the servants badge

13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.

14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.

15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.

16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.

17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

how many practice foot washing and have a full understanding of it

i was asked to leave a church i pastored over mentioning foot washing .. i will add no more comments till i see what others have to say is it Biblically based to practice it . or would it e one of those things not needed ?
 
My assessment of foot washing is symbolic of our recharging, washing the dirt of the world, with one another in fellowship. However, with the church organization's focus on getting sinners in the door and just preaching the message of salvation to everyone every Sunday the church people are finding less refuge in the church and are thereby not having their "feet" washed. Our travelling feet are dirty with no place to go for the meat and fellowship we long for. So, the numbers decrease in the church. I can tell you if I went to church one Sunday and someone wanted to wash my feet because it was scheduled to do so I would leave. What I would really like is a church that preaches ALL of the Bible and not just John 3:16, Scripture rice cakes, and milk. My wife and I would love to go to the church but it is a monopoly of corporate doctrine now and it's empty.
 
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My wife and I would love to go to the church but it is a monopoly of corporate doctrine now and it's empty.
not all are in my area i can point to plenty that are sound. washing of the feet is a act of humbleness very misunderstood. many take it as literally washing. that is not the case the towel becomes a servants badge . admittedly it has been a while since i been in a foot washing service. i do feel it is a good thing to do .
 
not all are in my area i can point to plenty that are sound. washing of the feet is a act of humbleness very misunderstood. many take it as literally washing. that is not the case the towel becomes a servants badge . admittedly it has been a while since i been in a foot washing service. i do feel it is a good thing to do .
We have lived in four different states, seven cities, and been to more churches than I can recall in the past ten years and I don't recall a single one that I miss. All of them seem to focus on the salvation message every Sunday (which is great if you don't know God but for the rest of us we only need to be born once). They all use LifeWay or some corporate mandate similar. We just want good solid teaching straight from the Bible and not just a lesson on positive psychology.
 
In review of my response here I want to apologize to you for coming across so sharply. I am learning humility right now and I didn't pray for humility. I am wrestling with God and I am not winning. So, I am sorry, forgiven61.
 
When I was in my late teens, I went to a retreat where we were taught about being servants of each other. The retreat included foot washing. I found it moving, and noticed several fellow attendees putting servant-hood into practice after we returned to everyday life.

While I was in the military and was looking for an off-post congregation, I attended a church that performed foot washing periodically. I had the impression that they were very prideful about their practice to the point where they held those that did not hold to the practice as less committed. Seemed to have the opposite effect than the original.

Another church I attended about the same time occasionally held foot washing ceremonies where the pastor, assistant pastor, and deacons washed the feet of the congregation members, signifying that they were to serve God by serving the congregation.

So, my thoughts are:

> unlike commandments for Baptism and the Lord's Supper, there is no explicit command for ongoing foot washing

> If one (or a congregation) chooses foot washing, the approach and heart and understanding of the purpose is central.
 
When I was in my late teens, I went to a retreat where we were taught about being servants of each other. The retreat included foot washing. I found it moving, and noticed several fellow attendees putting servant-hood into practice after we returned to everyday life.

While I was in the military and was looking for an off-post congregation, I attended a church that performed foot washing periodically. I had the impression that they were very prideful about their practice to the point where they held those that did not hold to the practice as less committed. Seemed to have the opposite effect than the original.

Another church I attended about the same time occasionally held foot washing ceremonies where the pastor, assistant pastor, and deacons washed the feet of the congregation members, signifying that they were to serve God by serving the congregation.

So, my thoughts are:

> unlike commandments for Baptism and the Lord's Supper, there is no explicit command for ongoing foot washing

> If one (or a congregation) chooses foot washing, the approach and heart and understanding of the purpose is central.
i been in some spirit filled foot washings the men went in one room the ladies in another .the reason for the ack of real foot washing not so much physicals .is like communion many dont take it serious
.my understandings freewill Baptist has it in there ordinance communion and foot washing. i cant prove that one way or the other. if one don't feel comfortable with it .then they should at least watch it if done in the right humble spirt there is a meaning.
southern Baptist or some will not have anything to do with it. i have talked to some who as partook of it in church. i am ordained general Baptist more non denom than Baptist.
if God is in it just like church its wonderful . we have to allow the anointing in
 
