AndersonD wrote: ↑Mon Aug 28, 2023 11:57 am
I respect all groups and only choke on groups that require rebaptism.
I find it interesting that someone would open communion to anyone except… well, me.
I attended a Mid-West church’s baptism yesterday and extended the right hand of fellowship to the 4 converts and the Christian greeting to one of them, plus to another member there who is someone I know.
ken_sylvania wrote: ↑Sat Aug 26, 2023 7:49 pm
To me it sounds like you're saying that you will separate yourself from these people because they are separating themselves from other Christians, which is wrong.
My suggestion was that if he was going to make such a promise, then there is a way to still participate with another if he can find someone with that same conviction. However, before that, I think he should consider what kind of situation he has put himself in by doing something that I believe scripture says not to do. Matthew 5:33-37
“Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.
I tend to believe what Jesus said about allowing the weeds and the good crop to grow up together and God will sort these out in the end. Others seem to follow Paul more in this and with weeding out things before the end. I sometimes think some left over Phariseeism comes up in Paul's writings when compared to some things Jesus said.
I was referring to your comment about scenario #1 - " I would never be a member of any church that had this kind of attitude..."
I would not separate myself from them as Christian brothers and sisters in the Lord but I would never become a formal member of a church that took this approach to other believers. Actually, I don't believe in formal church membership as man has created it, period. There are no such things as 'statements of faith' and 'church covenants' that I can see in the NT. This is one of my, rather unique, beliefs regarding being a member of a local church. I was a member and deacon of a local church once and that membership was nothing more than shaking hands with other believers in a 'welcome aboard' gesture who also had made that church their home church.
Ernie wrote: ↑Mon Aug 28, 2023 10:42 am
We do interview anybody who wants to commune with us. FOTW has not done this in the past.
I thought Finny advocated for that in his book, but perhaps I haven't read or remembered correctly. Or maybe he hasn't been able to implement quite everything he would like.
Ernie wrote: ↑Mon Aug 28, 2023 10:42 am
We do interview anybody who wants to commune with us. FOTW has not done this in the past.
I thought Finny advocated for that in his book, but perhaps I haven't read or remembered correctly. Or maybe he hasn't been able to implement quite everything he would like.
From people I know who have gone there, they definitely do interview.
Ernie wrote: ↑Mon Aug 28, 2023 10:42 am
We do interview anybody who wants to commune with us. FOTW has not done this in the past.
So if I interviewed with you (and passed) would I get a sort of "Church Membership Lite" status then that would allow me to commune with your group?
I have way too many dumb jokes over this…
One of these many dumb jokes is… The light version has ads to upgrade to full membership
Our church would have associate membership. You were baptized by us, are able to participate in Lovefeast, by haven't committed to full membership (yet).
AndersonD wrote: ↑Mon Aug 28, 2023 11:57 am
I respect all groups and only choke on groups that require rebaptism.
I find it interesting that someone would open communion to anyone except… well, me.
I attended a Mid-West church’s baptism yesterday and extended the right hand of fellowship to the 4 converts and the Christian greeting to one of them, plus to another member there who is someone I know.
Holdemans are advised not to attend other groups' baptisms.
AndersonD wrote: ↑Mon Aug 28, 2023 11:57 am
I respect all groups and only choke on groups that require rebaptism.
I find it interesting that someone would open communion to anyone except… well, me.
I attended a Mid-West church’s baptism yesterday and extended the right hand of fellowship to the 4 converts and the Christian greeting to one of them, plus to another member there who is someone I know.
I was under the impression from occasionally attending down in Livingston/Winton back in the day that the COGICM did not permit their members to greet those outside of the Church (as defined by their membership). Is that incorrect, has it changed, or does your conscience simply lead you to disregard that particular restriction?
Ernie wrote: ↑Mon Aug 28, 2023 7:54 amWhat I learn from this is that communion should not be practiced indiscriminately, and we should know well who it is that we are communing with. There of course is the debate by scholars over the last two millennium as to whether Judas was part of the communion service. I wish I could prove that he was not... but in the case of silence, and in light of other teachings in the NT regarding communion, I think it is good for the church to have boundaries for communion.
Josh wrote: ↑Mon Aug 28, 2023 9:15 amErnie,
It may be prudent for you to go and examine churches that have the same view of communion you do. (A great deal of them do, including Episcopalians, MC USA, and so on.)
I think you missed reading my last post and my first on. Episcopalians and MC USA folks do not have the same view of communion that I do in the slightest. Most would consider me a fundamentalist, a bigot, etc.
Yet they have an open communion policy, so it is prudent to see the fruit that comes from people and groups who think communion needs to be open with no examination and no right to question anything.
And am I understanding you correctly that you are blaming their "fruit" primarily on their open communion policies?
AndersonD wrote: ↑Mon Aug 28, 2023 11:57 amI only commune with those who are part of the group I am a member with but personally wouldn't have a problem "opening" communion to others in the faith. However, that's not how my brethren think and so it's only something I can dream about. We do extend the hand of fellowship to other Mennos excluding those who require rebaptism.
I respect all groups and only choke on groups that require rebaptism.
If I might ask, there have been a couple references in this thread specifically to "the hand of fellowship". Is this a common thing among Mennonites, and is it usually considered distinct from the practice of the Holy Kiss? And from the context, I'm assuming a withholding of the "hand of fellowship" would entail literally not shaking somebody's hand...?
I find it interesting that someone would open communion to anyone except… well, me.
I tend to believe what Jesus said about allowing the weeds and the good crop to grow up together and God will sort these out in the end. Others seem to follow Paul more in this and with weeding out things before the end. I sometimes think some left over Phariseeism comes up in Paul's writings when compared to some things Jesus said.“Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.