There is a little church tucked into the corner of my neighborhood. The only thing I know about them is there name, which is on the sign out in the front lawn.
I did a little bit of research to find out what is particular to this branch of the Christian church.
- You have to be baptized with water before you can experience a close relationship with God or receive the Holy Spirit.
- If you are baptized as an infant, you get it confirmed as a teenager.
- Baptism only counts if it was done in the triune name of God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
- Communion is celebrated every week.
- The church views the “Holy Sealing” by the Holy Spirit an necessary step in being a child of God.
- The church believes in pre-millennial eschatology and considers the second coming of Jesus to be imminent.
- The church believes in the role of the Apostles for the church today.
- The church has a special doctrine for the departed, having three annual services where prayers, communion and baptism for the dead are performed.
Some of these points are outside what I would consider orthodox. I have a choice to make. Will I exclude these neighbors from fellowship because of different points of view and spiritual practices, or is there enough common ground to consider them, and treat them, as family?
