no, maybe if it was done in secret but that would defeat its purpose of announcing to everyone your purpose2. Calvin and some of the Reformers argued that the pastor when speaking speaks in the name of God and that "A Christian preacher is a minister of God who is set apart, yea, he is an angel of God, a very bishop sent by God, a savior of many people, a king and prince in the Kingdom of Christ. Do you agree or disagree with the pastor being viewed in this light?
way over my head ... just way over Do you believe that questioning or challenging the pastor is a form of contempt or ridicule?
I personally experienced this growing up when i was a teenager, i challenged and questioned my pastor during sunday school 
lol looking back I see how silly I was being. I felt .... maybe it was contempt... that they were too old and didn't know what they were reading. (I was wrong, true they may not have knew what certain words meant but they knew from the context what the scripture was talking about). so no it is not a form of contempt or ridicule provided it is done in the correct forum such as bible study. If you decide to do it like the pharisees did Jesus then yes it is a form of contempt or ridicule because you are attempting to apply greek rhetoric to set up the pastor and prove your point.Why or why not?
see above3. According to the author, Luther argued that "The Christian Congregation never should assemble unless God's Word is preached and prayer is made, no matter for how brief a time this may be." Do you agree or disagree?
Disagree, which is why I am not lutheran4. Has the current system of pastoring put too many burdens and responsibilities (preaching, administration, visiting the sick, visiting members, etc) on him or her? Explain.
Yes! Shucks our current form of being a musican puts too many burdens on some MoM/musicans. But that is only because of the 80/20 rule *sigh*5. Does the "professionalization" of ministry help the church, hurt the church or no harm at all?
I personally believe it hurts6. What can be done to decrease the stress of the contemporary pastor's job?
reverse the 80/20 rule ... now how to do that I don't know
