Pilgrimage Ponderings
This May Be a Rant
I am still pretty preoccupied with reflecting on some of the discussions regarding church membership that took place both in the local church legislative committee and on the floor of the General Conference plenary.
To the pastor who told the plenary that she regretted receiving into membership the bride who only joined in order to get married there and who had never darkened the door since, I want to ask, "Why doesn't your church have a wedding policy that says you have to be a member for a year in order to not pay the wedding fee?"
This pastor expressed that she should have shown pastoral discretion and told the woman she was not yet ready for membership. I find myself wondering why she did not.
We had several discussions about the role of the pastor when folks want to join the church. There was discussion of the need for the pastor to have discretion as well as concerns about a pastor having "unbridled authority" in the church. I think it says something about us that the discussion focused on the pastor's role rather than the role of the person coming for membership. I'm just not sure what it says.
The other issue that arose was that all organizations have standards for membership and we should have high standards for members of the church. I have two thoughts on that.
First, the church is not a fraternity or a civic organization like the Rotary club. It is not, in my theology, something we earn the right to belong to. I shudder to think where the church would be today if Jesus had expected Peter to get his act together before he left the fishing business to be a disciple. I wonder what might be different about our church if Paul had decided that John Mark needed to leave the community of faith until he could get his act together and if Barnabas had left him alone to do that. When Jesus called people, they followed. That was the first step in getting their collective acts together. May it be so with us.
Second, after living through two general conferences, not to mention the every day struggles of local churches and our annual conference, it seems to me that there might be no higher standard for living together as the community of faith than to commit to receive everyone who comes as if they were sent to us by Jesus himself. What I am thinking about has more to do with just tolerating those who believe and think differently than I do. I am talking about receiving them into the fellowship as gifts from God whom we are called to love with the love of Jesus Christ.
Anyone who thinks that's easy obviously hasn't spent much time or effort living day to day with the people who call themselves Christians.
John Meunier: Kathy, thanks for your post. Lots of stuff to think about there. I don't want to argue with your larger point, but there is a difference between becoming a Christian in baptism and joining a particular congregation. I guess with adult professions of faith we tend to do both at the same time, but there is no reason we have to. (05/17/08)
Amy Forbus: Glad to know I'm not the only one still thinking about this stuff. (05/19/08)
Ray Reavis: I can see both sides. On one hand if the membership vows are just words someone can mumble without meaning them, why bother in the first place? On the other hand, it is the very broken nature of humanity that creates the reason for entering a fellowship with others who are also striving for perfection. First and foremost we need to submit ourselves to the counsel of the Holy Spirit in prayer. And in that light we can strike that balance between teaching the importance of the relationship while not creating unnecessarily legalistic barriers. Let's face it, there are some things that defy a clear-cut resolution and require discretion of the pastor. (05/19/08)
Sudie: Hmm. I wonder if Jesus darkened the door of the church, how receptive that congregation would be to accept his membership. I do wonder what signal we are sending as an outreach. one of an exclusive club? Sometimes I wonder. I do give serious consideration when this conversation comes up with regards to weddings, baptism and Christmas. Do these people feel a connection to the church? are we cultivating that? or squashing it? I have to wonder. (06/01/08)