Leaves of Gold
A Call To Return To The Teaching Of The Bible
“…that you should earnestly contend for the faith…” Jude 3
A ministry of Evangelist James A. Nelson, jan23@cox.net
Year IV, No. 10 October 2010
Why Do Baptists
VOTE ON APPLICANTS FOR MEMBERSHIP?
AIM: To show that membership in a Baptist church is a privilege enjoyed on the basis of fellowship.
Church membership is important, but it is a privilege, not a right. There is no better fellowship on earth to join than a New Testament church. There is no organization so important as a New Testament church. Although some are older in origin, none is so sacred and holy in origin, purpose, practice, and prospect as a New Testament church. It is the only organization God has purchased with His own blood (Acts 20:28).
A church is basically a fellowship (Acts 2:42). What does this have to do with voting on receiving members? Each church has a responsibility to maintain that spiritual fellowship. The membership exercises that responsibility in voting on new members. Someone has to determine if an applicant-9ualifies.for membership. Is he born again? Is he sound in the faith? Does he conduct himself as a believer should? And, so long as the fellowship will not accept him, there is no way he can be a part of it. Otherwise, the fellowship would be destroyed. It is foolish to think a candidate for membership is more powerful than the standing membership. He would have to be for the members not to have a voice in his acceptance or rejection.
Paul is a good example of this. He tried to join himself to the fellowship at Jerusalem (Acts 9:26). They rejected him, because they did not believe he was a true disciple. That indicates membership is a privilege, not a right. When Barnabas substantiated Paul's testimony, the Jerusalem Church received him into their fellowship (Acts 9:27). "And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem" (Acts 9:28). As long as they questioned his testimony, he was a danger to their spiritual fellowship. That is the reason they rejected his application for membership. When his testimony was substantiated and the danger removed, he was accepted into that fellowship.
Because a Baptist Church Has a Congregational Government.
The Lord Himself declared the principle of membership equality or congregational government. Two of the Lord's disciples wanted a superior position with Christ. "But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them" (Matt. 20:25). The Lord exposed their request as being heathenistic. His fellowship is different. "But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant" (Matt. 20:26, 27). Thus, the principle of membership equality was commanded upon a church fellowship.
Receiving members is one of the authorized actions of a New Testament church. "Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations" (Rom. 14:1). Therefore, the business of receiving a new member, whether he is transferring his membership or a new believer, must be the business of every member. The only way this can be so is to allow each member of the congregation to vote on the issue. The same principle should be followed in dismissing one from the fellowship, whether by transferable of membership or exclusion.
The congregational form of church government recognizes three things. First, the power to govern a church is in the hands of the people with God as their Leader. It avoids the unscriptural practice of allowing a man or a board to be lords over God's heritage (I Peter 5:3), Second, the right of the majority to govern a church agrees with the principle declared by Christ. When the majority expresses its will, the minority should submit to that expression if at all possible. Third, the power of a church cannot be transferred, should not be alienated, and its action is final.
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There is no higher authority under God. To maintain these principles, the church should vote on each person who applies for membership.
Because of the New Testament Examples.
The example of the Jerusalem church has already been touched on (Acts 9:26-28). The inference is the church had a voice in whether Paul joined or not. In fact, they kept him from joining until the membership agreed to receive him. It does not matter whether they had a motion and a second or not. It does not matter whether they raised their hands or verbally expressed their vote. The point is the congregation rejected his application at least once and then accepted. That necessitated at least two votes of some kind.
One of the best examples is the account of Peter's dealings with Cornelius and his house. Peter took some fellow church members when he went from Joppa to Caesarea (Acts 10:23). When Cornelius and his house gave evidence of God's grace (Acts 10:4346), Peter presented the matter of baptism. "Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?" (Acts 10:47). He called for the voicing of a negative vote, in case anyone objected. Silence was a vote of approval in that case. Evidently, the approval was given by the Joppa brethren, because Peter instructed the baptism of the new believers (Acts 10:48). Thus, the baptism to which the Joppa church silently assented finalized the reception of those new converts into a spiritual fellowship.
The lesson text indicates the congregation decided between "Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias" (Acts 1:23). "And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles" (Acts 1:26). That example was the first business meeting of the Jerusalem church. Their congregational form of government has been copied by all true Baptist churches down through the years.
Other examples of the congregational form of government practiced in the New Testament are the Jerusalem church's selection of the seven (Acts 6:1-6) and the Antioch church's sending Barnabas and Saul to the mission field (Acts 13:1-3).
When a person becomes a member of a church, someone decides on his reception. That involves someone voting.
Preacher Vote. There are churches which practice the "preacher vote" method of receiving or rejecting membership applicants. This commonly accepted method among many non-Baptists allows the pastor of the church to determine the approval or disapproval of membership applicants. In this case the preacher decides the matter (votes) for the entire church.
Presbytery Vote. There are churches which practice the "presbytery vote" method of receiving or rejecting membership applicants. This practice allows the ruling elders of the church to approve or disapprove of membership applicants. In this case a committee decides the matter (votes) for the entire congregation. This is also a common non-Baptist practice.
Congregational Vote. All sound Baptist churches practice the "congregational vote" method of receiving or rejecting membership applicants. This practice has Bible precedent and it recognizes a true church is autonomous, a self governing body. That is why Missionary Baptists vote on applicants for church membership.
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