Atheist becomes a member of a church
An interesting move by a presbyterian church to allow an atheist to become a member of their church.
The Austin Chronicle: News: Church Fight:
“Rigby and Jensen first became acquainted over lunch a few years ago, not long after Jensen’s 9/11 hubbub. Rigby invited him to visit the church. As Jensen became more active in political and spiritual discussions with members, Rigby said he noticed a growing exchange of ideas among parishioners. “I witnessed a vibrancy within the community,” he said. “It was never an issue of converting him, but an appreciation of what the communities could do together.” While St. Andrew’s opens its doors to free thinkers, atheists, and the GLBT community, other Presbyterian churches seek to turn the institution into a gated community, Rigby observed. “To me, faith is in the questions, not the answers.”
This is a controversial example of something that I was talking about yesterday when presenting at the virtual church conference. It is one Church’s attempts to break down the walls - I am not comfortable myself with an atheist becoming a member of a Church as I think it means that you end up not standing for anything.
At Northern we would definitely welcome an atheists involvement in the mission of the Church. In fact we do - with some of our people involved in foodbank, emergency food, opportunity shop and the gardening and maintenance side being people who are not believers. For us it is about creating spaces for belonging before belief.
People of this type are very much seen as a part of our church. However, for membership (which means voting rights on assets and leadership) we would hold that belief is important.
What do you think?
July 6th, 2006 at 5:10 pm
“The church is about its members not its minister afterall he is their servant”
Not in the contemporary church. You should analyse the articles of association of these Churches.
July 6th, 2006 at 5:19 pm
Well, BBEP@LP, we found something to agree on….it took Benny Hinn to do it, but we agree.
July 6th, 2006 at 10:21 pm
“I asked for financial statements from riverview Church and got no response (especially as I asked for thos of its realted charity ‘Inside Out Ministries’).
If you don’t get full fincial - given to you, you don’t know how much the pastor and his family make from all activities associated with being a minister - and they do’t freely answer questions then stay away.”
So what happened Phil Baker?
Did you panic when Lionfish started sniffing too close to the truth?
I thought it was all open and accountable…
July 6th, 2006 at 10:23 pm
Bring back EP,
“The church is about its members not its minister after all he is their servant”.
Yes, the church is about it’s members, their fellowship with God and hopefully, their dedication to outreach the community.
But they do need a Minister/Pastor or whatever, to help develop their understanding of the scriptures and guide them. The Pastor should not so much be their servant as their “shepherd”.
“Peter, do you love me? Then feed my flock”
It doesn’t matter how many man the oars, if the one controlling the rudder is an idiot, than all is lost.
July 7th, 2006 at 10:16 am
Ido not see us in disagreement.
A servant sheperds his flock.
A controller is quite unbiblical.
July 7th, 2006 at 11:58 am
do you see brian houston as a sheperd?
July 7th, 2006 at 1:11 pm
no
July 7th, 2006 at 1:20 pm
intrigueing (sp?)
i have noticed a lot of heat going your way from the likes of luke lf lance et al… and have thought in my mind (as if i was going to think anywhere else!) that you were a houston/pringle/baker/meyer fan…
are you?
if not what do you think is the basis of the heat that you get…
if you don’t feel comfortable answering here email me on support at advancedhearing dot com dot au
July 7th, 2006 at 1:47 pm
I have NEVER been a fan of Houston etal at all.
I stand for the bible soundly taught.
This is not done at any of these ‘churches’ as far as I understand.
standing for the bible soundly taught always gets one ‘heat’.
it comes with the territory.
If one can’t stand the heat one gets out of the kitchen!