Church Membership:
An Editorial
“A Christian without a church is a Christian in need of a church.” Have you ever heard a statement like this or one similar? It is the duty of the Christian to join a New Testament church upon a profession of faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. This in turn is followed by baptism and admittance into the fellowship of the local church. “Becoming a member of a church is a very important decision. A church is a group of people who have trusted the Lord Jesus as personal Savior and have banded together to carry out his work in the world. When one becomes a church member he is making a covenant with the other members of the church to do his best with God's help to live a Christ-like life and to cooperate with them to do the church's work.” Let us not forget that all Christians as believers, have been called unto one fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Cor. 1:9).
There are several reasons why the Christian ought to be a member of the local church body:
(1) 1 Corinthians 12;20 says, “And now are there many members, yet but one body.” Therefore church membership helps identify one with God’s people in a particular place.
(2) Church membership is also important for spiritual growth or the process of moving from a state of childhood to a state of mature adulthood. We are uplifted and our growth is aided by our being together in common worship and service. Yet, it is not impossible for the Christian to grow to such a state in isolation; but it is uncommon.
(3) There is an increased effectiveness as individuals gather together in a common effort dedicating their abilities, gifts, and resources to the service of the Lord; “As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Pet. 4:10).
(4) There is a sense of belonging whereby one becomes more determined to walk a godly walk due to the expectations placed upon him by the corporate body.
(5) There is a sense of accepting one’s full responsibility or a personal responsibility for the success or failure of the Lord’s work. “The Christian becomes a player instead of a spectator.” As a team member he must accept responsibility for the success or failure of the mission of the church.
(6) There must be a commitment to the church if there is indeed a commitment to Christ. It is the local church that Christ commissioned to carry on His work, therefore membership in the local church is imperative for the Christian to properly express himself in worship, service, and loyalty to his Lord and Savior.
It is easy to see why the Christian should be a member of the local church. Those that claim a personal relationship with Jesus Christ have the responsibility of becoming a part of His church. However, as the individual has a responsibilities to the church, so does the church have a responsibilities to its membership. Here is where the “rubber meets the road.” Many will immediately say that the church is the membership and for the most part this is true. But what are the duties of the leadership of the local church to the flock? The pastor is to preach the Word; to preach Christ crucified and resurrected; to preach individual and corporate responsibility in the areas of spiritual growth, worship, service to God and the community; and, he is to warn and educate the people in matters affecting their Christian relationships. Failure to do these things will hinder the effectiveness of the individual as well as the corporate body.
Now let us return to the opening statement. “A Christian without a church is a Christian in need of a church.” We have given ample evidence that a Christian needs to be attached to a local church. But when does a church stop being a church? At what point is the importance of church membership made worthless because the mission of the church has been compromised due to impotence in the pulpit? Many of today’s pulpits are filled with men that are capable men of God. They are well read, prepared, and godly men. However, they are ready to preach the Word of God as long as toes are not stepped on. They are ready to demand of their congregations godly standards which would include church membership. But they are not ready to preach on such things as Promise Keepers, the Masonic Lodge, the Charismatic Movement, abortion, homosexuality, or premarital sex, to name but a few. Yet, they are ready to demand of the congregation conformity but limit God’s Word so that some might not be offend.
As a young parent, I remember a time when one of my daughters was caught playing with matches. Now if I would have had the mindset of many of today’s preachers, I would have allowed her to continue her ill conceived cavort. However, because of age and experience, I understood the potential damage that could be done both to herself and others. Out of love and duty as a parent, I promptly corrected her. It was not that I did not love her, but that I was responsible for the wellbeing of one who was of such a tender age and unable to understand. It never crossed my mind that she would stop loving me or that she would leave the family because of my correcting her. My concern was with her safety and in her learning the truth about her actions before she suffered because of them.
Once a pastor compromises the truth for the sake of the feelings of a particular member (or group within the congregation) that is involved in sin or in an unhealthy non-Christian relationship, he has not only done a disservice to the people, but has compromised his office and duty as pastor and his leadership within the flock. He has failed in his love not only to the individuals involved, but also to those that may follow after, by not standing in the breach to provide ample warning. He has failed as a pastor and as a teacher; he has failed his calling; he has failed as an example to stand for what he knows to be the truth. The decision then becomes to pick between the lesser of two evils. When church membership is required and expected of a Christian it should be done in a manner worthy of membership. When a church blatantly fails in its responsibilities to preach the truth without compromise, I submit that it can no longer expect blind compliance to its rules. In fact the church that fails in its mission to preach, teach, and baptize, is no longer a church but an organization that the true church should warn its members about.
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