Membership

Many well-meaning Christians attend a church without ever joining that church in membership. But the bible teaches that a local church is not merely a gathering to attend; it is a body to join. Even though you don’t find the phrase Church Member or membership in the New Testament, the concept is there. The early church kept records of who was part of the community, leaders were selected, there was defined pastoral responsibility for those under their care, there was accountability and disciple, and spiritual gifts discovered and deployed for the common good and to honor God. The Bible describes the church as the Body of Christ, which functions both separately and together to bring glory to God. Romans 12:4-5 says: 4 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Or, you may recall some of the other metaphors used to refer to the church in Scripture like a flock, a family, a community, etc. They only work when we think in terms of a vital and close relationship with other Christians. In other words, God’s People Need Each Other. Church membership helps cultivates spiritual growth. When a person comes to faith in Christ, it’s vital to their growth that they place themselves under the teaching and authority of the Word of God. By joining a local church, each person is making a statement that they identify with a particular doctrinal position of who God is and what role His Word has in their life. It’s there, within the body of the church, that they exercise the spiritual giftings they receive from God. Those gifts given to the individual were also given, in a sense, to the local church. Each local body is healthier if they have ears, eyes, a nose, and so forth (1 Corinthians 12:12-24). Thus, church membership isn’t simply for the benefit of the individual but also for the benefit of the local assembly. One of the most significant benefits of church membership is the experience of being a part of something larger than yourself. Whenever people join our church, they are not just there to be consumers but to be contributors. There is organized and corporate worship, teaching, participation in the ordinances and service to one another and the community. Membership also provides accountability, because you’ve submitted yourself to the church leadership. And church membership is valuable for organizational purposes. It’s a good way of determining who is allowed to vote on important church decisions and who is eligible for official church positions. Finally church membership is a way of saying, “I am a Christian, and I believe this church is a good church.”