The Importance of Church Membership

Is there a difference between ATTENDING a church regularly and JOINING a church?  I believe there is.  Absolutely. Is there a difference between going with someone and marrying them? Absolutely.  The difference is vast and vital and valuable.

Church is thoroughly biblical.  We live in a world of evangelicalism where church is downgraded, devalued and downplayed.  Shame on us.  Many modern Christians are spectators of Christianity rather than participants.

• They get their teaching from their favourite Christian celebrity through their iPad or from Christian events
• They find worship communicated to them through Christian media.
• They bounce from event to event, from website to website.
• They don’t want regular commitment or accountability.
• They ignore the ordinances of communion and baptism despite the clear command of God to do so.
• They do not want to be accountable or disciplined or challenged.
• They want the church to be there when they need it but they consider the latest Christian “big thing” as far more valuable than the faithful local church pastor who is trying to build the church in his locality

Many churches therefore have given up trying to enforce membership.  They no longer require it nor ask for it, they have given up on any biblical notion of challenging people to believe and belong;  to gather together as part of the local church.  We have often heard the phrase “a personal relationship” with Jesus Christ – far more biblical is the idea of 'a corporate relationship with Jesus Christ'.  He is the head of the church!  Paul wrote most of his letters to 'churches'.  They knew their members, they knew their names and their struggles.  In certain circumstances they were urged to put people out of the church.  How could they do that if they didn’t know who was in?  Membership is necessary.  The NT knows nothing of the idea of a Christina who has less than full commitment to the church.  Did Christ give less than full commitment to the church?  Are you threatened by the idea of church membership?  Why?  Because of hidden sin that might be exposed?  Because of how you might be challenged to serve or give?  Are these things really threats?  Should they not be joy?  Are you concerned that you might have to give up some independence?  That you might actually have to commit to turn up at 11 on a Sunday or to a prayer meeting when you would rather just 'make up your own mind' how to spend your time.  Isn't that just nonsense?

Here are a few (just a few) of the many, many benefits from church membership.  

You.....

• Learn to live with other believers in community
• Learn how to handle conflict in a biblical way
• Find opportunities to serve and exercise gifts
• Avail of the ordinances of baptism and membership
• Have people to hold you accountable
• Learn to be faithful, disciplined
• Be part of a spiritual family
• Receive spiritual benefit from others
• Have authority figures in your life
• Have spiritual caretakers
• Receive solid teaching in a crazy world

This is an obedience issue, a fellowship issue, an authority issue, an identity issue

Do you want to be known as a Christian?  A member of the body?  A fellow believer with others?

Get into membership – you cant just keep on “going out” for ever