Conditions of Church Membership: Beginning Discernment

By Sandee Gamet, Community of Christ Peacebuilding Specialist

The First Presidency is calling the church to join in prayer, study, dialogue, and discernment on the issue of conditions of membership.

Listening is a core discipline in discernment: listening to God and listening to others who do not hold the same perspective or share the same life experiences. In listening, we gather data, an element of discernment. Materials have been developed, sent to every congregation, and put on the church’s Web site. These guide persons in individual discernment, small-group discernment, and smallgroup dialogue.

In some groups, a diversity of viewpoints may not be present. This article, however, shares several perspectives. The testimonies are from men and women of various generations from countries in North America and Latin America. Because of space limitations, they do not represent all the life experiences and perspectives on this issue.

In the future, more testimonies will be available on the church Web site at www.CofChrist.org/discernment. The hope is that these brief testimonies will prompt further reflection and enrich your discernment and dialogue activities. Names, locations, ages, and gender are withheld to maintain confidentiality.

Testimony One
I was born and raised in a family that was strongly religious in belief and practice. My primary education took place in parochial schools. I soon became active in youth groups in my hometown. Later in my life came the desire to find God. I searched in many places but did not find what I sought until I was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), with my first wife.

The experience was beautiful. We felt great joy as we shared the principles of continuing revelation, the truth of the spiritual gifts, and the presence of living prophets and apostles. However, struggling with some core beliefs, we finally left the LDS church.

Numerous life tragedies occurred over the next several years, leaving me with religious emptiness. Several years later, having found renewed happiness with my second spouse, we encountered Community of Christ (then the Restored Church of Jesus Christ; editor’s note: requirements sometimes force the church to use other legal names outside North America). Along with twelve others on a Saturday in August 1983, we were baptized in a beautiful river. To receive the Lord and the wonderful gift of the Holy Spirit was an extraordinary experience. The healing that resulted is engraved like gold on our minds and our souls.

Regarding the question of whether is it correct to rebaptize Christians who come into Community of Christ from other denominations, my answer is Yes. Yes. Yes. This is correct!

If the Lord gives the church legitimate authority to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and administer the sacraments, this is so valuable and so divine that it should not be unappreciated or despised. Rather, upon being authorized and prepared to act in the name of the Lord, our priesthood and its sacred acts are sealed by legitimacy and authority.

After knowing the truth of God in Community of Christ, a new baptism gives more opportunity for the convert to come to Jesus Christ and receive again divine grace and the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Testimony Two
As a Community of Christ member, baptized at the age of accountability (eight years old), I respect the tradition of learning, understanding, and practicing the Christian path. After being baptized my family left church life, and only I have returned since.

Recently I have struggled with the rebaptism of a Christian who had been baptized by full immersion after the age of accountability. How would I feel if my commitment to Christ were questioned while seeking status as a member in another
denomination?

For me, the act of baptism is completed for the forgiveness of sins. The symbolism of immersion makes a person a member of the Christian church and provides a powerful motive not to sin again.

Then there is confirmation, where hands of the elder are placed on the baptized person’s head to confer the Holy Spirit while conferring membership into Community of Christ.

It seems to me that the only sacrament that membership in Community of Christ hinges on is confirmation. I hold no doubt that baptism is essential to the salvation of one’s soul.

I guess I don’t know exactly were I stand on the issue of rebaptism, but I firmly believe that conditions of membership need to be reviewed by the church to say why we practice what we practice. I also believe baptism by full immersion is a necessary act of salvation for the remission of sins. I also believe that confirmation by the laying on of hands to confer the Holy Spirit “seals the deal.”

Testimony Three
I was baptized by sprinkling in another church. From a young age I was true to my church and my Lord. As far back as I can recall, I always have felt the warmth of the Spirit of God in my heart and in my life.

One highlight of my childhood was my confirmation and first Holy Communion. It was such a special event. My sister, my twin brother, and I all received confirmation on the same day. I believe this began my life’s journey with my Lord. My spouse is a member of Community of Christ. We married in a Community of Christ congregation, and I have attended Community of Christ for forty-seven years.

The hymns and people inspired me the first time I attended a service, and I continue to feel that way after all these years. I shared in the joy of the sacrament of baptism with each of our three daughters and supported each one in their journey with God in Community of Christ. I supported all of my spouse’s priesthood callings and have felt richly blessed.

