Please, only serious answers, please.
Tomorrow, I have an interview for a possible full-time Youth Pastor position at a local Baptist church. I just got to thinking...
Would they allow somoene on staff who is married to someone who had gotten a divorce? The reason was, he was not faithful. Maybe one can be youth leader, BUT not ordained?? Any ideas?
2006-11-05 15:42:08 · 16 answers · asked by da dude 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I think they would have a bigger problem with the he was not faithful part than anything. When you work with youth it tough.
2006-11-05 15:46:08 · answer #1 · answered by mac tonight 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You need to know the association in which the church belongs if any.
General
Missionary
there are a few more.
Baptists tend to take the one man one wife thing and make is purely a divorce issue instead of how it was intended to eliminate a polygamist from holding office in a church.
The bible is taken literally and that is how it was taught to me. The man whom divorced his wife would be seen as having caused her to remarry and thus commit adultry. The bible states that the man whom she marries now also commits adultry.
In a strict baptist church, you will find that this information about your personal life will keep you from holding office within the church and this would include leading youth. There are many more liberal baptist churches whom this wouldnt impede your leadership abilities.
My suggestion is to call them before the interview and be open and honest about it, so that neither of you waste time if this is an issue that they could not tolerate accoding to their church doctrine.
Biblically being unfaithful is not reason for divorce, sexual immorality and the unwillingness to stop sinning in that matter is a reason for divorce. Simply put, did he commit adultry once and divorce was the outcome or did he make a lifestyle of adultry? We are supposed to forgive transgressions, not divorce the one who transgressed.
It seems that you know the bible and are trying to figure out how others at different churches interpret scripture and that will be difficult to do without asking each one indepentantly.
2006-11-05 15:53:48 · answer #2 · answered by cindy 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ex-baptist.... I know that my husband and I have both worked in the baptist church. I was divorced (biblical) and my husband had lived with women in the past. ( He was a widow). He was ordained, given a minister's license. This church was SBC.
I don't know if they just ignored those facts, or made an exception but God worked it out just the same. If you are called to be there, God will open and shut doors as needed.
I hope that they will allow you to work, the harvest is plenty and the workers are few... It is truly hard for me to see people get locked up on rules when so many are ending up in the pit of hell.
blessings as you journey with Jesus.
2006-11-05 16:11:57 · answer #3 · answered by 2ndchhapteracts 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
depends on the individual church. According to Mat 5 31 one would asume if hubby was not faithful by gettin it on with another married woman then she has permission to divorce from the top.
If he was foolin with a single woman then no excuse for leaving. You might want to brush up on the sex rules cuz what we think is adultry not always true in the old Testiment, and monogamy not a Biblical directive.
2006-11-05 15:48:31 · answer #4 · answered by ronnysox60 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hey, it depends on the particular church. Some Baptist churches are very strict and will not permit you to be on their staff. Others are more open and understanding and will not make an issue of it.
Here's the bottom line. If they don't want you there on staff, you wouldn't want to be there anyway.
2006-11-05 15:48:44 · answer #5 · answered by mediocritis 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Baptists teach (if I remember correctly) that divorce is OK if there is infidelity involved. Why is it so important to be ordained. You are still working for God and helping youth
2006-11-05 15:47:03 · answer #6 · answered by chilover 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Are you the one who's married to someone who has been divorced ? Sorry if I seem nosy,but I assume it's yourself.If not,I'm really sorry if I have offended you..In any case,you were not the one who got divorced anyway,so I don't think it would be an issue.Not in the Baptist church anyway.
2006-11-05 15:48:00 · answer #7 · answered by Serena 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I was brought up Baptist and I really don't think there would be any problem with this. I am in Australia though so I'm not sure if there is a difference in other countries. This is a biblical reason for leaving marriage though so I cannot imagine there would be any problem.
2006-11-05 15:46:10 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think it would be allowed. I don't know of pastors in my church who have married a divorced woman, but that doesn't mean it's not allowed. God hates divorce, but He also hates adultery, and if it was not her fault, I see no reason why it would be a problem.
2006-11-05 16:09:12 · answer #9 · answered by Courtney B 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You will not be able to be Ordained, But you can still hold a youth leader position.
2006-11-05 15:51:27 · answer #10 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Depends on their sensabilities.
Jesus said you could get divorced for adultery.
Some Churches, however, don't like divorced people. One user here said her mother got removed from it was either Sunday School or Bible Studies because she got a divorce.
2006-11-05 16:01:43 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