| We have certain safeguards set up for this at out church. We have
statements of faith that we go through in membership classes. Our
statement of faith is about thirty pages long and covers pretty much
everything. It is then that one can choose to join the church or not
join the church. This is particularly important insofar as doctrinal
issues of salvation, i.e. how to get saved, and the person of Jesus
Christ, his purpose, etc.
Now it is also true that even amongst membership you will not have two
people alike. Issues such as the number of times we have communion,
should we have Sunday evening service, should we have Vacation Bible
School, budgetary issues, missions, etc....there is a diversity of
opinion in our congregation on such matters. Even on dispensational
issues there will be some differences. Do we really have free will or
are there some people predestined to judgement. etc. I have found my
pastor and I don't fully see eye to eye on this...but this is goodness
in that it makes us search for truth even more...something even C-P can
cause us to do if we are truly searching.
Dispensational issues are not important enough to me to leave the
church or have disagreements with my pastor over. Doctrinal issues
over salvation and redemption are vitally important and would be cause
to seek another fellowship if necessary.
Rgds.,
-Jack
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