You're missing the point and need ears to hear, which can only be given by the Holy Spirit to those who have truly received Jesus and His Spirit. Do you see any capitals in those reference to fathers or fathers you yourself brought? The point is that nobody is to give or receive TITLES in the body of Christ. The apostle wrote "THERE IS TO BE NO SCHISM IN THE BODY." No clergy/laity division, which is artificially contrived, ie, man-made, not God ordained. No separate groups of those with titles and those without titles. God is not a respecter of persons. Everyone who has the Spirit has been given spiritual gifts, some of the those gifts are greater and some lesser, that is all. But ALL of them are needful. "Can any one part of the body say to another part I have no need of you?"
Anyway, not much more to say here I think....except COME TO JESUS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE LIFE!
If you are happy in your group of believers, fine. But that does not qualify you to deny the biblical functions of deacons, priests and bishops.
Matt. 16:18; 18:18 – Jesus uses the word “ecclesia” only twice in the New Testament Scriptures, which demonstrates that Jesus intended a visible, unified, hierarchical, and authoritative Church.
Acts 20:17,28 – Paul refers to both the elders or priests (“presbyteroi”) and the bishops (“episkopoi”) of the Church. Both are ordained leaders within the hierarchical structure of the Church. It is not, as you say, "artificially contrived".
1 Cor. 12:28 – God Himself appoints the various positions of authority within the Church. As a loving Father, God gives His children the freedom and authority to act with charity and justice to bring about His work of salvation.
Eph. 4:11 – the Church is hierarchical and includes apostles, prophets, pastors, and teachers, all charged to build up the Church. The Church is not an invisible entity with an invisible foundation. It is not, as you say, "artificially contrived".
Phil. 1:1 – Paul addresses the bishops and deacons of the Church. They can all trace their unbroken lineage back to the apostles.
1 Tim. 3:1; Titus 1:7 – Christ’s Church has bishops (“episkopoi”) who are direct successors of the apostles. The bishops can trace the authority conferred upon them back to the apostles. It is not, as you say, "artificially contrived".
1 Tim. 5:17; Titus 1:5; James 5:14 – Christ’s Church also has elders or priests (“presbyteroi”) who serve the bishops. It is not, as you say, "artificially contrived".
1 Tim. 3:8 – Christ’s Church also has deacons (“diakonoi”). Thus, Jesus Christ’s Church has a hierarchy of authority – bishops, priests and deacons, who can all trace their lineage back to Peter and the apostles. It is not, as you say, "artificially contrived".
Exodus 28:1 and 19:6 – shows the three offices of the Old Testament priesthood
(1). high priest – Aaron (Ex. 28:1);
(2). Ministerial priests – Aaron’s sons (Ex. 19:6; 28:1); and
(3). Universal priests – Israel (Ex. 19:6).
The New Testament priesthood also has three offices:
(1) High Priest – Jesus Christ (Heb. 3:1);
(2) Ministerial priests – the ordained bishops and priests (Rom. 15:16; 1 Tim. 3:1,8; 5:17; Titus 1:7); and
(3) Universal priests – all the baptized (1 Pet. 2:5,9; Rev. 1:6).
They are not, as you say, "artificially contrived". I have a theory about anti-authority and anti-institutional Christians (who abandon Jesus in the Eucharist). They often come from dysfunctional families. Good Christian boys and girls can't hate their parents, and when they reach the ripe old age of 15 when they think they know everything, they rebel against an existential image of authority, the Catholic Church. So fundamentalism is attractive because it gives them security and meets deep seated emotional needs. They are also fed with false caricatures of how wrong the Catholic Church is. Sometimes, they take these false caricatures into a discussion board, thinking they have a valid argument based on emotion, not facts.