Big Question #1
Posted by Michael | Posted in Uncategorized | Posted on 30-07-2008
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We’ve been wrestling through some big questions in our lead team meetings, and I thought I would ask them here and ask for your opinions. Here’s the question:
Is there really a Biblical mandate for official church membership? I know there are many scriptures that talk about submitting to authority and caring for one another, but does a person need to be an OFFICIAL member of a church in order to do that? Is church membership something that we just invented, or is there a genuine Biblical precedent?
There you go. Comment away.
I don’t think so. I don’t really have an argument for that, but that inherently because I’m arguing that there’s no argument for it…
Interesting topic.
I’ve been wondering about that lately too and haven’t found any biblical evidence for it. It seems like something we’ve made up along the way…..like rededication’s and christmas catana’s.
Michael,
I don’t know if you’ve read it or not, but Mark Dever has an interesting take on the biblical basis for church membership in his book “What is a Healthy Church” – I’m not sure that I agree with him, but you could read the chapter and make up your own mind . . .
For what it’s worth, we’re wrestling with this same thing . . .
I don’t know if it is Biblical, but I read the deal Ed Stetzer put out and the churches with membership had a lot more people on Sundays??? So, that was enough of a practical reason for me to change my mind, I think, at Church of the Suncoast.
I think membership is a meaningless term as it relates to churches. The people who give, volunteer and work for the church are the “members”.
There a lot of churches with “Santa List” long rolls with people who do nothing. I like our model much better! Give me Doership not Membersip!
i’ve read some stuff about church membership from some of these guys, and i wonder if you could not put “small group member” or “volunteer” everywhere these guys say “church membership” and have the same thing.
I thought the same thing about the Dever book – at least “small group member” – I didn’t even consider volunteer (just ’cause I’m not super-smart). I really don’t know what to do about this one – let me know if you come up with any good opinions/resources . . .
If we give our time and effort to grow the Kingdom of God, then who cares if you are a “member of church X” I know we use the word “partner” but who cares about that either. We do what we do because we love the Lord and we love our county and want to see them come to Christ. So I will continue to get up at 4am every Sunday morning for setup ,and spend a couple of hours a week working on video stuff, and the rest of the week praying for the church and the people in the county that I can’t invite personally no matter what you want to call me!
My husband and i are sitting here talking about this and were wondering why would it even be important to be a member ??? The last church we went to we could’nt do some things until we joined.My husband didnt care it was over a year later before we joined..Its all about his heart…. Now for me(i grew up babtist also) i think its just another tradition of many that we are suppose to follow or it doesnt look very good.You go to there you go to the alter you say a prayer join and bring your casserole dish and see ya on wednesday night..It was some of these traditions that almost made us not ever want to walk in another chuch again.. Good Luck..
@Brian,
Actually, Stetzer’s study concluded that church’s with HIGHER STANDARDS for membership were larger than those that simply required a “letter” or sign a letter.
Not to be nit-picky, but it sheds a different light.
I sure hope not because then I would be a member of 3 churches and it’s hard to keep up. I like the idea that we have at Oak Leaf bringing people to where they are to where God wants them to be. I still get stuff from a church 4 yrs ago. apparently someone is not keeping up with their member roosters.
I cannot think of a Biblical mandate that supports “church membership”. Just because something is not in the Bible does not mean that it is wrong. That said if it is not mandated in the Bible that means it COULD get in the way instead of helping. I could see how becoming a member could make people feel special and feel apart of a Church, which is a good thing. I do not think, from what I have seen, that this is true at Oak Leaf. I suggest praying hard and then making a decision.
I would say you first have to choose your point of view on whether believers are part of a global body of Christ or a local body of Christ (i.e. in Christianese or doctrinal language, Universal church versus local church), I take the local body point of view and tend to take it pretty literally that to add a part to my body it would have to be surgically joined. That being said, churches have blown membership out of the water and taken it far from what God intended. The whole keeping members on your role that have been gone for four years is absurd.
Bottom line, although unpopular to say out-loud everyone identifies with something. We join everything from Netflix to fitness club. Why the concern with joining a church?
At my church we call it “partnership” instead of “membership”. typically when people think of membership they think of what they are getting out of it. As christ followers we are to think of what we can offer and how we can serve. So I have chosen to partner with my church in reaching those far from Christ and seeking Christ with others in my church. As a partner I know that I do not have any special priviliges or rights and have actually given those up to the non-member or non-partner so that they may have a better experience and see how church should really be, when people genuinely care and love them regardless of their social status or sin.
Well, from the “render unto Ceasar” perspective, it makes a pretty big difference. Unless a church i.s “ecclessiatical,” it is run by its “members.” I tried a two day jury trial once involving a small church that hadn’t carefully defined “member” in advance. A small faction in the church tried to oust the pastor and elders by getting a petition signed by people who hadn’t been to the church in twenty years. The court didn’t really have a legal basis to reject their claim of membership. It basically came down to counting heads in court, which is a pretty expensive way to conduct church business.
I would submit Matthew 18:15-20:
15(W) “If your brother sins against you,(X) go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have(Y) gained your brother. 16But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established(Z) by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17If he refuses to listen to them,(AA) tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church,”
Who is the church that this passage is referring to? Everyone who shows up at a particular worship service, the regenerate and the unregenerate?
