While I am in FULL AGREEMENT that leaders in Church should be Disciples and Discipling; to separate, or divide those who are in your midst was not the purpose of Paul's message nor a clear following of Christ. Who is a member? who man says he/she are? No, a member of the body of Christ is self determined by their personally (not private) relationship with Jesus. To try and divide a body based on religious views was EXACTLY what Jesus preached/taught against. Membership is not a matter of religion, yet commitment. If you have a "special class" of people in your church that you feel are more valuable to the body of Christ than another and want to tag the word "member" to them... make it a faithful follower of the "XYZ Church" and try not to separate them or alienate them from the value they have among the body of believers. The Apostle Paul said he was glad he did not baptize many of them for they are not of Paul or Apollos, yet of Christ Jesus... There is NO DISTINCTION between Jew or Greek, slave or Scythian... but are all members of the body of Christ. To alienate someone because they are not a "member" seems hypocritical to those found in Christ Jesus, but not of your fold... How bout we open the sides of the tent and let everyone in, even the Tax Collector and Harlot... Good to get your Church discipling to make followers, but lets make them members of the body and not a Building... Please share with me where I am not seeing your view point... Blessings!
Excellent!
While I am in FULL AGREEMENT that leaders in Church should be Disciples and Discipling; to separate, or divide those who are in your midst was not the purpose of Paul's message nor a clear following of Christ. Who is a member? who man says he/she are? No, a member of the body of Christ is self determined by their personally (not private) relationship with Jesus. To try and divide a body based on religious views was EXACTLY what Jesus preached/taught against. Membership is not a matter of religion, yet commitment. If you have a "special class" of people in your church that you feel are more valuable to the body of Christ than another and want to tag the word "member" to them... make it a faithful follower of the "XYZ Church" and try not to separate them or alienate them from the value they have among the body of believers. The Apostle Paul said he was glad he did not baptize many of them for they are not of Paul or Apollos, yet of Christ Jesus... There is NO DISTINCTION between Jew or Greek, slave or Scythian... but are all members of the body of Christ. To alienate someone because they are not a "member" seems hypocritical to those found in Christ Jesus, but not of your fold... How bout we open the sides of the tent and let everyone in, even the Tax Collector and Harlot... Good to get your Church discipling to make followers, but lets make them members of the body and not a Building... Please share with me where I am not seeing your view point... Blessings!