One of my greatest concerns as a FIRE board member is that the people in FIRE churches are aware of being a part of an association. FIRE is an association of churches, not merely an association of pastors. Whether or not people in FIRE churches know this is really the responsibility of FIRE pastors.
Ways we seek to accomplish this include mentioning our FIRE membership in our church’s web page, social media accounts, and weekly church bulletin.
In addition we insert a half-sheet in our weekly bulletin a few times each month, reminding us to pray for sister FIRE churches. Of course we encourage everyone to pray when these inserts are in the bulletin—but even if you don’t pray (please do!), the insert is a reminder that we are a FIRE church.
An important mark of the FIRE Fellowship: Reformed, but loving and relaxed. Sadly, sometimes reformed folk (especially Reformed Baptists) come across as more “Reformed” than “Christlike.” A number of FIRE pastors and churches have come from rather heavy-handed Reformed Baptist groups, and have found a loving, safe haven in FIRE. This does not mean we are fuzzy on doctrine. We are self-consciously committed to the doctrines of grace, but are not unduly stuffy on secondary matters about which godly people may have differing views. From the beginning of FIRE, we have embraced the following adage:
On the essentials: Unity. On non-essentials: Liberty. In all things: Charity.
Next Time: How FIRE membership benefited our church 20 years ago.