The interviewing of applicants for membership in Churches of Christ, Scientist, is immensely important. The committees entrusted with this work should be composed of wise and loving Christian Scientists. Every effort should be made to help applicants feel at ease, and only such questions as are basically important should be asked. The interview should be a happy and a helpful experience for both the applicant and the committee.
It is not intended that the procedure employed in connection with interviewing local applicants for membership in The Mother Church should be adopted by branch churches or societies. Each branch church or society should follow its own methods in dealing with applicants for branch church membership, as indicated in Article XXIII, Sections 1 and 10, of the Church Manual. The following statement, therefore, is given, not as a directive to branch churches and societies, but for information only.
To be acceptable for membership, an applicant should understand the fundamental truths of Christian Science. He should be convinced of its healing power and should have grasped enough of the spiritual nature of scientific Christian healing to see the distinction between Christian Science and all other methods of healing.
