We had an interesting study class yesterday led by a [somewhat liberal] deacon about how Peter and Paul resolved the circumcision question at the Council at Jerusalem. After discussions about the first seven councils and the various heresies they addressed we talked about how members become part of the church, particularly adults. Our deacon compared circumcision to a “stumbling block” of lengthy classes for new members that are discouraging to new folks. He is of the opinion that you welcome them in, then teach them.
I disagreed and pointed out the practices of both the Catholic church and the EO, and also how we USED to be (and I understand some still are). I think conflating circumcision and catechesis is a far reach.
But I’m curious - what process does your church use to initiate new members? and how long does it take?
Thanks,
Jan
Well, it seems to me that in Scripture we see baptism taking place in culmination with the preaching of the gospel, so that one hears the gospel, is cut to the heart, asks the apostles “what shall we do,” and being told “repent and be baptized,” and they are immediately baptized upon repentance so that, in Acts 2:41 we read, “So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.”
Note also the account of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8:
Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?” And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing.
Notice that Philip didn’t stay to teach the eunuch everything about everything. He gave him the gospel and then allowed him to respond to it moving on when that was done.
So, it appears to me that the biblical pattern is that the gospel is preached, the Holy Spirit moves, and people respond in repentance and, as soon as possible, water baptism.
I’m not against membership classes or catechesis. In fact, in this age of biblical illiteracy we need more of that than ever. However, I think it’s more in agreement with the biblical pattern to not make converts wait until they’ve learned all the basics before accepting them fully as brothers and sisters in Christ.
Now, that doesn’t mean we make someone whose only been a Christian for one week the teacher of the Sunday school class. It simply means we recognized that they have repented of their sins and confessed Christ, and we have no right to create probationary Christians. In the Scriptures, we see an urgency when the gospel is preached. To become a Christian is not presented as the result of becoming fully informed and making a logical, thought out decision to convert. There is an immediacy to it, an urgency, that I think far too many churches have lost.
At my church, when one repents of sin and confesses Christ, they are already a member of the Church. We don’t even have “membership” in the sense that your name is placed on a roll. We offer baptism once a year. We offer new membership classes. Full participation in the life of the church is not predicated on either, but those who confess to having been born again are expected to be baptized as soon as possible.
Neither do we have anything like confirmation for older children and adults who’ve already been baptized.
