What would you require if you "selected your church members"?

The "altar call" is not a Baptist Tradition. It was part of Finney's "new measures" which he introduced in the 1830's. Finney was Presbyterian (I think) and the Baptists picked up the "altar call" and adopted it for their use. The "altar call" of Finney resulted in more than 90% of people who professed faith to later be considered "apostate" or to have lost their salvation, because they never joined a church or lived Christian lives. This was Finney's own numbers.

Billy Graham, whom I have a great respect for and does preach the Gospel, has similar numbers from his crusades. Better than 90% of the people making profession never join a church or do not stay active in their "new" christian lives after a few years. I attribute it directly to the use of the "altar call" at the end of a sermon.

The problem with the altar call is that it is not biblical. There is no place in scripture that says you have to move from one place in a building to another in order to be saved. There is no place in scripture where the word's "pray to receive Jesus into your heart" can be found. We are told to "repent and believe". That is the measure. Repentance is not the same as guilt. It is turning away from one thing (sin) and turning to Christ. Has the person demonstrated true repentance and have they articulated a profession of faith in Jesus Christ? This may require some mentoring simply to teach a person how to articulate his new faith.

Baptism is the ordinance for membership, not the "altar call". The church has a responsibility not to knowingly be united with unbelievers. I do not believe we have to complicate the gospel, or that a person must be a theologian in order to be a member. However, there should be some basic theology understood by any new member. The membership of the church must make the decision on whether the repentance and profession of faith is credible before membership is allowed.

Our Christian faith is more than mental assent to facts relating to the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. It is a new life of love toward God and man. It behooves both the congregation and the candidate for membership to be aware of all the expectations that implies.

The way to ensure members are true Christians is through Biblical church discipline, as explained in Matt. 18. If they are really of us, then they will respond to church discipline with repentance and the congregation will restore them with joy.

[ May 11, 2005, 11:13 PM: Message edited by: jdcanady ]

 

I don't have a specific answer to the question at this moment, but I have thought for many years that a Baptist church is one of the easiest type of organizations to join, and there is something wrong there. People come forward at the 'invitation', fill out a little card that says they are, or have been, members of a certain Baptist church, then they are voted 'in' with no more knowledge than that. It could have been 10 or more years since the last time they attended that church of which they are still members. Joining that church may only have resulted from pressure from someone else-- perhaps a fiance who insisted they "get saved" and so they joined the church with no intention to being involved. And maybe they are doing something similar at this time. Or maybe they have just moved into a new town and just want some 'connection' with a church of the family's traidtional denomination so they will have a preacher in case one is needed for a wedding, funeral, or a hospital visit. And, of course, there are all kinds of Baptist churches-- literalist, conservative, moderate, liberal, and other variations. If someone was at least at some time a member of a Baptist church, that really means very little as to what they believe or how they live.

But on the other hand, do we want something like a long detailed questionnaire to find out what they really believe, and to have answers checked for consistency to 'catch' them in some wrongful ideas or modes of living? Perhaps even to investigate them?

In my church those requesting membership are no longer simply voted on after they go forward and say so. They are escorted by volunteers to a location which has literature and people to answer questions, and then after some private consultation with a staff member and/or a deacon they have stated their belief in Christ and their support for the church and its mission, then in the next service their pictures and names are displayed on the video screens, along with other potential new members, and the congregation does that "rubber stamp" vote. I have been a member longer than since this system began, so I don't really know all about it, but at least it's better than just going forward and being quickly voted in.

 

"Saved" is the only qualification for getting in. "Staying" is a whole different story. It seems that a lot of people want to make sure that the prospective member is already a fairly mature Christian before they are willing to share their church with them. How would it be if parents wouldn't take the newborn home until they are at least in the fourth grade and knew how to behave adequately. Suffer the little children to come unto you. Just a thought.

 

In my church, we have counseling when a decision is made for Christ and use similar procedures like your church. However, we do not vote them in immediately for membership - we only give an affirmation of their decision. Prospective members are voted in at quarterly church business meetings. If anyone has any serious issues with a prospect, it can be addressed at the meeting.

 

I agree with you fully. The "alter call" is a tradition of comtemporary Baptists and is misused in order to stir up our emotions rather than true conviction of the Holy Spirit.

Finney was ordained in the Presbyterian Church, but he did not follow their doctrinal standards including the "security of the believer." IMO, Finney's overall doctrine is highly questionable and should not be followed - that's another discussion.

 

I don't have any major problems with new Church members going through a committee but I would disagree with putting them through off the cuff Scripture tests. That is "Difficult believism" as opposed to Easy Believism. The Altar call however has to be reformed. There is not enough accountability with the Altar call.

A better idea would be to have a new members class that would go over the fundamentals of the faith. Then after completion of say a 6-12 week course and unless they are living in open immorality have them received into the Church. It would benefit both them and the Church they join and would provide accountability.

 

The local church would decide how to handle that question. To be consistent with policy and principle, I would require even those transferring by letter to take a "new members" class before they could officially become members.

 

People do not need to be "discipled into maturity" before they can join a church. They should, however, be able to make a choice based on "informed consent". This does not take weeks to accomplish. They merely need to be informed what this church believes and practices so that they are not surprised when that church practices what it said.

 

If we don't like the policies and membership requirements of a local church, then we will likely not join them and it becomes a mute point.

 

Your point of view is mixed up. The church is the one needing to make the "informed" decision about who joins. Our membership classes will help ensure the current fellowship maintains the unity of the Spirit by not joining with unbelievers or those who would upset that unity with contrary beliefs or practices.