RZehr wrote:B. Isn't a year or two enough time to make a decision? I'm not for rushing anyone. In fact I encourage caution. But what I'm talking about is different from caution.
Newcomers should know it will take a year+ for membership, so don't delay by a year or two. Just give it a few months. I'm glad I only waited a few months before asking. It will be 3 years since I was born again in July, and I'm still not a member not baptised anywhere, other than with a few brothers who accept me and don't like to see me spiritually homeless. This is through no specific fault, but simply:
1. I applied for baptism in Sept. 2014
2. Instruction class ran January 2015 - Easter 2016
3. I moved to Australia in Aug. 2015
4. Instruction class in Australia ran from January 2016 - end of year 2016
5. I moved back to America in March 2016
6. Church of God in Christ, Mennonite proving time runs about a year. I started attending December 2016.
You've got one shot to get in instruction class a year, and newcomers would be well advised not to blow it. I honestly wish I'd known better. I needed to move to Australia to be with an ill family member, and I had to move back to America when I just didn't make enough wages to support myself.
That's a reality a lot of NMB face, and there's nothing we can do except keep waiting.