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THE Test(s) of Fellowship

Discussion in '2005 Archive' started by ktn4eg, Jan 10, 2005.

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  1. ktn4eg

    ktn4eg New Member

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    Don't know if this has been brought up before or not, but I'm sure that many of you have said/heard statements to the effect that "Brother XXXXX pastors
    ABC Baptist Church where they practice zzzz. I don't think it's right, but it's not a TEST of Fellowship [or vice versa]."

    Is there some all encompassing TEST(s) of fellowship?

    EXACTLY how is/are these "TEST(s) of Fellowship" determined in the first place?

    Are these totally different than a pastor's Convictions/preferences?

    What does a non-called-to-preach member do if his/her "TEST(s) of Fellowship" differ from that of the pastor's?
     
    #1 ktn4eg, Jan 10, 2005
  2. rjprince

    rjprince Active Member

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    THE FIVE BASIC DOCTRINES
    1. The Trinity: God is one "What" and three "Whos" with each "Who" possessing all the attributes of Deity and personality. (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit! A simple statement of this one is not possible IMHO)
    2. The Person of Jesus Christ: Jesus is 100% God and 100% man for all eternity.
    3. The Second Coming: Jesus Christ is coming bodily to earth to rule and judge.
    4. Salvation: It is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.
    5. The Scripture: It is entirely inerrant and sufficient for all Christian life.

    This is a pretty good list. If your pastor does not hold to these fundamentals, FIND ANOTHER CHURCH!

    Oh, and the more common terminology is "A test of FAITH AND FELLOWSHIP".
     
    #2 rjprince, Jan 10, 2005
  3. Dr. Bob

    Dr. Bob Administrator
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    Historic fundamentals are a "test" for me

    Bible is inspired, inerrant Word of God and Jesus is the virgin-born incarnate Son of God, sinless life, vicarious substitutionary atonement, bodily resurrection, literal second coming

    If a church believes this, I can fellowship with them (albeit loosely). If I want to WORK with them or COOPERATE with them, then there would be more tests. Most Assemblies, etc, believe these, but add the tongues mess, etc and I could not fellowship as a church with such.

    BTW, on a personal level, I have good fellowship with a number of people and preachers in churches who do not hold these fundamentals.
     
    #3 Dr. Bob, Jan 11, 2005
  4. donnA

    donnA Active Member

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    The virgin birth
    Jesus is 100% God and 100% man, who lived a sinless life, whose death is for our sins
    resurection
    The Trinity
    salvation by grace no works, not even to keep salvation
    Jesus is coming agian
    the inerrancy of scripture, and it being all the authroity in matters concerning faith and God
     
    #4 donnA, Jan 11, 2005
  5. LRL71

    LRL71 New Member

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    ktn4eg,

    I think that the question also should include the level of fellowship one should have with another before such fellowship can be initiated or maintained. On a personal level, a believer can have 'fellowship' with another believer who does not follow the same distinctives or doctrines of another. An example of this would be, while I was in college (Clearwater Christian), there were students who were from different types of churches (Bible Presbyterian, Southern Baptist, Independent Baptist, Reformed Baptist, Brethren, Bible churches, Free-Will Baptists, Assemblies of God, and Independent Methodist/Wesleyans). We all agreed on the fundamentals, and even had personal friendships with each other. Some of the above mentioned churches supported the college, some did not; the level of fellowship and cooperation between churches did not allow some to contribute to the college's ministry. This is perfectly fine, and it is agreeable NOT to agree. On the level of a church cooperating with another church, it is usually best that churches of 'like faith and practice' have fellowship on the 'official' level, with each other cooperating and assisting in each others' ministries. The test of fellowship rests with the kind of fellowship one is willing to co-operate with another, and if two are not agreed, it is best that they do not walk together!
     
    #5 LRL71, Jan 11, 2005
  6. ktn4eg

    ktn4eg New Member

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    Should it matter to the average not-called-to-preach member what "the tests of fellowship" of his/her pastor are?

    Should a pastor INSIST of his flock to have the very same "tests" of fellowship?

    Should a member have different tests, does that member have an obligation to inform his/her pastor what they are?

    Those of you who number in the called-to-preach category probably have read articles and/or heard conference sermons on the "HERESY of ......"

    Do these things really have that much bearing on the day-to-day life of the individual members of his flock?
     
    #6 ktn4eg, Jan 14, 2005
  7. 4His_glory

    4His_glory New Member

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    We must ask ourselves the question "What level of relationship is involved?" A church memember having dinner with a fellow belilever who is not of the exact same "stripe", is differnt that a church cooporating with another church that may be disticntly different in areas of philosophy and practice. The level of relationship is going to determine the level of separation/fellowship.

    Also let us ask the question, Are all disagreements equal? Perhaps in fundamentalism we have narrowed separation to the point that it no longer is separation but isolation.
     
    #7 4His_glory, Jan 14, 2005
  8. rjprince

    rjprince Active Member

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    Wow! Incredible insight here! I call it "fishbowl Christianity", some of my Fundamental Baptist brothers call it Biblical Separation. Yep, it has moved into the realm of isolationism. Good thing that Jesus did not eat and drink with sinners, after all He is our example! or not!
     
    #8 rjprince, Jan 14, 2005
  9. ktn4eg

    ktn4eg New Member

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    Even though I'm in the so-called "not-called-to-preach [i.e.,pastor, evangelist, etc.]" category, I do get a little (shall we say) amused at some of the rants and raves of some perhaps well-intentioned brothers.

    THEN, God calls them to some remote mission field!!!

    Case in point: One dear brother's crusade was the "hats-on-ladies" issue. A year or so later, he sends a picture of the little flock God called him to in some remote jungle. Sure enough, glory to God, each lady was wearing the "appropriate" head covering.

    Too bad he didn't think anything south of the neck warranted any attention.
     
    #9 ktn4eg, Jan 15, 2005
  10. Plain Old Bill

    Plain Old Bill New Member

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    RjPrince,
    Excellant insight my friend.
    Ktn4eg,
    That was hilarious, What a crack up.
     
    #10 Plain Old Bill, Jan 15, 2005
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