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Adopted said:
Joe,

I'm not sure if I understand your question completely but I'll try to answer.

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Many would be grilled for hours and hours.

I don't think this is proper either. However, neither should we allow membership to those who only come to church for donuts and coffee or who may have a heretical agenda of their own. The purpose of my question is; to what extent or what is minimaly necessary in this profession or confession?

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I dont see it in the writ

I believe that church order and discipline is demanded by Scripture and there is no better place to start than by examining the motives of potential members. In other words, since we are sinners, there are rules. IMO this may be "tradition" but tradition that is forced by Scriptural authority.

Denny

Romans 3:22-24

Denny I agree, but am infant believer does not know how to say shibboleth correctly, and may be denied "membership" becasue of this. The Church should be more concerned with teaching the members rather than making them say yea as a strict subscriptionist to a creed or confession when they have no clue. This has been abused and does not have the scriptural support. Look at everyone Christ encountered in the 3 years of His ministry. This is what we have to go by.

John 9, the blind begger. I can just see the pharasitical clergy now asking this person his conversion experience. And him answering, "I dont know, all I do know is I was blind and now I see " What do you think would happen? I know what would happen, denied membership. Look at acts 2. "What must I do to join the church?" Well let me ask you a bunch of questions, and depending on your answer, we will see. Is this what Peter said? Repent, be baptised....!!!!! Then they taught them after.

I dont know what the minimal requirement would be, perhaps Jesus is the Christ? I dont know

There never was a sinner half as big as Christ is as a Savior.