One noticeable omission from the “Beliefs” page of the Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) website was the “foot washing” practices of years past. This is not listed as a ordinance of the church as with other churches who practice foot washing. If my memory serves me correctly, I participated in three “foot washing” services while attending WOFF. The first one was more intense than the second or third. Though not practiced by several mainline or traditional Protestant churches, there certainly is scriptural basis for the practice. Here is the passage in John 13:5-9, 13-15:
5After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 6He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 7Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” 8“No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” 9“Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”
13“You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. New International Version (NIV) Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica
My memories are not as detailed and distinct in reference to these three services. So, I may get the details confused as to the order they occurred. The first foot washing service at WOFF was set on course with certain guidelines: men washing men’s feet, women washing women’s feet. Family members could wash each other’s feet. The purpose was to humble yourself and make right any bitterness or unforgiveness with that person. Plastic basins, (from prayer times?) were brought out with some water in them. Towels were supplied for drying the feet. The service lasted several hours as there was a whole lot of washing to do. Many wept and from all indications, several relationships were mended.
The second service had a few more restrictions and the service was shorter. I don’t remember the exact modifications, but the same spirit was not in the second as in the first service. Maybe instead of sharing towels, we used paper towels? The children were allowed more freedom in the second service, if I remember correctly. The school classes participated in the services together..? Present or former members, please feel free to comment and help further define the experience from your perspective.
By the third foot washing service, the water and basins had been replaced with baby wipes and trash bags. The spiritual and emotional impact was reduced even further. I remember walking away thinking it had become ritual and not a “spiritual” practice. Baby wipes and trash bags? As with several other things done at WOFF, you participated hoping for some experience, but in this case, I left still searching for answers as to what had happened and why. In these services as in several prayer services; people would populate the stage and use about every square foot of space not occupied by stacks of chairs, musical instruments or plants. For a new person, this would certainly have been a strange sight.
We may have had foot washing services in Greenville. My memory is not as clear. I honestly could not say one way or the other. It is very likely, as whatever was emphasized, preached or practiced at WOFF made its way back to Greenville in one form or the other. As things evolved at WOFF either “spiritual” or natural, the Greenville church felt the effects. This became stronger and stronger as the years passed. The pastors in Greenville looked to Jane Whaley for more direction and “fine tuning” leading up to the move in 2002. The control exercised by Jane Whaley over the Greenville church was almost tangible on some occasions.
Is the omission of “foot washing” purposeful or an oversight for WOFF? Is it somewhere on the website and I missed it? Was the practice of foot washing not something Jane Whaley “sees in her mirror” and thus does not want everyone else to see it?
A little research produces a list of the churches that practice foot washing. Indeed some churches consider it an ordinance along with baptism and communion. Groups who practice foot washing include and are not limited to Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Mennonite and Mormons. Several Protestant groups include foot washing in their practices. These include Anglican, Lutheran, some groups of Methodist and several types of Baptist groups. The Baptist group includes Anabaptists, Free Will Baptists, Separate Baptists, Union Baptists, and Primitive Baptists. Many Church of God churches practice foot washing. This list is not all inclusive. More information can be found here… http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foot_washing#Protestant_practice and http://www.ccg.org/english/s/p099.html and http://www.anabaptistnetwork.com/node/316.
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(Please, take time to read the Terms of Use for this personal blog. As mentioned, the information about WOFF is from my memories and recollections as perfect as that may be or not be. ) This is post number 112.
My experience of foot washing in the Episcopal Church is one of humbleness in both seeing that containers of fresh water are provided, as well as a towel, and then the act of washing another’s feet with humbleness takes place. Baby wipes and plastic bags just wouldn’t do it!
I remember the foot washings. From my memory the first one was to wash the feet of leadership. The leadership sat up on the steps of the stage, while the congregation formed lines to wash the feet of particular leaders. The longest line was to wash Jane’s feet. There was a great deal of crying and repentance at that service. It ran for several hours and water and towels was used. Then the second service (maybe a Wednesday service), it was open to lower leadership to have their feet washed and families to wash each others feet. If someone was not in the sanctuary that you wanted to wash their feet, you could go find them. It was not as intense as the first service. I do not remember the baby wipes and plastic bags. Was this also done during a church service? Like everything there, if it was sanctioned by Jane once, then it was okay after that…people ran with it and would do it because Jane said it was okay.
Randall,
As mentioned, my memories were not as clear on these services. Since our time frame of attendance differs, I may not have been present for the first one. You make some good points. Other churches seem to keep to the washing of leadership’s feet. The baby wipe/trash bag deal was probably after you left. Thank you, for reading and taking time to comment.
John
I do not remember foot washings while I went to WOFF. Must have been after I left. We DID have one or two at the Greenville church. I remember one during the training center days when we were on Batesville Rd. I am thinking it was before your move to Greenville. I was working at Memorial then. It was a profound experience. We sat in a circle and “heard” to whose feet we were to wash. It was a very moving and humbling service.Most of the folks that were there left the Greenville church before we moved to Blacks Rd. Or shortly thereafter. You know, even then, the more leadership got involved with WOFF the more people were “weeded out”. That is how it was explained then if someone left the fellowship. Makes me shake my head and wonder now why it took me so long to see what the fellowship had become and was becoming. I can definately relate to not knowing who I was by the time I left the fellowship. For years, I was trying to be what leadership told me I had to be to be pleasing to GOD. It leads to so much confusion. We weren’t supposed to have “unguarded” conversations with ANYONE. No friends outside the church. Just show yourself “friendly” to the world that you work with but no more that was necessary. No laughing, no sense of humor, that was loose. I am realizing more and more what FATHER has created in me, and I LOVE who HE made me. I didn’t not love what I was SUPPOSED to be during my days at the Greenville church or with WOFF. I AM SO THANKFUL TO FATHER, TO BE WHAT I AM AND WHO I AM BECOMING AND THE PLACE HE HAS BROUGHT ME TO NOW!! Someone who left years ago once said that there was life after GRACE AND TRUTH( that was the name of the Greenville church, orginally) and PRAISE GOD SHE WAS RIGHT!!!!