“OPEN MEMBERSHIP???”
By Dr. Hoyt W. Allen, Jr.
Someone asked the question, “What Is Open Membership?”. Thus, I will attempt to respond to this question briefly.
“Open Membership” concerning church membership is the common term used when a church (denomination or a local congregation) permits people to become an official member with them who have not followed the Biblical plan of salvation.
Very Plainly, the Bible teaches that to avoid hell and gain heaven - one must:
1) Believe In Jesus As Savior (Acts 16:31) 2) Repent Of Sins (Acts 17:30)
3) Confess Christ Audibly (Acts 8:37) 4) Be Baptized In Water (Acts 2:38)
5) Live A Christian Life (Acts 14:22) 6) Be Active in the Church (Acts 2:47)
When an “Open Membership” church tells a person who is seeking membership that one can join the church no matter if you have been Scripturally baptized (immersed for the forgiveness of sins; Acts 2:38) or not - this is an “Open Membership Church”. They do not require one to be baptized as the Bible teaches.
When I was twelve years of age and attending an interdenominational church, who did not have a regular minister, my father told me that next Sunday a visiting minister was going to baptize my older sister and myself. The next Sunday the visiting minister positioned twelve of us (youth and elderly) in a circle and sprinkled a few drops of water on our heads for baptism. I accepted this as being baptized for many years until I was confronted with the Bible’s teaching of immersion of the believer. You see, the application of water at age twelve was dad’s decision and not mine, even if it had been immersion. Thus my wife and I at age twenty-four, were baptized by immersion, as Acts 2:38 teaches. This was on August 25, 1963. From then until the present I have encouraged people to do things God’s way and not man’s. Contact us if you need assistance in talking care of this very important matter.
KYOWVA Evangelistic Association * 1541 S. 7th Street * Ironton, OH 45638
Web Page: www.kyowva.com * Free Bible Course Upon Request