(...if anything)
A lady goes forward to join the church (the pastor invited people to join). The pastor shakes her hand, and then announces she is coming to join the church by statement of faith.
So the church immediately votes to receive her by her statement of faith. Unanimous reception (for those who voted).
Then, the pastor, after she is voted in as a member, asks her what her statement of faith is.
She says "I just want to be a part of the church."
Um. OK.
I think for me 2 issues arise here.
Firstly whether should someone be considered a member, when and why.
Secondly whether a memeber has to be a be a believer in order to be considered part of the church.
Our church does have an official membership list. The process if they want to come into membership then on a set day those who want to meet up with a leader. They explain what we are about and if they are happy with that then they are admitted into membership.
The reason I raise my second issue is because of the ministry I have in church.
Primarily it’s cominng alongside people who are not believers but want to know more along with those struggling in their Christian Walk.
Earlier this year I had the privilege of walking alongside a very mixed up man. He is bipolar, wished he was dead and so on.
Jesus was just a good man but he came to the conclusion that there seemed to be a disconnect with God, whichever God that was.
Cut a long story short I was so blessed and humbled to lead him to Jesus. Spent a couple of hours with him.
Told him his disconnect was Jesus because he didn’t beleive the claims of Jesus.
He placed his faith in Jesus, this man was on his knees and poured everything out. A broken man on his knees and prayed from his heart and beleive me what came out of his heart was vile. The lies of satan. And together we prayed against that.
When he got of his knees I saw a totally different man. I baptised him a month later.
There is a point to this.
He said something along the lines off “I just wanted to be loved and accepted, I wanted to ask questions, wanted to try to make sense of when I tried to comitt suicide and woke up I was angry that I was still alive”
A friend of his girlfriends told them to do the Alpha Course at our church. That’s how I got to know him.
Now what is amazing is that as he continued to come to our church he says that he felt part of the church.
Loved and accepted for who he was (in fact one day when we spoke he was very upset at the prospect that I And others would reject him if he didn’t become a Christian, I reassured him that was not the case, I loved him for him)
He Just Being loved and accepted as he was, no expectations placed on him then he felt part a FAMILY.
The Church is family even to those who are seeking a family. To be adopted by the Father.
Just so you know I’m not puffing up myself here. I was the last part of the walk.
