A "Golden Rule" for cooperation among Churches

I. Scriptural Basis

"Being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all" (Ephesians 4;3-6).

"For just as we have many members in one body and all members do not have the same function, so we who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another" (Romans 12;4,5).

Also see John 17:21; I Cor. 1:10-13, 12:1ff; Matt. 5:9; Rom. 14:19

II. Principal Concerns

A. That we promote the unity, peace and purity of churches in the matter of their mutual involvement in the movement of members.

B. That we develop greater knowledge of, respect for and communication with these congregations and denominations in the area of their ecclesiastical discipline.

C. That we, while promoting goodwill between the churches, seek also to promote the growth and maturity of the persons involved through the positive application of church discipline.

D. That we signify our desire to discipline members by not ignoring another church's discipline, and that we believe that the judgment of officers in Christ's church may not be disregarded as though they were not acting for God in His church.

E. That we demonstrate to all that the church of Christ is one, and that He has one law for all its parts.

F. That churches have occasionally, while perhaps unintentionally, received members and/or ordained officers who were under various stages of discipline in other churches, thus creating misunderstanding and tension between the churches.

G. That we recognize the need for mutual freedom and openness on the part of the churches.

III. The "Golden Rule" for Church Cooperation

THEREFORE, out of concern to build the Church of Jesus Christ we recommend that each local church respect the other's procedures of discipline and pastoral concerns by affirming and applying the following courteous code of behavior as a guide for our churches in receiving members from other churches:

1. We will be sensitive to the presence of existing churches and missions ministries of other churches and will take great care in receiving members of those existing ministries.

2. We will refrain from receiving into membership a member of another local church until we have made a good faith effort to contact the officers of the former church.

3. We shall inform churches that are being attended by those under our discipline of the nature and extent of the disciplinary procedure, thus enabling informal consultation between the pastors and/or elders of both churches.

4. We shall refrain from receiving into membership a person under disciplinary action from his former church until we have taken into serious account the discipline of and the information supplied by the former church.

5. We shall refrain from receiving into membership a person under discipline until the officers of his former church have been contacted to determine if any needed and proper restitution has been made or committed to and/or reconciliation has been seriously attempted. We shall make a good faith effort in such cases to satisfy the officers of the former church.

6. We shall refrain from receiving into membership a person under discipline until after he has made a good faith effort to comply with the requirements of the form of government of the church from which he is separating, and we shall be responsible to see that this is done.

7. We agree that when communication and/or action regarding the movement of a member or ordained officer from one church to another does not satisfy either his former or present church officers, other local pastors or elders may be contacted, with a view to mediation of the problem.

This document is based upon the "Golden Rule Comity Agreement" drafted and adopted by the National Association of Presbyterian and Reformed Churches (NAPARC), as well as recommendations based upon NAPARC's agreement that were adopted by the Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC) at its 53rd General Assembly, held in 1986. We are deeply grateful to both NAPARC and the OPC for their fine work, and pray that our adaptation of their work meets with their approval and the approval of Christ's church.