KELLY GRENFELL | copy editor
Your bags are packed. Your training is done. You’ve spent countless hours raising money, and bonding with your team. Maybe you’ve even prayed about it, and your heart is finally motivated for the mission work ahead.
You are part of a spring break service squad.
But wait. That doesn’t matter. All the effort you have invested, all the passion you’ve had, all the visions of cross-cultural community you’ve wanted to form have suddenly come to an abrupt halt. And all because of a discipleship detail. You’ve never been baptized.
Ok, pause. Before I get too carried away, let me emphasize this is not a lecture about the different beliefs in baptism. It’s about the priority churches place on traditional rituals that keep people from fulfilling commandments like love and service to others.
And while I realize this example may seem foreign to most, a recent encounter with this service stipulation sparked my attention when I discovered one church required immersion baptism for its membership, and membership for participation in its service ministry teams.
Can you see the disconcerting connection yet?
A father and son at this church had plans to serve in Mexico over spring break through the son’s youth group, until the church discovered his father wasn’t an official church member and declared him “unqualified” to lead. The qualification keeping him from attaining membership: immersion baptism.
Never mind the baptism he received as an infant. Never mind his dedication to the church through small groups and rotating sound board responsibilities. Never mind his passionate faith and personal relationship with Christ to begin with. The only aspect that seemed to matter was membership before service. No exceptions. He would not be allowed to serve.
Would a sprinkling baptism as an infant, or lack of a water works experience altogether really compromise the integrity of his service team? I think not.
When did we start making narrow distinctions about who in God’s kingdom is eligible to serve?
I’m not saying these practices are phony, but when the church keeps its congregation from experiencing God’s calling to love and serve His kingdom, they have forgotten the larger decree.
While traditional sacraments may help proclaim the love we have for our heavenly Father, and be an example to others for the veracity of our faith, how can these observances be used to show love to other? How can we love others until we go to them?
We shouldn’t try to stop someone from experiencing and fulfilling God’s love through ministry and service.
