Would you allow this person ............ ?

No Baptist church I've been in (except for one) would allow a non-member to be in the choir. Also, NO church I've been in would allow anyone who cannot emphatically say "I am born again and know it" to even join the church--let alone sing in the choir.

 

Irrelevant.

Choir members help to lead the congregation in worship.

How can one lead in worship, if one doesn't know how? We have accountability procedures in place before allowing others to lead.

Choir is not an outreach to non-Christians.

 

Who's stopping her from singing? Who's stopping her from hearing the message of Christ?

Don't you have congregational singing? Don't you have a message?

And who said this was a permanent issue? All I've said is that non-members should not be leading a church in worship.

 

Just to throw a clod in the churn!

Personally I think churches should disband the choir and band , eliminate the organ and piano, and return to a cappella singing by the congregation.

Of course the young lady should have been invited in to sing with the congregation.

 

Excellent, concise, & biblical.

Nobody is saying the woman can't sing with the congregation. The important part of this story, to me, is not that she was shunned, but she seems to be wanting the attention of the flock, and salvation is secondary. It's a shame that some folks are more concerned about making the pastor out to be a bad guy than they are about where this woman will spend eternity.

 

When I posted that, I did not see the resolution story.

At any rate, it doesn't change anything. People get saved first, then join the choir. In my opinion, you take a big chance letting a little leaven in. I find the story highly dubious, as I have seen the poster play loose with facts before, but even if it is a true story, it is nothing more than human emotion trumping scripture.

 

Well, my aunt has constantly judged me - constantly pointed out my faults, and it has pushed me away. Surely if the church does that, then we could end up driving someone to despair - or to unbelief?

 

This church did not point out her faults. But they would be correct in doing so, as Christ never balked at pointing them out. Look at the woman at the well. Her face must have turned beet red at what Christ had to say. We are to be like him in all ways. I cannot imagine Christ allowing an unsaved person to carry his message.

 

We're not talking about "judging." We're talking about this:

If you wish to lead in worship--which a choir member does--there should be some modicum of accountability in the process. Otherwise, you end up with someone who sings well, looks good, and is "very enthusiastic," but has no relationship with God.

A non-believer leading worship? That's like asking someone who can't cook to grill you a steak. Bad move.


Look...I don't know of many churches at all who would turn down a believer who wished to minister in the area of music...if that believer would allow themselves to be under the proper accountability.

 

Who on earth is refusing this woman entrry to worship??? Make up some facts, will you?

You're wrong: Singing in the choir is a role of worship leadership. And at the risk of being repetitive, she is not being told, "you cannot do this." There's a HUGE difference between saying, "you can't," and "you can't, until you are active here." I'm having trouble understanding your difficulty comprehending this.

 

This is a straw man. The real problem was not that she could not sing in the choir but that she had no heart for God. And she may have been responded to incorrectly. Hard to know since we do not have the first Pastors exact words. Jesus told the rich man to go and sell all that he had, and he went away sorrowful. Jesus never taught that we are to give people anything such as money or singing positions to win the lost.

Ghandi did not become a Christian because he did not want to become a Christian and nothing more.

A distinction without difference.

Wrong, she found Christ because God opened her heart. John 1:13

This has been debunked now.

 

First of all, I reject your whole story. I simply do not believe it to be true.

Second, I'd like to see the list of churches that barred Ghandi from entering. Whatever his excuse for not believing was, I'm sure he regrets it, now.

Third, where in scripture do you find the unsaved being invited to sing ?

Fourth, Choir singing is a service position in the Church. Leaven affects the lump, not the other way around.

I reject the whole premise.

 

Bub you do not know enough about me to make such a conclusion. Whether or not a choice was given is irrelevant. It is about the manner in which we come to God.

Cain brought a gift to God.

I know scripture. People do not go to hell for any reason other than they reject God. Period

You do not have any way of knowing this.

And in the clear and narrow parameters of scripture.

 

What you see or do not see is not relevant. But the issue is about salvation and having a relationship with God.