The Importance Of Church Membership

     One of the most overlooked areas of obedience to the will of God in the church today, at least in my opinion, is in the area of church membership. Before I came to know Jesus Christ as my Savior, I belonged to a liberal mainline protestant church. It boasted of a membership of over 1000. But the actual number of people attending on any given Sunday other than Easter and Christmas was somewhere around 200. For many of these people church membership was the most important thing for if you were a member of a church, you were a Christian and on your way to heaven. But since the days of my trusting in Christ and coming to a Bible believing ministry, in the churches that I have attended and in the church that I now pastor, the opposite seems to bee true. The Salina Bible Church has an official membership at present of about 125 people. Yet on an average Sunday morning, attendance runs around 150 people. Why is there an average of 25 people attending who are not members? Well there are usually a couple of visitors, but never 25. The fact of the matter is that within Bible believing churches, where people know that church membership has nothing to do with whether a person is a Christian or not, the importance of church membership is lost.

     Some say that there is no specific command in the New Testament for a person to take official membership in the church so membership becomes optional at best. While it is true that the New Testament does not specifically state that once a person becomes a Christian they should formally unite with a local church in formal membership, I nonetheless believe that such a command is given in principle and is part of God's will for every Christian

     A formal membership is pictured in the example of the early church. In acts 2, on the day of Pentecost, when Peter had preached a message of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 3000 people trusted Christ. Verse 47 states that in the following days, "God added to the church daily such as should be saved." Some may say that the church here refers to the universal church, the body of believers throughout the world from the day of the first Pentecost to the rapture of the church yet future. While that may be true, it must be also remembered that at this time in the development of the church, there was only one local congregation, and that was in Jerusalem. When God added to the church, He added to the church in Jerusalem.

     In the course of time, it did not take too long, that as the church grew, so too grew problems. By the time we reach Acts 6, the problems of ministering to widows had become keen. The Apostles solution to the problem was for the disciples to, "look ye out among you seven men of honest report...". The significant phrase here is the words "among you". The you could not include all of the city of Jerusalem, but those who were associated with the church in Jerusalem. In order to discern who the "you" were it seems necessary that there be an official list of people associated with that church.

     As the ministry of the apostles increased, Acts 16:5 states that the churches were increased in faith and in number. We note here that there are now churches, not just one in Jerusalem. That the churches grew in number means that someone was keeping a count as to their numbers. This seems to indicate an official record of who was associated with each church. It seems apparent that the example of the early church is that there was an official membership roll.

     There is another example given in Scripture that would seem to indicate a need or pattern of a membership roll. that is the example of God, Himself. It is impossible for God to forget anything. Don't say that He forgets our sins, He does not. Note carefully that the Scripture says that God will not remember our sins (Hebrews 8:12) that is, He will not bring them to mind, but it does not say that He will forget them. So if it is impossible for God to forget, why does God keep records in heaven, which He does? Revelation 20:12-15 tells us that there is a record of every wicked deed that an unsaved person commits as well as a record of every name of every person who has trusted Jesus Christ as their Savior. Malachi 3:16 states that there is a book of remembrance written in heaven of everything that saints say (and probably do). And Psalm 139:16 states that there is a book where each body part of every person is recorded. The testimony of God is that He keeps official records. If Christians are to imitate God in His character and actions, then it seems fitting that the church keep records of its members.

     A third hint of Scripture is the example of the natural realm. Solomon writes in Ecclesiastes 4 that two are better than one for if one falls in a ditch, the other is there to pull them out. If it is a cold night, two sleeping close to each other can provide heat for the other and stay warm. If one is assaulted by another, two will overcome one. And a three-fold cord is not easily broken. In each of these examples, there exists some type of unity between the two or three. There must be at least a friendship between the person that falls in the ditch and the one who pulls them out or the one might simply walk away. The two sleeping must be in a proximity to each other to provide heat and therefore some type of bond must be between them. The cords of a three-fold cord must be woven together in order for it to become stronger. The benefit of the numbers here are found only when there is some sort of unity between the objects. I believe that in order for the church to benefit, there must be some sort of official unity between its members.

     A final example of Scripture is that of the body. In 1 Corinthians 12, beginning at verse 12, Paul speaks concerning the exercise of spiritual gifts and likens the possessors of spiritual gifts to parts of a human body. He states that all the members of this body are needed to the efficient functioning of the body. What causes their efficiency is that the members are vitally connected together. As the old song goes, "The foot bone is connected to the ankle bone, the ankle bone is connected to the leg bone...". the key is that the bone are connected to one another not just rub together. Ligament and tendons hold bones in place and cause them to work. Blood vessels and nerves supply nutrients to every part and declare the needs of each member. And then there is a flesh covering that holds everything in its place. The members of a physical body having a formal unity with each other, indicate a need for a formal unity in the body of Christ, and in each local assembly.

     What are the benefits of such a formal membership? First, the testimony for Christ of a church member is stronger than that of a church attender. Which has more benefit:"I attend such and such church" or "I am a member of such and such church"? the one who says that they are a member says that the ministry of that church is important and that they identify with what it believes and practices. It says to another that they should also be, that it is worthy of their consideration.

     Secondly, it allows for better utilization of spiritual gifts. Those that are involved in a teaching ministry or leadership ministry, must, of necessity, be members of a church. There must be an official commitment made in membership before someone should be allowed to be involved in ministry. Those who are not members, restrict the use of their spiritual gifts and consequently, the cause of Christ is hindered in its progress.

     Finally, with membership there comes a greater accountability for personal holiness. One of the things that helps to keep me from sinning is when I consider what the consequences that sinning brings. With sin, there is always some sort of loss. By sinful activity, I can lose money, health, my reputation, my ministry, even my life. For the church member, unrepentant, continual sin can bring as a consequence, loss of membership. That, then, can be a deterrent to sin. But God has also designed the church to be an encourager to godliness. it is my association in that body and the realization of the joy of its benefits, that makes me not want to sin also. To the one who teeters of the periphery of the ministry without taking membership in the church, the joys of such association are forfeited.

     Is church membership the most important thing in the walk of a Christian. Of course not. But just because it is not the most important thing does not mean that it is not important at all.