Church membership is often seen as irrelevant, unnecessary and unbiblical.
However, I hope to show you that belonging to a church family, made official by church membership is very relevant, necessary and biblical.
Does God require local church membership?
1. Membership is in the Bible
The words “local church membership” are not in the Bible, but the concept of local church membership and belonging to a particular church certainly is. Similarly, the word “Trinity” is not in Bible, but the concept certainly is.
For example, the letter of 1 Corinthians is not addressed to the entire population of Corinth, but those belonging to the church. (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:2)
2. Membership is for Christians
Question: Who should be members of their local church?
Answer: Christians who consider that church their spiritual home.
The church is the gathering of God’s people around His Word.
The word translated church means a gathering. What makes church church is that we are not gathered around rugby or a hobby, but around God’s Word.
The UNIVERSAL church is the spiritual gathering of believers in the heavenly places. (cf. Ephesians 2:6)
The LOCAL church is the local expression of the universal church: the physical gathering of God’s people around His Word.
By implication, you are not the church when you are at home, at work, or at varsity. You are one of God’s people scattered in the world; sent out as a missionary. When we gather around God’s word, we are the church.
There may be some non-Christians at church and that’s great. They get to listen in and see what God’s people do, and God-willing are converted. (cf. 1 Corinthians 14:23-25)
When you become a member of your local church you tell the church leaders and congregation that you are one of God’s people and not just a curious non-Christian.
3. Membership clarifies identity
Salvation always creates a distinction between those who are God’s people and those who aren’t. Local church membership is one of the ways we distinguish between those who belong to God and those who do not. We make our belonging to God more visible, official and plain.
Of course, church membership is not a foolproof distinguisher, but its extremely helpful.
By being a member of your local church you say, “I belong to Christ and this church family! That’s my identity! I don’t want there to be any ambiguity or doubt!”
4. Membership models what God does
God has a symbolic membership roll with all the names of all his people. Its called the Book of Life. (cf. Revelation 2011-15)
God knows who belong to him. No ambiguity.
5. Membership promotes belonging
In 1 Peter 5:3 the church is described as a flock of sheep.
Jesus is our chief shepherd who cares for us. The Elders are under-shepherds who help care for the sheep. Membership helps church leaders keep track of who are in the flock.
The Apostle Paul tells Timothy in 1 Timothy 3:15 that the local church is like a family with members. Membership helps church leaders keep track who is in the church family that they are to take responsibility for.
In 1 Corinthians 12:12 the local church is described as a human body and each person a different body part. A body part detached from the body is not good and cannot function properly. Church membership helps us to visibly and formally belong to a church body.
6. Membership enables ministry
When you become a member you agree to the church’s TERMS & CONDITIONS.
You agree to the church’s (or denomination’s) Confession of Faith and agree to be held accountable for your creed and conduct.
The church can therefore be much more confident and willing in using you in ministry to serve others in the church.
7. Membership facilitates discipline
God disciplines his children because he loves them.
The Elders of the church are tasked with disciplining any member, for their own good, who refuses to turn away from sin.
Matthew 18:15-17 describes the process that church members and church leaders are to take. The aim of church discipline is always the repentance and restoration of the sinning person. That was Jesus’ aim in his dealings with Gentiles and tax-collectors (Matthew 15:17).
Membership facilitates church discipline because it enables church leaders to fulfill their role as church leaders have no mandate to discipline church visitors, not even regular visitors.
When you become a member you say to the church and church leaders, “I am a Christian and this is my spiritual home. I’m not just a regular visitor. I would like to be held accountable from my creed and conduct – for my own good.”
8. Membership facilitates elders’ accountability before God
Hebrews 13:17 says, “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.”
Church leaders will have to give an account for how they watch over our souls. But how can they give an account if they don’t know which souls they are responsible for?
Church leaders can’t watch over all the souls of all Christians, but they can attempt to do that for their members.
Church membership enables the church leaders to know who they are called to watch over.
9. Membership has responsibilities that are for your good
Redeemed lifestyle
Members are expected to live out the faith they profess. Not perfectly, as then no-one could be a member, but making progress.
Regular attendance
Regular church attendance was tough in lockdown, but is now possible again.
Church is a means of grace God that God has graciously given his people: God’s Word and the fellowship of God’s people is used by God to keep us persevering in God.
Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”
Rigorous participation
It’s one thing to be physically present at church, it’s another to participate.
Join a small group, serve in some way, go on church camp, bring your children to Kids Club, meet others in the church for coffee and prayer, dive in the deep end.
Love, serve, teach, greet, share, eat with, bear with, and forgive.
Ready submission
Hebrews 13:17 again, “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account.”
God has established positions of leadership within the church which are essential for its wellbeing. God has defined the roles and responsibilities of church leaders in other passages. But God has also given instruction to church members to submit to the church’s leadership.
How do we submit?
By listening to church leaders and willingly accepting their teaching and guidance.
However, there is a big caveat. If any church leader attempts to tell you to do something that is contrary to or disagrees with God’s Word, you cannot and should not submit.
All these responsibilities are for our own good and spiritual growth.
***
One day this past summer a friend and myself decided to go for a long and (I thought) grueling Mountainbike ride. I took extra water and an energy bar. We started riding early to avoid the worst heat. I considered myself well prepared.
However, three quarters of the way I ran out of energy and resolutely insisted that I couldn’t go on any further. Even my fitness watch stopped working because of the heat!
My friend however is a great encourager and responded, “Andre, you can do it! Let’s sit here is the shade and rest. I’ll stay with you. We can rest often. We’re almost at the end! You’re doing a great job! Let’s keep going!”
I’m not sure how we did it, but we made it to the end.
I can guarantee you though that I could not have made it by myself.
This is what church is.
“Not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day (the end!) drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:25)
***
Not being a member of a church; simply being an attender or, even worse, a lone-ranger Christian, is extremely dangerous. We need God’s Word and God’s people if we are going to persevere in God to the end.
We need the church*.
*No church is perfect and most churches far from it. Sadly, I know that many people have been hurt by church members and leaders. Nevertheless, church remains God’s gracious means of grace for his people. If you have been hurt by the church, I trust you will find a good church that teaches God’s Word and loves God’s people.
In preparing I found this article very helpful:
https://www.crossway.org/articles/10-things-you-should-know-about-church-membership/