I noticed in the SDA thread that they hold feet washing as one of the sacraments of the church. Growing up in the Church of God, Cleveland, feet washing was a considered a sacrament also. We didn’t do it every service. or even once a month, but a few times a year, we would have a foot washing service.

Many of my Baptist friends have no idea of what I’m talking about when I bring this up. What do you think about feet washing services in the church, and do the Baptists believe in them? No cute little sarcastic remarks please.

I’m a United Methodist.  We don’t do foot washings at our church, but that doesn’t mean (I don’t think) that we don’t “believe” in them.  Several years ago I had the privilege of attending our annual conference, specifically the ordination service.  The Bishop of the entire conference got on his knees and washed the feet of every candidate for ordination.  It was quite a moving service. 

Here in Amish, Mennonite and Brethern territory in N. Indiana, I believe that many of those churches (not sure about Amish) do follow the practice of foot washing.  Frequently it is part of the Maundy Thursday service during Holy Week.  That’s an ideal service in which to incorporate foot washing - it is in commemoration of the Last Supper at which Jesus did indeed wash his disciples’ feet.

I grew up in a little church in Alabama called a Holy Church of Christ.  They were not Church of Christ, but very similar in doctorine to Freewill Baptists.  They held foot washing services about once a quarter and still do.  They would have basins and towels that tied around the waist.  (I always figured they had a catalog where they ordered foot washing supplies!) The men would place two pews facing each other on each side of the aisle.  The women washed on the left side and the men on the right.  They never had co-ed washing.  While they washed feet, I would always sing.  We left there right before we got married 16 years ago and haven’t been in a foot washing service since. 

I personally don’t believe there is anything wrong with the ritual, but I don’t believe it is required in church.  I believe that Jesus was teaching us to be willing to humble ourselves to be a servant.  I think it is much more important to have a servants heart outside the church than to go through some ritual to show your humbleness in church.

Deon, I was originally ordained with the Free Will Baptist which practice footwashing.  I’ve not been in a feetwashing service in years.  I was always blessed participating in them....the experience is very humbling.
Personally though I don’t see it as bad doctrine, I don’t really think that Christ meant for us to do it as an exercise of worship.
So I can go with or without it.  Mainly, it’s what footwashing teaches us and that is to esteem others higher than ourselves.

Yes, in the Church of God [Cleveland TN] that I grew up in [MS.], foot washing was a common sacrament. Though it was not practiced on a regular basis, we did have these type services from time to time. Now that I have been pastoring in the Church of God for approximately 16 years, I have actually only lead these foot washings maybe 2 or 3 times? It’s been my experirnce that most of our people [the churches I’ve pastored] these days had rather not participate. Remember Jesus told Petere “if you don’t partke of this you can have no part of me” [paraphrased]. To this Peter replied “Lord not only my feet but my head and my hands” [again paraphrased]. In my record album collection by the Downings, they recorded a song called"God Washed the Dirty Feet Of Men [to drive away their selfishness within]”. It’s already been said, Jesus did this footwashing exercise to teach humility to us all. As most of are aware in the church today, true humilty is becoming more difficult to find. I am so very proud to read the previous comments on this matter. After having read these prior thoughts on footwashing, I really hope this could be re-established in more of our churches. Footwashing is definitely an attitude adjusting sacrament! Thanks for bringing this up Brother Deon!

revrunnels - 18 February 2008 03:17 AM

Yes, in the Church of God [Cleveland TN] that I grew up in [MS.], foot washing was a common sacrament. Though it was not practiced on a regular basis, we did have these type services from time to time. Now that I have been pastoring in the Church of God for approximately 16 years, I have actually only lead these foot washings maybe 2 or 3 times? It’s been my experirnce that most of our people [the churches I’ve pastored] these days had rather not participate. Remember Jesus told Petere “if you don’t partke of this you can have no part of me” [paraphrased]. To this Peter replied “Lord not only my feet but my head and my hands” [again paraphrased]. In my record album collection by the Downings, they recorded a song called"God Washed the Dirty Feet Of Men [to drive away their selfishness within]”. It’s already been said, Jesus did this footwashing exercise to teach humility to us all. As most of are aware in the church today, true humilty is becoming more difficult to find. I am so very proud to read the previous comments on this matter. After having read these prior thoughts on footwashing, I really hope this could be re-established in more of our churches. Footwashing is definitely an attitude adjusting sacrament! Thanks for bringing this up Brother Deon!