When I witness a baptism, I usually am quite emotional and very excited for that person. The most difficult thing for me over the years was that I missed so many years of the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. I was never so thankful as when the time came for me to partake. Sacrament Sunday is very special to me.

Personally, I never felt the calling to be rebaptized. I feel that one of the most important blessings in my life has been that my mom made the choice long ago that I be baptized, and I never wanted to hurt my mom by being rebaptized in another church.

For years I asked God in my prayers to let me know what I was to do, and I strongly feel that God is OK with my decision. Over the years many, many people have approached me to become a Community of Christ member, and I always felt that if it was meant to be that I would do it for me and no one else.

Testimony Four
I prefer that people who want to become Community of Christ members be baptized according to the scriptural direction and policy in place.

I recall visits from Jehovah Witnesses in our home. The riveting part wasn’t what was said. It was the passion with which my parents spoke of their own belief in a living God who had sent an angel messenger to talk to a fourteen-year-old boy. Shortly after these visits ended, I must have turned eight because my mom started prebaptismal classes for me. My parents wanted me to be ready for the special upcoming baptismal service on Children’s Day.

When my dad baptized me, I was the beginning of a fourth generation of church members on both sides of my family. Six kids were baptized that Sunday. When I arose, I blew the water out of my face so hard the whole congregation laughed. I was a little embarrassed, but I knew I belonged. The choice for this big step was totally mine. Unreservedly, I said “yes” to God and to everybody that this was what my life would be about—belonging to this body of Christ.

Safe community is important to me. We moved to a town with a vibrant Community of Christ church family. Those involved in school, church, and community were all the same people. My sense of worth, identity, and well-being come even today from two communities: my family and my church. The message for me in those experiences is that members of community love each other and are committed to each other, through thick and thin.

That leads me to believe a person makes a two-dimensional commitment when baptized into Community of Christ. First is the covenant with God to always be a disciple of Jesus Christ. Second is the covenant to always live my discipleship with the community that strives to be the body of Christ, the community that struggles together to understand our mission to help God’s kingdom come on earth.

For me, water baptism is how I obediently present myself to God to enter into this covenant, and confirmation is God sealing the covenant with me. They are inseparable experiences, both essential for consummating the covenant. I belong—we belong—as companions who grow together in understanding the depth of the commitment we have made to God and to each other.

Testimony Five
In my culture, baptism is one of the most-significant sacraments. Before a child is born the parents already have chosen godparents. Being a godparent is a great responsibility and honor. The godparents serve as mentors and second parents for the children. A strong, family bond forms that lasts all of one’s life.

Rebaptism is difficult because it implies leaving and setting aside these significant traditions, nearly forgetting one’s godparents and the wonderful memories of them gained through the years.

I was baptized into Community of Christ in the summer of 1979 at a church reunion in Saltillo in the state of Coahuila, Mexico. At the time I felt content. However, when I arrived back home I felt doubt and fear. I felt I was erasing an entire stage of my life. I felt I was casting aside the godparents I had loved so dearly as a child. I had a dream in which I no longer could enter my original church home and had to watch the service outside, peering through the door.

I believe that if I had been allowed to choose, I would have preferred to receive a special blessing welcoming new members. That way I wouldn’t have felt I had to erase the memories and people involved in my previous baptism.

I pray that the baptismal practices in Community of Christ will always show great respect for these wonderful cultural traditions.

Your Own Reflections
Consider your beliefs and thoughts in relationship to the mission of the church and whether it should continue rebaptizing Christians who want to become Community of Christ members. It helps to reflect on how you arrived at those beliefs and what experiences helped form your perspective. This issue touches many theological and doctrinal foundations, such as priesthood authority, nature of scripture, and the relationship between membership and baptism. Considering all the issues connected to conditions of membership can deepen and enrich each person’s discipleship journey.

Sharing with the Church
Besides sharing in the recommended activities, the First Presidency sincerely wants to hear from all who wish to share. This may be done by offering insights, questions, testimonies, or short papers that present your viewpoint (five or fewer pages). Please send e-mail correspondence to Presidency Response@CofChrist.org. The address for correspondence by postal mail is:

Community of Christ International Headquarters
C/o Andrew Shields
Church secretary
1001 W. Walnut
Independence, MO 64050 USA