This is from John Piper’s excellent recent sermon on church membership:
http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Sermons/ByDate/2008/2989_How_Important_Is_Church_Membership/
Here’s what it says in Hebrews 10:25
25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. KJV
In the NCV , this is what that says:
You should not stay away from the church meetings, as some are doing, but you should meet together and encourage each other. Do this even more as you see the day coming.
I haven’t found anywhere that it says “member”, “partner” or any other way of denoting that one belongs there. If you think about it, the membership in a local body of believers is comforting to people. Almost everyone likes to feel like he/she belongs, and membership is one way of doing that. Just like the Lion’s Club, etc.
So I think you’ll find people are members, partners, etc., because of personal feelings.
Perhaps membership pros and cons are seen best in the light of the spirit behind them. Does the church have “members” so that it can present that to a bank to get a line of credit? Is it for tradition only? Is it to be able to be boastful of numbers? What really is the purpose of having members? Personally, I’ve never really seen a convincing argument for it. Then again, the arguments in opposition aren’t horribly bad, just slightly distasteful – to me.
So I would think it depends on what the end goal of having members is, what the point is.
i read some stuff from piper and dever…good reads. it seems that the main arguments for membership are as follows:
1. discipline. how can you biblically exclude someone if they have not been formally included? I Cor 5:12-13
2. authority. the bible says we are to submit to our leaders. Heb 13:17, I Thes 5:12-13, I Tom 5:17
3. shepherding. I Pet 5:2-3 says shepherds should care for the flock, so there has to be some kind of way to define the flock
4. serving. I Corinthians is clear that believers are supposed to use their gifts to the building of the body
outside of biblical examples, there’s also the practical element that josh brings up.
but my question remains…in all four of those reasons for membership, can’t you argue that by being connected to a group or a SS class, or volunteering or tithing is a form of partnership.
i am not asking questions as to whether or not someone should be involved or committed to the church. i am asking if serving, giving and volunteering accomplish the same things. the bible says to be involved, to submit and to value…but does it prescribe an official membership as we have come to know it?
Our pastor just led us to reemphasize membership as a priority. His reasoning was that it takes a commitment to a church body to be truly effective there, build true relationships there, etc. Just like in other areas of life, when we make a hardcore commitment to something we usually “officialize” it with rhetoric for the sake of clarity, fortitude, and accountability. That’s why we’re holding membership in high regard lately.
Membership to God’s kingdom is mandated by accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior. To have membership i.e. a signed document at a local church seems to be not mandated…it seems to be something we have made up in hopes of getting a commitment and participation from the people that are attending the local churches. I have been involved in a church “brand” for the past 18 years that does not have local church memberships and have seen a lot of commitment and growth in the various locations. I did become a “member” of OLC and have peace about that decision because it was based on my commitment to God first and to OLC, though ‘local membership” it did not fit my comfort zone. I think “local membership” can give people a deeper since of belonging, but only if they get involved. At the end of the day its about our level of commitment with Him and our obedience to follow what His Word and Spirit is leading us to do.
The problem I have is that people can be involved in Sunday School, Small Groups, various ministries, and be a frequent attender and still be unregenerate and not a “member” of the universal church.
When you look at the biblical passages, you have to answer who is the church? Anyone who walks in the door and participates in various church functions and ministries or is the church referring to followers of Christ. I tend to go with the latter.
I guess it comes down to one’s definition of church.
But I do agree with some of the sentiments expressed here. Take the SBC, it is dishonest for them to claim 16 million “members” but in a given week you will only find half of that amount in attendance in SBC churches. To be fair, they have passed a resolution at the latest SBC convention. So, my hope is that member SBC churches will start to take a more serious look at their “membership roles”
Michael, as a pastor when the bible says that you will have to give an account to men’s souls In Hebrews 13 which men do they mean?
sam,
great question. i assume that hebrews does not meant that i am accountable for everyone that attends a service. that would not be practical in any way. i assume it means some type of membership or something similar. the people that identify and say they are a part of our church.
people that attend a service are not part of the church in the sense that we’re talking about. those that lead groups, volunteer, work with kids, give money, etc…they are.
we do have members at our church, by the way. we call them partners.
There are many things in the church that are useful, but not necessary. What would you DO with church membership? Is it a way to count the people and families who have made a commitment (like a marriage) to support the church with their time, talent and treasures? Of course, anyone can support the church without making a commitment. Does membership have it’s privileges? Such as allowing their vote in certain parts of the church life or direction? Maybe membership (public affirmation of intent to support this ministry) is a way to bring honor to God and witness to others about dedication, and commitment. But then again, maybe it’s just not necessary.
I began volunterring 7 months before I actually became a member . I feel that you don’t have to be a member to serve God. I felt like it was right for me to be at Oak Leaf the first time I walked in the door i knew God was there and being a child of God knew this was the place he had chosen for me to serve. I prayed for months for a place he wanted me at. I wasn’t a member during that time but yet I knew I belonged . i think the member thing just put the finishing touches on a wonderful gift God led me to.
Jody that was so so perfectly said .
i want to say that i heard in early church history that the way to become a member of a body was very extensive because of the persecution of the church and the influx of false doctorine, which makes sense. I think they would spend a year being discipled and then the decision would be made as to whether or not they would be introduced into the body.
Again, this is stuff i remember hearing, i dont know how accurate it is.