Baptisimal Pool ?

[KayM]

I Need opinions & advice over a certain issue pertaining to our Church?

 

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  We are Adventists and have thank God a new church since 5 years. Before then we were worshipping each Sabbath in a Pentecostal church from whom we were renting. Recently Our Pentecostal friends requested to use our Baptisimal pool, since they have None. Feeling obligated to assist them since they helped us when we were Need we allowed them.
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  Now the word has gone round and another different pentecostal church has requested our baptisimal pool. The Argument now is should we allow other churches who do not share our Adventist believe to use our Baptisimal pool ?

[Gregory Matthews]

We should probably treat them in the same manner that we would want to be treated ourselves.

Let us remember that scholars define religions in a very broad sense.  As such, depending somewhat on who read there are about a dozen world religions.  Within each religion there are likely multiple denominations, or sects.  [NOTE:  The word "sect" as I am using it here does not have a negative meaning.]

Within this construct, Christianity is a world religion.  I suspect that it is highly unlikely that we would want to use a Hindu Temple as a place to worship and such would not be a Christian religion.  I would not want for a SDA building to be rented for use by Hindus. 

What I am saying is:  If the group is Christian, there should be no objection to allowing them to use our facilities, if that could be done without negative comprise to our SDA ministry & mission.  [NOTE:  One unfortunate example of such in a real situation in which a SDA congregation entered into a legally binding contract that restricted the SDA use of the building Mondays through Fridays.]

What I have said above does not cover every area.  I personally know of a SDA congregation where its building have been used for years as a place for people to come to vote at election time--clearly not Christian use.  I am aware of a SDA congregation that allows its building to be used for local community meetings in an effort to build relations in the area where it is located.

Another grey area might be for a religious group that may claim to be Christian, but is not considered such by most people.    

In consideration of requests to use SDA facilities, consideration should be given to the costs that such would incur.  A SDA congregation is not required to cover the utility, and other, costs that use by another group would incur.  As a former SDA congregational pastor a SDA group wanted to use our building on Sabbath afternoons.  We decided that we would need for them to pay a fee of $25 for each such use in order to cover our utility costs.

 

 

[debbym]

For Baptism?  Personally i would say yes.  They are not asking to use it for a voodoo ritual.  There are more of God's people in other Christian churches than in the Adventist churches.

[JoeMo]

9 hours ago, KayM said:

should we allow other churches who do not share our Adventist believe to use our Baptisimal pool ?

Absolutely!!!  We are Christians first; and SDA's second.  We are saved by grace through faith in Christ, not through faith in the denomination.

[KayM]

Hi guys & thanks. I Haven`t been to check my posts for ages. Hope to be more frequent. 

[phkrause]

Not sure why I've never come upon this thread until now?? But I would say yes, why not??

[GHansen]

8 hours ago, KayM said:

Hi guys & thanks. I Haven`t been to check my posts for ages.

 How did things turn out for your church. Are Pentecostals still baptizing people there or did they ever?