Have you ever heard of different churches keeping and sharing notes on people?

[Petros2015]

I've never heard of this. I don't feel that self-reporting is going to catch predators or trouble makers. I would think that if a pastor has a bad experience with someone, they will identify it and remember it, and communicate it to another pastor IF they are asked. I guess it would be kind of like "may we contact your previous employer" on a job application? lol.

Sounds wrong though. Would a church start taking SSN numbers and running criminal background and credit checks when someone wanted membership? (I think they should do something like that for someone working with children, that's probably valid)

Maybe a track of spiritual progress would be good for someone who is dedicated to making it and filling a leadership role. Could be kind of useful on an individual basis for an individual or shared one on one with a pastor/priest, but not shared out unless there's something really dangerous. I don't like the whole 'network' aspect. Databasing results... Of course they would. Yeesh and Yuck.

Maybe eventually everyone will have a Spiritual Credit score. lol. Welcome to the 21st century I guess.

It's funny, the job I am currently in has required me to self-report and self-evaluate annually, rating myself from 1-5 in a variety of categories. Then I have a review with my manager, he sits down with me and he evaluates my self-evaluation from his perspective, raising or lowering the performance ratings I gave myself after discussion. I can see that sort of thing being useful in the spiritual realm, but it's best done one on one with someone you trust, no database required.

 

[RDKirk]

Sounds wrong though. Would a church start taking SSN numbers and running criminal background and credit checks when someone wanted membership? (I think they should do something like that for someone working with children, that's probably valid)

In the US, a criminal background check is required by law when anyone is working with minors.

 

[RDKirk]

It's always possible to be too zealous.

However, if the Body of Christ were really operating in "1st Century Mode," some kind of commendation from one congregation to another would be de rigueur as a person transferred from one congregation to another, particularly if he claimed to have been in the Body for any time and expected to be accepted in his new congregation as experienced in a ministry or mature in knowledge of the Lord.

My childhood denomination (AME) does this. My aunt had been the national historian of the denomination--her picture had been on denominational documents for years. Yet, when she retired and moved to a new city, she was required to bring a "Letter of Commendation" from her old congregation to the new to show that she had departed in good graces and stead, and should be received in the same way.

I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church in Cenchreae. I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of his people and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been the benefactor of many people, including me.

Lacking such a commendation, a congregation should, logically, accept the person as though a new convert.