"For the Son of man also came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (v. 45)

James and John came to Jesus asking for preferment! It is a situation as old as the institutional church. I know, for I am heart and soul in the institutional church; I love it. I believe in the church. I readily accept the statement, "The Church is of God, and will be preserved to the end of time ..." At the same time, I see - as do you - the imperfections in the church, and these imperfections are there because the church is made up of people - like you and me.

Preferment has been a problem in all branches of Christendom: Roman, Greek Orthodox, Anglican, Lutheran, Methodist. Yes, and the Free Church tradition, with its system of the congregation finding its own pastor: Bapti…