Preach/Sing in "Other" Denominations

[SOGOSINGER]

What is your belief on an Independent Baptist Preaching and/or singing in other denominations? Please give "IN CONTEXT" scriptural references if possible. I was recently told that my family and I had to resign my membership in an IFB church due to this tremendous breach in the "Doctrine" of said church.

 

[rjprince]

SOGO,

Sorry for your trauma at the hands of radical IFB clowns. Did they give you any SCRIPTURE? Demand it, gently. I would absolutely refuse to resign and I would force the issue to the floor of the church by making them follow the process of Matt 18 to remove you from membership.

This kind of bullying is not uncommon in my experience. You probably wont win anyway, but you do have the obligation to point out their TOTAL lack of Biblical support for such a position.

In fact, Paul regularly preached in Jewish Synagogues even though he had become a believer and left the Jewish tradition in favor of God's clear leading. Yet, he continually went back to his people to try to win them to Christ, their true Messiah.

Suggest you give them the example of Paul and ask how what you did was different from what He did. He was preaching to the very "denomination" that crucified the Lord Jesus. And of course, then there is Peter...

Did the leaders like what Peter did? No. Read Acts 11. Did the Jewish believers like it that Paul was ministering among the Gentiles? Read Acts 15.

Bottom line, point out their inconsistency to see if it makes any difference. If it does not, they are following man, not God anyway, and you really do not want to be there. Pack your bags and go. But, do not go silently. If the story is as simple as you have presented it, the solution is just as simple. Call the leadership of the church to account on the basis of the Word of God. If they listen, you have converted them from the error of their way. If they are prideful and blow up, take your family and leave. If you need help finding a new church, PM me with your specific location and I will try to help.

Ray

 

[Me4Him]

Tell your church, if they consider the other denomination to be an apostate, you are not going as singers, but as "Missionaries".

 

[MRCoon]

Do these other denominations believe in the same Jesus as you? Do they believe and hold to these distinctives?

B - Bible's Authority
A - Autonomy of the Church
P - Priesthood of the Believer
T - Two Ordinances of the Church (Lord's Supper & Baptism)
I - Individual Responsibility
S - Salvation By Grace Through Faith
T - Two Offices of the Church (Pastor & Deacon)
S - Seperation of State Sponsored or Controlled Church/Religion

I would say (without bullying) that if you can fellowship and worship with those that don't believe as you or your Church then you should volunteerily give up your membership because you have decidely put your "ministry" above your beliefs. If you have a ministry such as preaching or singing then talk to your Pastor about having the opportunity to preach or sing more in your Church or Churches of like beliefs.

For those who think this is bullying...good because if you can 'worship' with non-believers or others that say they believe in some things of Jesus but not in other things of Jesus...this is scary and dangerous and I would want you away from my family and friends!! This is like playing with Cobras...oh it may be fun for awhile but never know when you may get bit

 

[tinytim]

I'm not sure if i understand you right.. MRCoon, are you saying that we shouldn't worship with any other denomination than Baptists?

If so, you will be in for a surprise when you get to Heaven. When you see the methodists praising God!

 

[Rippon]

MrCoon , I have seen your baptists acrostic before with some points I would debate .As an example : Under B the teacher tried to put the Presbyterian Westminster Confession of Faith in the same category as the Council of Trent's Creed . He tried to say that Presbyterians are no different than Catholics when it comes to the authority of Scripture . I later pointed him to the WCoF's first chapter , Of The Holy Scripture . It was one of , if not the clearest expressions of the Bible's authority out there .

If we as Baptists limit ourselves to only Baptists it would be to our detriment . Personally , I have more in common with conservative Presbyterian and classically Reformed folks than many in the widely divergent Baptist world . Out of the manifold doctrines in the Word of God I share more with them than those few teachings that I differ with .

 

[SOGOSINGER]

Mr. Coon appears to be the type of Person that I have been dealing with. When we go to a church to either preach or sing.. We sing, speak, testify and preach about the "SAVING GRACE OF JESUS CHRIST" When we give the invitiation in even a Church of Christ (Gasp) we talk about going to heaven the only way -through the blood of Jesus Christ. Somehow we forget to mention the important stuff like " Two ordinances of the church and Two offices of the church" I guess when you go door-to-door soul winning you must bring out these very important points... I guess if you have a prison ministry, these important points are brought up, I guess all of your tracts have these very eloquent points that you mentioned printed on them...oops I forgot murderers and thieves and pedophiles deserve to hear the truth...just don't take it the Presbyterians...I have a simple philosphy... All the world means ....all the world. I believe when I go to a Nazarene church and someone is saved...The Angels rejoice in Heaven over this soul....Nope sorry Angels we can't rejoice over that one , He's not a Baptist...I wonder where Jesus stand on this...Oh, I know I'll Look in the Bible...Mark 16:15

 

[AVL1984]

Originally posted by tinytim:
I'm not sure if i understand you right.. MRCoon, are you saying that we shouldn't worship with any other denomination than Baptists?

If so, you will be in for a surprise when you get to Heaven. When you see the methodists praising God!

What will be an even bigger shock is when they see some Catholics, JW's, Mormons and Pentecostal's there! Hmmm, I wonder if he'll want to visit the devil then instead of staying in a non Baptist Bride heaven???