We have lived in four different states, seven cities, and been to more churches than I can recall in the past ten years and I don't recall a single one that I miss. All of them seem to focus on the salvation message every Sunday (which is great if you don't know God but for the rest of us we only need to be born once). They all use LifeWay or some corporate mandate similar. We just want good solid teaching straight from the Bible and not just a lesson on positive psychology.
not be a know it all or bro better than thou . a old time preacher man said if your looking for prefect church and find it. it wont be very long.. as we are there . my self i mix the messages up as God gives it to me . i love to preach a salvation message
the last 3 i preached was tribulation in this world 2nd i switched to how things will be in the last days perilous times God send strong delusions 3rd was weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God. its all through God not us.

i dont do mandates nor do i preach series what headquarters want . in fact the gen Baptist headquarters has NO say in the local church. good Sunday school helps have good church . i recommend drop the wants feed off the message. yes we have traded education /degrees for anointing . i like the old time preaching . a good education can help bring things out .but in the end its all the Lords anointing
 
how many practice foot washing and have a full understanding of it

i was asked to leave a church i pastored over mentioning foot washing .. i will add no more comments till i see what others have to say is it Biblically based to practice it . or would it e one of those things not needed ?

not all are in my area i can point to plenty that are sound. washing of the feet is a act of humbleness very misunderstood. many take it as literally washing. that is not the case the towel becomes a servants badge . admittedly it has been a while since i been in a foot washing service. i do feel it is a good thing to do .

Dear forgiven61;

Pastor, I feel you articulated the Biblical teaching of footwashing to your church family from Matthew 26:14-39, John 13:1-17, while sharing the application of "a leader being a servant, first" in Luke 22:24-27.

My former Pastors taught the same discipleship you did and today our footwashings usually take place during Resurrection week. I usually have the men wash men's feet and the same for women to women, especially when we attended leadership retreats.

After all this, for your former church family to
reject Jesus' teaching on this very humbling, servant's attitude is what I don't understand.

I'm thankful to God for your servant's heart to
press on doing where the Lord has led you today.

God bless
you, Pastor, and your family.
 
After all this, for your former church family to reject Jesus' teaching on this very humbling, servant's attitude is what I don't understand.
WHEN MAN Gets IDEAS THIS IS HOW..THE ARGUMNET WAS PAUL NEVER TAUGHT FOOT WASHING AND IT WAS NEVER MENTIONED AFTER THE BOOK OF john. AT THE PATICULAR church there was a meeting held to allegedly settle the indifference the lady had with me. a man called me and wanted have a meeting in a restaurant.

i told them i don't discuss CHURCH ISSUES IN PUBLIC. the entire thing was to shut me down as pastor. it was the former pastor daughter jezebel spirit one older said to me i been a Baptist all my life never heard of foot washing.. so i picked up a bible and read it. it actually killed the spirit of the meeting . what the real problem was a carnal mind figured out or assumed at that moment i was general Baptist .
the only difference between southern and gen Baptist. the southern teach eternal security once saved always saved .the general Baptist teach you can walk away.
this post is not about either teaching i went in there as a man of God not a Baptist but a saved man called by God to preach the Gospel. i still hold to this today i teach know so salvation that ye may know.. see the two doctrines have done nothing but create division. the Bible only teaches we can be secure and we can know . over the period of time man has interrupted scripture to their satisfaction.

.
 
WHEN MAN Gets IDEAS THIS IS HOW..THE ARGUMNET WAS PAUL NEVER TAUGHT FOOT WASHING AND IT WAS NEVER MENTIONED AFTER THE BOOK OF john. AT THE PATICULAR church there was a meeting held to allegedly settle the indifference the lady had with me. a man called me and wanted have a meeting in a restaurant.

i told them i don't discuss CHURCH ISSUES IN PUBLIC. the entire thing was to shut me down as pastor. it was the former pastor daughter jezebel spirit one older said to me i been a Baptist all my life never heard of foot washing.. so i picked up a bible and read it. it actually killed the spirit of the meeting . what the real problem was a carnal mind figured out or assumed at that moment i was general Baptist .
the only difference between southern and gen Baptist. the southern teach eternal security once saved always saved .the general Baptist teach you can walk away.
this post is not about either teaching i went in there as a man of God not a Baptist but a saved man called by God to preach the Gospel. i still hold to this today i teach know so salvation that ye may know.. see the two doctrines have done nothing but create division. the Bible only teaches we can be secure and we can know . over the period of time man has interrupted scripture to their satisfaction.

