I am going to espouse an unpopular opinion about new member classes in the church. Hear me out, now. It’s important for you to know that not only do I think they are a good idea, but I have taught them most of my career. So here comes the unpopular part: I don’t think they should be a requirement for joining. Yes, they should be offered so that people can connect with ministries and learn more about both the local church and the larger denomination, but no, they should not be a mandatory part of the joining process. Don’t come at me, now!

You see, I never once read in the Gospels that Jesus required anything in order to be a part of his movement. He certainly never said you had to attend a six-week class on Thursday evenings first. He just said, “Follow me.” To the disciples he said, “Follow me and I will make your fishers of people.” Now, to put this into fishing jargon, I think the logic here is that you have to catch the fish before you clean the fish. Are you with me?

Many decades ago I had an unsettling encounter with a church member named Roy. Roy demanded an audience one Monday morning because on Sunday, we had allowed a young couple with two different last names but the same address to join the church. (We used to publish new members’ addresses in the bulletin. It will come as no surprise to you that we stopped doing that the very next week. Read on.) Roy was leaving the church because he was highly offended that this obviously unmarried couple who were living together (“in sin”) were allowed to join the church. After carefully explaining that there was no church policy to prevent this, I finally said, “But Roy, you have to catch the fish before you can clean the fish.” Roy left the church anyway.

It astounds me that people who are so focused on someone else’s sin want to bar them from the ministry of the church. What is the point of the church, then? I once heard someone say that the church is a hospital for sinners, not a sanctuary for saints. Good thing! That’s the only way I got in.

Our passage in Acts makes the outrageous point that the Holy Spirit had been poured out “even on the Gentiles.” Can you imagine? The Gentiles! (By the way, unless you’re Jewish, you’re a Gentile.)

Acts 10 (Common English Bible)

⁴⁴ While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell on everyone who heard the word. ⁴⁵ The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. ⁴⁶ They heard them speaking in other languages and praising God. Peter asked, ⁴⁷ “These people have received the Holy Spirit just as we have. Surely no one can stop them from being baptized with water, can they?”⁴⁸ He directed that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they invited Peter to stay for several days.

Peter sets the course for the church in this one single act. All are invited. All are included. All are welcome. Then Paul came along and taught the early churches some really good theology. Peter caught, Paul cleaned. “The Holy Spirit fell on everyone who heard the word.” Guess where people today hear the word? In church.

When the Holy Spirit spoke, no one could stop the movement of the Spirit among both Jews and Gentiles.

Why should we?

Gotcha! by Michelle Robertson