 

[Brother Bob]

Don't want to throw cold water on this but if anyone hasn't learned that the Church has all the authority it wants or needs if it rules by majority and whatsoever you bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven, and whatsoever you loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven. If the majority of a Church says that you have broken their rules, it don't have to be Scripture then you are gone I am sorry to say. The Church has great power.

 

[AVL1984]

Brother Bob...if it's by THEIR RULES, and it's not SCRIPTURAL, then it's not bound anywhere but in their cliquish group of individuals. I think that you're mis applying scripture here.

 

[Brother Bob]

Forget the Scripture I quoted just go by the "majority rule". The Church can rule as it sees fit for the best of their Church.

 

[Brother Bob]

That is why it is so important to read and make sure you agree with their "Constitution, Rules of Decorum and Articles of Faith before joining yourself to that Church. I am not saying right or wrong just stating what the facts are even in a court of law if it gets that far.

 

[Brother Bob]

I don't know if I would use cliquish or not. There are some large groups that have closed communion.

 

[Servent]

If the majority ruled and did not use scripture,I would leave anyway. even if I was not the one standing before them.

 

[Brother Bob]

Hope you never have to face a situation like that for you will not prevail.

 

[MRCoon]

Wow! I stated that if you as a IFB-er believed the Baptists' Distinctives then you may find it hard to truly be worshipping with other denominations. I could not see how a Pastor who believes in the Virgin Birth sit on the same platform 'in fellowship and worship' with one who did not believe in this important Biblical Fact. That is all I'm saying about fitting in.

Hey guess what even Satan knows scripture but that is substantially different than believing it. Don't get caught up with a Nazarene getting saved until you can confirm their salvation belief and that how they got through their Churches teachings or through the Bible's teaching...I hate for you waste your time fellowshipping in a Church and see people get saved only to lose it before the next service Making professions is not the same and don't let your ministry get in front of the truth.

No I'm not gonna be surprised to see other religions going to heaven or even that Baptists we be going to hell....it is a sad fact of life that Jesus taught. I just wonder why so many Christians want to jump onto the wide path when Christ himself tells us that we are stay in the narrow way...the pretty unpopular way the way that did not allow Jesus to fellowship with those who did not believe/practice as he did. If your Church is against your practice of this cross fellowship and takes issue with it even if you feel you are right you would do more harm by arguing the point than to try to justify and fight the decision.

Good or Bad...I would invite all of you to my Church but sadly many of you would not feel like you fit in and would not want to worship in my Church but when I refuse to worship in your Church you would hold it against me as legalism yet I don't practice or worship with anyone that needs to add anything to salvation.

 

[Brother Bob]

Amen MRCoon;
Over the last 33+ years I have seen many take on the Church or the Association and to this day I have not seen one come out above the Church. If you are going to join yourself to any organization not just the Church but any you must abide by their rules or you will be on the outside looking in. Don't know how many times I have heard someone say talking about the Church "they can't do that". I personally have asked them to back off for they will not out do the Church but some insist and sadly they are gone now. I used to think when I was a young soldier in the Church that The Lord will take care of me and not let them exclude me. Well, men work in the flesh more often than the Spirit and now I don't just believe, I know there are a lot of good Christians that have taken on the Church and are on the outside even though they are not lost. I am not stating "my way", I am just telling it like it is.

 

[Flippo]

I also believe that doctrine is important and it is important to know what they believe. But nowhere in the OP post did he say that the church did not believe in the virgin birth or other major doctrines. Baptists' are not the only saved. I will say it depends on what the major differences are and if the said church censors what you preach or sing.

 

[SOGOSINGER]

Brother Bob and all , thank you for your input...I do agree on one point and that is...If the Pastor and church have these rules although not posted anywhere, then I have no desire to continue fellowship or membership with them...I do not believe God would bless or receive glory in any way if I was to try to "Fight" this difference of opinion (not doctrine) between this Pastor and my family. I posted this for other points of view on this subject and for someone, anyone to give relevant in context scripture for his or the churches stand....I asked the pastor to open the Bible and please give relevant scripture...but alas He neglected to do so....My family and I have learned a valueable although painful lesson in this....Do not just look at a potential Church's Biblical doctrine...but also ask for all of their man-made opinions also....Sad

 

[Brother Bob]

SOGOSINGER;
Let me try and explain the reason for (as you call them man made rules)rules in a church. If everyone was a true Christian there would never be any trouble but unfortunately they are not so we have to have rules, not for the truly born again Christian for they will summit to higher authority as taught by Scripture but we live in a day and time when the Church is being sued everyday and if you don't have your rules in writing then when you come before the judge he will say I am sorry but unless it is written in you constitution I don't want to hear it. So we have rules for:

Galatians, chapter 2
"4": And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:

Without a constitution and rules it would be a complete chaos. You can just look at BB and tell that. Look at all the different minds on this one thread of yours. Without rules we would be going in this many directions so we have a constitution with rules and everyone has to live by them including the Pastor and leaders. It is not lording anything over on the members it is a way man has found where they can live in harmony. Everyone gives a little and therefore they can live in peace. We have an Association with 27 Churches and the Association has a constitution which we meet every year and if one of the rules is wrong then we as a group try to fix it and then next year the same. I hope this helps you see that you should not blame the Church and if you can't live with the rules of a Church I am sure there is one somewhere you can. God Bless,

BBob