.
To their satisfaction or misunderstanding?
 
To their satisfaction or misunderstanding?
the flesh their satisfaction THE CALLED TO ANOTHER TOWN HALL MEETING TELLING ME IT WAS WILL OF THE CHURCH I RESIGN. i said you mean your will . that took me a while to get over.. in past 20 some odd years in ministry i have encountered some ugliness some hurt and disappointment . i have had deep anger lost my cool blew up at fleshly stupid things people done/said. each time i approach the throne of grace and stay there off and on for weeks months. asking for God help his mercy his Grace. i had pray through my doubts my unbelief i had to pray through ME ! i know preachers who has been in this 40 years 50 years been through more than me.. i know one man preached a message after service a man walked up to him and slapped him.. the preacher with tears in his eyes said one day you will slap a hypocrite.
we all have battles many petty doctrines i refuse to argue over. just dont tell me how wrong i am how right you are.
 
13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.

14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.

15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.

16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.

17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

how many practice foot washing and have a full understanding of it

i was asked to leave a church i pastored over mentioning foot washing .. i will add no more comments till i see what others have to say is it Biblically based to practice it . or would it e one of those things not needed ?

It is Biblical...completely! It was all done to teach "humility". Jesus did it so anything He did is acceptable for us to follow.

Today, some church denominations make it a part of the Communion experience. Personally I like that!

Having said that Now then....allow me to talk to you about reality in todays world.

I do not do it our church for two reason.

1. There are only TWO Scriptures in the Bible concerning Foot Washing and neither of them say that it is somethng we should do. If Jesus wanted it to be done as an ongoing ritual I believe that He would have given specific instruction as what to do and how to do it just as He did Communion.

2. This is a lot more important than #1 IMPO. The practice opens the door of sexual temptation to men. The act of holding a womans foot, and caressing it would be just too much temptation to the men in the church.
 
In the churches I attended that did foot washing, men only washed men's feet and women washed only women's feet. You also never knew for certain whose feet you might be washing. It was very humbling especially when the other seemed to take greater care in the process than you did.

cp
 
. The practice opens the door of sexual temptation to men. The act of holding a womans foot, and caressing it would be just too much temptation to the men in the church.
hang on anyone with any sense at all will separate the men and women ..i dont know where that came from buyt every foot washing i been in is separate


There are only TWO Scriptures in the Bible concerning Foot Washing and neither of them say that it is somethng we should do.

if your against it then dont do it.. its not salvation threatening. but it does have a great example of humility if done in the right spirit
 
It is Biblical...completely! It was all done to teach "humility". Jesus did it so anything He did is acceptable for us to follow.

Today, some church denominations make it a part of the Communion experience. Personally I like that!

Having said that Now then....allow me to talk to you about reality in todays world.

I do not do it our church for two reason.

1. There are only TWO Scriptures in the Bible concerning Foot Washing and neither of them say that it is something we should do. If Jesus wanted it to be done as an ongoing ritual I believe that He would have given specific instruction as what to do and how to do it just as He did Communion.

2. This is a lot more important than #1 IMPO. The practice opens the door of sexual temptation to men. The act of holding a woman's foot, and caressing it would be just too much temptation to the men in the church.
let me be fair many churches refuse to teach it the way it should be and many members think they are washing a dirty foot o gross . I have never known of men washing women's feet
 
hang on anyone with any sense at all will separate the men and women ..i dont know where that came from buyt every foot washing i been in is separate




if your against it then dont do it.. its not salvation threatening. but it does have a great example of humility if done in the right spirit

We do not do it!

You are correct and It does NOT have anything to do with salvation and it has everything to do with humility.

There is not one single direction in Scripture to do this ritual and therefore there is nothing said that men should only done men and women women.

Then is should be remembered that the people of 2000 years ago did not have shoes and socks. Sandals were the normal footwear and as such people always had dirty feet. We do not have that concern today to deal with.

It was a custom in those dats to great people with a holy kiss. We do not do that today but instead shake hands.

In 1 Corinthians 11:5,6 it des-cribes a woman having her head covered in public, as it was the custom to do so. If her head was not covered, she was considered a prostitute. Do all the women today wear hats????
 
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