Background Checks in Church?
I have a skeleton in my closet, but I will tell you about it later.
For now, I have a question. I have received a letter a few days ago. I will refrain from disclosing my source just yet. The letter, however, contained an interesting story about certain aspects of life in a small-town church in my home town. The church is in Russia, but it is being led and sponsored from America. Not sure what the denomination is… you tell me.
Here’s the bit that got my attention:
“Last month a young family moved to (my home town) from (different area). They came to our little town in search of a healthy and active church. We contacted their former pastor and were glad to find out that they had left their home town in peace with everyone.”
Does this last sentence creep you out in any way?
Is this the church’s initiative, or is it customary in any of the Protestant denominations to make background checks on new church members? I’ve gone through five different churches in my life, three of them Protestant, and this is the first I’m hearing of it.
If you were to join a church, and the pastor made a background check on you, would you stay or would you walk out? I would definitely walk out. Correction – I would wait until my records come back clean and they tell me I’m welcome into the fold, then tell them: "sorry, like I said, I was looking for a healthy church... guess I'll have to keep looking!" and walk out.
Oh, my. What is this world coming to?
For now, I have a question. I have received a letter a few days ago. I will refrain from disclosing my source just yet. The letter, however, contained an interesting story about certain aspects of life in a small-town church in my home town. The church is in Russia, but it is being led and sponsored from America. Not sure what the denomination is… you tell me.
Here’s the bit that got my attention:
“Last month a young family moved to (my home town) from (different area). They came to our little town in search of a healthy and active church. We contacted their former pastor and were glad to find out that they had left their home town in peace with everyone.”
Does this last sentence creep you out in any way?
Is this the church’s initiative, or is it customary in any of the Protestant denominations to make background checks on new church members? I’ve gone through five different churches in my life, three of them Protestant, and this is the first I’m hearing of it.
If you were to join a church, and the pastor made a background check on you, would you stay or would you walk out? I would definitely walk out. Correction – I would wait until my records come back clean and they tell me I’m welcome into the fold, then tell them: "sorry, like I said, I was looking for a healthy church... guess I'll have to keep looking!" and walk out.
Oh, my. What is this world coming to?
