Expert: Joe Norman - 12/30/2010

Question
I became a Church of Christ Christian several years ago.  I attend Sunday school ever Sunday.  A few years back I was asked to do the announcements in Sunday school, immediately following announcements someone is called upon to lead a prayer.  There are a couple of men in the class that are Baptist, they both attend with their wives and have been doing so for years.  I had called upon each before to lead a prayer and really never thought anything about it.  A few Sunday's ago I called upon one to lead a prayer, it was a good prayer (as it always is), however, after the class I was approached by a deacon that was in the class and he was quite upset because I called upon this person, he stated that this person was not follower of out belief.  He scolded me in an authority way in leaving me to believe it was too never happen again.  He stated that if he went to the elders they would not appreciate it.  The question: did I do anything spiritually wrong, because he stated that he could prove in the Bible that I was wrong.

Answer
Hi Larry,

I do appreciate you choosing me to answer your question. One thing that is different about the churches of Christ in comparison to any denomination is that we have no universal government system and no book of creeds or doctrines. We only have the Bible as our guide and each local church is independent and autonomous. Each local church is overseen by a group of elders who meet the requirements we find in the New Testament. It is because of these facts that I cannot really answer your question. I can help a person better understand God's Word and tell them my opinion on matters of opinion. If there is a topic you struggle with I can help with that.

But your situation is different. In my opinion the deacon was out of line by his scolding you for what occurred. It wasn't his place to speak to you about something like that. It was the place of an elder or all the elders. My suggestion to you is to go to the elders as a group. Meet with them, tell them all that occurred and humbly ask for their insight and guidance on this for you. You are under their authority and anything done in a Bible Class at the building or in the worship service is for them to guide the entire local congregation on and not for me or anyone outside of that local church to decide.

I am sorry I cannot truly answer this but it's not that I don't know how to answer you. I just am convinced it is not my place in your situation.

In Christian Love, Joe Norman