Church Membership

Christian's are (should be) people of principle. Our understanding of the way that we should live comes out of God's revelation of himself in his Word. As a result, generally speaking, we see our world in terms of right and wrong. What isn't wrong is right. And what isn't right is wrong. In our zeal to get things right, we often leave pragmatism or practicality by the way side. Being practical at times has become sort of synonymous for not caring about how things should really be done.

Now this surely is a risk for us as sinful people. Our inability to do things perfectly and indeed our tendency to try to justify ourselves, does genuinely lend us towards doing things with a lack of concern for God's will for us in our lives. But is it possible to bring right principle together with practical thinking?

Well in Acts 6, we read of an interesting example of where an appropriate solution is found in this way -

In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word."

This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.

Notice the principles that are being upheld
- Love/Care for the needy
- Leaders chosen according to Godly character
- Apostles to focus on the ministry that they were called to

Notice the practicality of the solution and how it is found
- They had a meeting
- The responsibility is handed over to others who have the time to do it
- Leaders are chosen by the people who they will serve
- Those chosen to ensure Greek widows are looked after are likely to be  Greeks themselves (Greek names)

So then what does this all have to do with Church Membership? Church Membership often gets a bad rap because it seems like a very human thing. Indeed it seems like it's actually unbiblical - a physical and worldly requirement which impedes people from becoming part of a Church. Really though Church membership is one of these principle meets practicality moments. It is an exercise in which a human community works out how to live together as a people who have been joined by Christ and Christ alone.

How should we think about Church Membership then if we are to understand it properly and (hopefully) undertake it biblically?

What it is -

1. A practical measure that helps us govern our life together
   There is no Bible command that calls on us to fill out a form and sign on some dotted line that we belong to a particular local church. Churches each organise themselves according to their preference. These organisational and administrative systems are by and large put into place to help us as a community of believing sinners, make sure that the way we function together in this world is wise and prudent or careful.
2. A commitment to our local community
   Placing ourselves on an official register of church members is an outward action or sign that reflects our desire for our community and its work to grow and flourish. It articulates the fact that we are engaged with and a part of the church and the people in it.
3. A decision to be active in the life and work of the Church
   To serve God is non-negotiable for Christians. And so part of being outwardly committed to a local community is to be outwardly committed to the things that it does in order to see disciples of Jesus made and grown. The church member's responsibility then is, to work for God's kingdom. No church should see the minority of people doing the majority of its work. Rather it should see all of its people doing all the work, according to the gifts and opportunities God has presented them with.
4. An opportunity to serve each other
   To be a church member is to involve one's self in the life and affairs of the church. By doing so, we are actually putting our brothers and sisters in faith before ourselves because our commitment is to see the community, as a whole, benefitted. We should feel encouraged and reassured to see other like-minded believers taking up responsibilities and being serious about how they live in an effort to bring glory to God.

What it isn't -

1. A requirement for salvation
   Scripture is abundantly clear that we are saved by faith in Jesus. This is the only requirement. At no point can we view church membership as some kind of qualification or work which contributes somehow to our righteousness before God.
2. A requirement for participation in the community
   Church membership does not simply describe the state of being part of or within a community. You can fully part in and be accepted into a local church's fellowship without having formally committed to it. While it may be strongly encouraged, our unity with other believers is because of Jesus not because of the things we sign up to.
3. A status symbol
   There is no hierarchy of believers in a church. Pastors, Elders, Deacons and leaders are not 'higher' or greater Christians than those who do not hold these positions. Likewise a church member is not 'higher' or greater than someone who is not.

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