Expert: John of AllFaith - 7/7/2008

Question
I am an expatriate working in the middle east. For two years now, I have been attending an underground Baptist outreach here. Many baptist from different churches are also attending here. However, recently, our leader is urging us to transfer our membershipto their church  that gives authority to this outreach. He told us that unless we transfer, we are disobeying the will of God and likewise, we are serving two masters. Is this true? Should I transfer because of this? Some of the attendees in the outreach disagree saying it is not a church, while others said that they have commitment to their home church. Moreover they said they are only temporarily working here in the middle east and thus they have no reason to transfer. For me, personally, i don't what to do. Can you help me clear my mind on this matter?

God bless,
Gilbert

Answer
Hi Gilbert,

Please read this entire reply. I see two specific considerations here.

First, I would reference an essential Baptist doctrine, the Priesthood of All Believers. As a Baptist you have but one mediator between you and God: Jesus. You are answerable to Him alone and only He will judge whether or not you are worthy, not any human institution, board or pastor.

Secondly, we are commanded in Scripture to voluntarily submit to those who have authority over us, as long as this is harmonious with our service to God.

These two considerations, in this order, I believe should be the determining factors here.

As you have chosen/felt led to serve the Lord in this underground outreach ministry you have voluntarily accepted the authority placed over it by the Lord. As you refer to it as an "outreach" I assume you are in an active ministry through the group and not merely attended services there.

In most cases if one is involved in an outreach ministry, especially full time, of a single congregation it is assumed that the pastor of the congregation is the spiritual authority of operations. Hence, if he wants to have the people involved in the church's outreach ministry be members of his congregation, to me, this seems to reasonable. Churches are responsible for the outreaches they conduct and for those who represent them.

For me however, just reading your words as presented, red flags go up when he says that by refusing to transfer your membership to his congregation you would be guilty of embracing two masters. This sounds very un-Baptist and un-scriptural to me. While it is true that we are called to submit to our pastors and other spiritual authorities, it is moreso the case that, as Baptists, we are free to determine how, when and where we serve the Lord. Such a determination is outside of his authority to make in my opinion. This demand and judgment on his part would at the least cause me to question my continuing involvement with the outreach ministry.

At the same, working in an underground ministry implies that your ministry is potentially dangerous and unity and spiritual authority in such situations can be more important than it might be otherwise. Such cases can require greater authority and cohesion be granted to those in charge in order to protect the ministry, its ministers and those it ministers to.

I would say therefore that in my opinion, while I disagree with his assessment about serving two masters, if you wish to or feel led to continue in the ministry of that congregation it would behoove you to transfer your membership as requested and to accept his spiritual authority, unless there are other factors you have not discussed here.

If/when you move on, you can always transfer your membership elsewhere.

Hope this helps,
~ John of AllFaith
~ Pastor John