From a pastor-friend:

Rowland posed this hypothetical: yours is the only appropriate Christian community in town, and a retired Salvo couple wants to be in full membership. There's no Quaker or S/Army church for a hundred miles. They love communion, but they believe they're already baptized 'in the Spirit' and don't need a further baptism in water to complete that (I've met intelligent Salvation Army people who hold such a view).

They go through the whole catechetical process and still aren't convinced enough to change their mind. When you say your community 'celebrates their baptism every week' so does this couple, only it's water-less.. .

Wotcha gonna do with them? Refuse membership? I personally find that a gross denial of grace.

Rowland,

If we sent you to talk with the couple about the meaning of Membership in a Baptist church, what would you tell them? Is it simply a sign that we have accepted God's grace through faith? Or does it entail some commitment to shared beliefs, values, lifestyle and mission?

My response:

Very good question, David

I'd tell them that we're *Christians first and Baptists second* (sorry, anyone, if that sounds heretical :-)...

And that historically Baptists have emphasized (and I'm now looking at the booklet I wrote for Australian Baptists on this a couple of decades ago):

1. The Lordship of Christ - over one's life and over the church

2. The Question of 'Authority'

3. The Church is the 'Company of the Committed'

4. Baptism in New Testament teaching

5. Communion

6. What's the Church for? (Worship, community, formation, mission)

7. Authority in the Church

8. Leadership and Spiritual Gifts

9. Why Join a Local Church?

10. Privileges and Responsibilities in a Christian community...

in that order... (any suggestions on the *order* of all this, BTW?)

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Shalom! Rowland Croucher