Interdenominational Ministerial Alliances
Various Authors
Question:
Is it dangerous, or valuable, to become involved in your cities Interdenominational Ministerial Alliances? What experience have you had?
Comments in favor of involvement in Ministerial Alliances:
Carl Grenz:
I have been a part of my local ministerial fellowship for 16 years. I have been able to not only witness regularly to ministers in my area, I have been able to preach in several of their churches. I preached the new birth message and God moved each time! My experience has been a positive one.
Johnny Kerman
I think belonging to local ministerial fellowships is fine. It’s a great place to share the truth and meet others that are hungry for truth. I think you would be shocked by how many are open to new revelation!
Ron Felt
I have been a part of our local alliance here, and I stepped away for a while. It is my intentions to reconnect again for the soul purpose of it being a good place to get a feel for keeping up what is going on in our town. I have had the opportunity to preach in the Catholic church as well as in a Black Baptist church. I did not seek these opportunities out, but they came because I was there.
Jamal Pretty
I have been involved in my local ministerial fellowship for a number of years now. It has not caused me to lose my faith. In fact, I think it has strengthened it! I have gotten to know several wonderful men who pastor local churches and we have coffee together occasionally. I have been able to share my view of Baptism and the Godhead on several occasions. They have no good answer! So I’m going to keep after them until they accept or reject the Word of God as truth. We can’t win people by isolating ourselves from the World. If you want to catch fish, you have to take your boat on the lake.
L. K. R.
I not only recommend it, I think you are wrong to NOT participate in your local Ministers Fellowship. I think we have a moral obligation to bring this Gospel of Salvation to everyone, especially those who are in doctrinal error. Most of those in my church attended church somewhere before coming to my church and being baptized. Just because someone believed false doctrine does not mean you reject them as having “no hope” of salvation. Every time I attend one of our local Ministerial Prayer Breakfasts, when we have a “season of prayer” many pray silently. I pray out as I normally do. Every time I have someone come up to me and remark how they felt God when they heard me pray! I can then witness to them about the Holy Ghost. While I have not yet converted any, I am praying with two pastors in town regularly and after prayer we study the Word. I believing that I will see both of these men filled with the Holy Ghost and come to full truth! How can this be wrong?
Carl
I have been involved in the Ministerial Alliance in my city for the past ten years. While it has not always been helpful, it has opened doors for me to spread the Gospel. Twice I have preached in denominational pulpits without any restrictions. I was able to preach full New Birth salvation and explain why we believed the Oneness of God. It also has allowed our church to participate in various community holiday activities that resulted in considerable exposure for our church that I would not have had otherwise. I think that any pastor that firmly believes this truth can be among those who are not of this truth and allow the Holy Ghost to shine through them. Jesus ate with sinners. Paul preached on Mar’s Hill and in the Temple. I am not endorsing their doctrines or views or values any more than attending a denominational seminary means I endorse their doctrinal views. It’s simply a place I can be a witness for truth to those who need it the most.
Comments Against involvement in Ministerial Alliances:
R. S. F
Would Jesus if He was here in the flesh belong? Would John who said not to even bid them God supped belong. Jesus declared except you believe that I am He you will die in your sins. Those that really have the revelation of the Father and Son could never fellowship those that deceive those that sit under them. I came out into the truth and cannot believe any true minister and I say TRUE minister could fellowship with false ministers and teachers. Preachers with giant ego’s and lack of revelation fellowship with those that Jesus and the Apostle’s would rebuke. Paul said they are cursed. The real question is, are we really part of that group that Jesus called and sent into the world? Also remember that there are countless graves of those that stood up against this very doctrine (Trinitarian). We either love this Truth or we do not. John said they went out and that’s were they should stay. It is sad and tragic to see what has crept into the ranks of those who claim to be Apostolic in doctrine. Truth exposes error and that is why these so called preachers fellowship with error; they do not have what it takes to expose them. In other words, they compromise to have fellowship with those that under the right circumstances would persecute them. History is full of what these same denominations did to those who stood for TRUTH. What direction is this movement headed to even consider having fellowship with false teachers and preachers that Jesus said would come? I could go on but enough. Thanks for airing my view and I hope there are more who believe the same doctrine of the GREAT REVELATION of WHO is the FATHER and SON.
Michael Pellman
This is somewhat of a pro and con. Back in the spring of 2001, pastors from all 7 Indian Reservations were invited to a prayer breakfast with the Governor, Judy Martz in Helena, MT. We were all given 5 min. to preach. I spoke of how peoples lives were being changed by Jesus Christ, and how people were receiving the Holy Ghost, and we were baptizing people in Jesus Name and so forth. Then we were allowed to all gather and lay hands on the Governor and pray for her. I thought this was an outstanding time, BUT, we scheduled 2 community services, one at the AOG, and the other at the Vineyard. Needless to say, it was a disaster. One speaker proceeded to insult the city of Helena, and dispense rude comments throughout his speaking. The next night, he spoke badly of another group that just finished singing, about how wrong they were. There seemed to be no true order in these 2 community services. Once I got home I immediately sent off cards and letters, offering thanksgiving, while somehow trying to distance myself from these other groups. Would I go to the Capitol and pray for the Governor again? Absolutely. Would I go to the interdenominational community services? Absolutely NOT!
This article “Interdenominational Ministerial Alliances” by Various Authors was excerpted from: www.ibcperspectives.com website. December 2010. It may be used for study & research purposes only.
