Criteria for Formal Church Membership?

[LittleDrummerBoy]

In a previous thread, I don't think anyone made a compelling case that formal church membership is unBiblical. That being the case, what are reasonable criteria for admitting people into formal church membership? And what might be the criteria for excluding them?

 

[gordon 2]

What is "formal" membership? I googled your question, cause I ain't got no mojo with the Baptist here to ask them, and this is the first item I got. Hope it helps.

http://www.fbccarthage.com/membership-101-what-is-church-membership/

I would suggest your answer is not rare in the bible based belt. I bet there are many serious answers and including in your home base assembly.

I might suggest that if you consider those who might be excluded as "visitors"you'll sleep full nights. But I'm not bible based... nor a life coach, so take it with a grain of dust.

 

[Artfuldodger]

What is "formal" membership? I googled your question, cause I ain't got no mojo with the Baptist here to ask them, and this is the first item I got. Hope it helps.

http://www.fbccarthage.com/membership-101-what-is-church-membership/

I would suggest your answer is not rare in the bible based belt. I bet there are many serious answers and including in your home base assembly.

I might suggest that if you consider those who might be excluded as "visitors"you'll sleep full nights. But I'm not bible based... nor a life coach, so take it with a grain of dust.

Could one join a Baptist Church and request to be sprinkled?

 

[gordon 2]

Your not asking me right?

 

[LittleDrummerBoy]

What is "formal" membership? I googled your question, cause I ain't got no mojo with the Baptist here to ask them, and this is the first item I got. Hope it helps.

http://www.fbccarthage.com/membership-101-what-is-church-membership/

I would suggest your answer is not rare in the bible based belt. I bet there are many serious answers and including in your home base assembly.

I might suggest that if you consider those who might be excluded as "visitors"you'll sleep full nights. But I'm not bible based... nor a life coach, so take it with a grain of dust.

The membership requirements in this link are somewhat typical. From my experience, they are in the middle of the range of requirements to join and at the higher end of the range of expectations once one has joined. I don't think I've ever seen requirements to join that did not require a profession of faith and testimony of water baptism. Some require agreement with longer statements of faith.

 

[welderguy]

Could one join a Baptist Church and request to be sprinkled?

Could Jesus have been sprinkled with dirt and been considered buried?

 

[gordon 2]

So, I understand then that the question is what are the conditions of being bounced from an assembly? ( People should never be excluded from the assembly--- unless they are disruptive with malice intent.)

 

[gordon 2]

Could Jesus have been sprinkled with dirt and been considered buried?

Jesus was not buried.

 

[welderguy]

Jesus was not buried.

Sure He was. " In the heart of the earth"
The earth wasn't on Him, He was in the earth.
Rom.6:4

 

[LittleDrummerBoy]

One of the challenges in articulating criteria for formal church membership is the fact that in churches with congregational governments or other democratic processes, the membership holds considerable power in the church. So the risk of having relatively lax membership criteria is that over time, the church moves away from Biblical views and toward worldly views: approval of homosexual marriage, etc. I don't see a mere profession of faith as adequate for protecting the purity of the church in the long term in churches with congregational governments.

 

[rattlesnake1]

Do you really exclude people from coming to church?
I think more emphasis should be put on winning souls than filling up membership rosters .

 

[LittleDrummerBoy]

Do you really exclude people from coming to church?
I think more emphasis should be put on winning souls than filling up membership rosters .

Exclude from attendance? No. Exclude from governing? Yes.

 

[Madman]

In a previous thread, I don't think anyone made a compelling case that formal church membership is unBiblical. That being the case, what are reasonable criteria for admitting people into formal church membership? And what might be the criteria for excluding them?

Proper baptism.

 

[Madman]

Could Jesus have been sprinkled with dirt and been considered buried?

Since there was no dirt was Jesus buried?

 

[welderguy]

Since there was no dirt was Jesus buried?

Did you read post #9 ?

 

[Madman]

Did you read post #9 ?

Roman's 6:4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

Point?

 

[Madman]

Where is Biblical evidence of congregational church governance?

 

[welderguy]

Roman's 6:4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

Point?

My point is, YES, Jesus was buried. And just as He was buried(physically), we also are buried with Him(spiritually).

 

[Madman]

My point is, YES, Jesus was buried. And just as He was buried(physically), we also are buried with Him(spiritually).

In baptism "for the forgiveness of your sins".

Ok

 

[Madman]

The membership requirements in this link are somewhat typical. From my experience, they are in the middle of the range of requirements to join and at the higher end of the range of expectations once one has joined. I don't think I've ever seen requirements to join that did not require a profession of faith and testimony of water baptism. Some require agreement with longer statements of faith.

And who pens this profession of faith?