I’ve seen more than one foot washing service turn into a real “shoutin’ the glory down” service. It’s amazing how the Lord can touch you once your spirit has been humbled. I have seen many spirits humbled in these services and watched as forgiveness would take place for many people who hadn’t spoken to each other for months.

Isn’t it interesting how God uses the foolishness of the Gospel to save us, a little wafer and some grape juice to bring us to remembrance of His sacrifice, and a little washing of another person’s feet to bring us humility. No wonder the Wisdom of God astounds mighty men.

John 13:12-15 - ‘Know ye what I have done to you?  Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.  If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.  For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.’

I was raised in a Enterprise Baptist church (branched off from the Old Regular Baptist) and the practice of footwashing was exercised following the example that Christ left for us.  I have also participated in services with the Free Will and United Baptist churches. 

Deon, I couldn’t agree more that these services can turn into shouting services.  It is truly amazing to watch the Spirit move when one has been so humbled.

Many of my Baptist friends have no idea of what I’m talking about when I bring this up. What do you think about feet washing services in the church, and do the Baptists believe in them? No cute little sarcastic remarks please

I have just reread The Gospel of John chap. 13. What Jesus did is a GREAT act of servantude that we should strive to do more of. And it must have been important - God inspired John to write this account down. I have personally never been to a foot-washing service but I sure have heard of them. I have been going to a baptist church all of my life. I really do not know if that makes me a baptist, though   I am a Christian and do know that for certain. Good thread, Deon.

As a nurse, I had many times over the years when I did have to wash another person’s feet.  Mind you this is NOT your “footwashing” service!!!  But there were many times when perhaps I did not care for the person or what they “were”, and I’d make myself think about Christ washing the disciples feet, and I tried to do it as unto the Lord.

I grew up in a Free Will Baptist church, and we had a foot washing service several times a year. It was a very humbling experience, but very uplifting and spiritual.

Deon Unthank - 17 February 2008 06:47 PM

Many of my Baptist friends have no idea of what I’m talking about when I bring this up. What do you think about feet washing services in the church, and do the Baptists believe in them?

Deon, I am a Baptist who believes in feet washing and am in fact presently compiling a source book on the practice among Missionary Baptists. The majority of Baptists do not practice feet washing, but it is common in the following groups: Free Will Baptists, General Baptists, Old Regular Baptists, Primitive Baptists, Separate Baptists, United Baptists, and others. In certain areas it is practiced by the Missionary Baptists, and in north Alabama, north Georgia and Appalachia, it is even found among some Southern Baptists. I would say the general practice by Baptists who do have feet washing is for them to have it once a year and in connection with the Lord’s Supper.

The Freewill Baptists in Alabama believe that foot-washing is an “ordinance” (commanded by Jesus in the same way that baptism and the Lord’s Supper is).  With that said, they only had a foot-washing service one time in the four or five years I attended that church.  It was definitely one of the more unusual things I’ve seen in church.

Tony

Tony, do you think it was unusual that Jesus and His disciples did the same thing?

My mom grew up in the Brethren church in Northern Indiana, and they did the footwashing, but for me, growing up EUB and United Methodist, we never did it, that I can recall.  Last year, on Good Friday, we got a small group of us together at someone’s home and we did that as part of our fellowship.  It was very meaningful.

God’sMusic - 15 March 2008 01:21 AM

Tony, do you think it was unusual that Jesus and His disciples did the same thing?

Uh, no.  But then again, they did live 2,000 years ago in a Middle Eastern culture with no running water and where they spent their days walking around in sandals.  I find nothing unusual about them doing it at all.

Tony

TonyRush - 15 March 2008 07:39 AM

Uh, no.  But then again, they did live 2,000 years ago in a Middle Eastern culture with no running water and where they spent their days walking around in sandals.  I find nothing unusual about them doing it at all.

Tony

Actually it was quite unusual because their Lord and Master was washing their feet, when usually it was the servants washing the master’s feet.
Jesus was doing something way out of the ordinary almost to the point that it was offensive.  Peter became vocal and request the Lord NOT to do it.

Jesus was setting an example, and making a point.

Like I said in an earlier post, I don’t think feet washing is necessarily an required ordinance, but I will tell you for sure that it is a blessing to see and be apart of.