What Should be the Qualifications for Membership?
I think this question begs asking from yesterday's discussion thread. Should anything beyond a commitment and active participation in a local church be required for membership? What should the qualifications be?
Thanks for stopping by!
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Adrian
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No
ReplyDeleteThat's 2 questions. You just can't helpourself, can you?
ReplyDeleteThere are two separate entities you are talking about.
ReplyDelete1. The body of Christ.
2. A human institution created by man to help express his relationship with God.
The rules for #1 are determined by Jesus.
The rules for #2 are determined by man.
The Quaker church was, for many years, based on a congregational, spirit-led process. At least this is how first day meetings and business meetings were held. In their meetings people would speak when spoken to by the spirit. In business meetings consensus had to be met by the entire group for something to go into effect. This process was spirit-led, at least that was the foundation for it. I think this model worked for them because of the nature of their groups. These were small familial groups that lived near each other, and relied on each other for many things. These were groups that knew each other. These were groups that loved each other. These were small groups based, not on a book, or a pastor, or a building, or a theme, or a catchy saying, but on the spirit that lived in each other; the spirit of Christ.
ReplyDeleteMembership was based on trust, longevity, wisdom, love, not on a set of questions asked by people who do not know the respondent.
Looking at Willoughby Hills' structure, especially when it comes to membership, I believe that we cannot exist as our Quaker foreparents existed. We do not have a small group that relies on each other as they did. We do not live near each other. We do not have a group that can rely on the connection between people that the Quakers relied on. The Spirit moves through us to affect relationship between each other, and it is my belief that if we do not have relationships with the other members of our church, the Spirit does not move as he does with smaller relational churches. He moves differently. He has to. Because of the distance in relationships the Spirit cannot act as he does with closer-knit communities. It is obvious to see that I think there are inherent flaws in larger churches, but I hope that my thoughts come out clearly.
Membership in large churches is still important. Membership must be based on different things though. It cannot be based on trust, longevity, wisdom, shared love. The group that chooses members has a set of questions to ask the proposed member. If the member does not line up with the right answers, then that person must not be allowed to be a member. Membership in large churches is based on a questionnaire.
I do not think that the questionnaire process is wrong. I think it is intrinsically tied to membership in large churches. I just believe that the questions on the questionnaire are wrong.
One example: We ask respondents whether or not they drink alcohol and whether they believe that homosexuality is wrong according to the bible. We do not ask them whether fighting in wars is wrong according to the bible. It would be interesting to see what early Quakers would say about our removal of the third question from consideration.
The Quakers view of war changed over the years. They went from staunch pacifists and supporters of non-violent resistance, to believing it was a matter of one's own conscience. It will be interesting to see where Quakers stand on homosexuality in 50 years, or 10 years from now even.
I believe membership should be based on much more important issues. Whether or not someone has the Holy Spirit in their lives as a result of salvation. This is an important issue.
There was a time....that appearantly is no more.
ReplyDeleteDilige, et quod vis fac
ReplyDeleteShawn, well said. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI just recently joined WHEFC as a member. In my interview for membership I was only asked several questions. The first one was if I was saved and what did that mean to mean and how did I know I was saved.
ReplyDeleteI did share that I didn't agree with everything the Friends believed, but that I felt that these were not things that could keep me from living peacefully within my church body.
I was also asked why I wanted to be a member of WHEFC.
I don't recall the alcohol or homosexuality questions. Hmmmm, I wonder if I would have passed the test.
In my interview I was still interviewing the church. The questions I was asked told me I was in the right place. Was this the hand of God that kept the interviewers from asking the wrong questions?
Just my thoughts...