Sunday, November 2, 2008
Sesssion 63: Church Membership
This week we will begin something new. Change is in the air. Do you like change? Real change? Well, this week I have asked John to do the post. So... I have put the title up and the first comment (done by John) will be the topic of discussion for this week. Your turn is coming! Let me take just a moment and share with you my heart. This blog was started as an attempt to get each of us studying earlier in the week. This will help us as we develop our lessons all throughout the week with a culmination on Sunday. I have had positive and negative feedback from you as teachers. Here's the deal: Lowell has asked me to preview each week's lessons so that we will all be on the same page when we teach on Sundays. I have full confidence in each of you as teachers to do a good job with the lessons each week. Instead of having a meeting each week to preview the lessons with each of you, I chose to do a blog site instead. This will eliminate another meeting. The blog can be done while at work, on the go, or in the convenience of your home. It only takes a few minutes to log on each week and read the post. When on it only takes a few more minutes to put a small or large comment. I asked you guys to please post something by Wednesday of the week. Even if you are having a bad week and have not studied, please just post something to let me know you have read the blog. I understand how busy our lives can be. Trust me. Father, husband, son, mailman, youth pastor, ... those are just a few of my titles. Life takes time. I am only asking you to do this each week to help our group grow stronger. It will make your lessons better. If... for some reason you see no need to and do not have any desire to do these things, then just come and tell me. I firmly believe we have the best group of teachers at FBC in our department. Otherwise, I would not have asked you to be teaching. But, if you choose not to follow leadership, then I would kindly ask you to pray about whether or not God has called you to work in the youth department at FBC. Thank you for all you do for HIM! Billy
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This week’s lesson deals with Church membership. Ok, so why should I be a member? Why is membership important? When does a person become a member? 1 Cor. 12:13 says…. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free ; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. This verse teaches that the moment you were saved, God baptized you into the body of Christ and made you a part of His Church. Doesn’t that mean we’re already a member?
Man oh man, some of the simplest subjects can get so deep so quick, when you think about it. Would you answer true or false to the following statements?
1) There are some believers who are not part of the body of Christ.
2) Unsaved people are not part of the Christ’s body but every saved person is.
3) Every saved person is a member of the body of Christ.
4) I know that I am a member of the body of Christ because I believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and I know that I am saved. (Acts 16:31)
We should first understand the difference in the universal Church and the local Church. Every believer belongs to the universal body of Christ, but it is important that each of us belong to a local assembly of believers. When a person is saved, he/she should seek to join a local church. So, once again, if I’m already saved, and I’m already a member of the body of Christ, then WHY join a local church? There are at least three reasons.
Number one reason: Being a member means identification. By becoming a member, we are identifying with a group of believers. In doing so, we say that we’re on the same team. We’re saying we are saved. We belong to Christ, and we’re actively involved in serving Him. If we were to go to any ball game, it would be easy to distinguish spectators from players. So it is within the local Church.
Number two reason: Being a member means commitment. Commitment to the local church means that we have certain responsibilities to the church. It not like visiting a local assembly. A visitor may walk by a piece of trash in the floor. As a member we have a responsibility for making our place of assembly a better place. We also have a responsibility in local functions of the church, whereas a visitor does not. I know some Churches ask the visitors not to contribute money during the offering. ( huh, interesting subject in itself) Think of the difference between a married couple and shack-ups. Shack-ups dissolve their relationship with ease because they haven’t made a public commitment. The case is much different for two people that make a commitment to one another before God and witnesses.
Number three reason: Being a member means serving. Ever heard a member say, “I just don’t feel like I’m being fed.” Well try feeding every now and then, for Christ’s sake. Being a member is not just about what I can get. It about what I can give. It’s not all about being ministered to. It’s also about ministering. It’s not all about being served. It’s also about being a servant. What would Jesus do?
Do you want to be identified with our church? Are you a proud member of it? Do you agree with what our church teaches and believes? Are you committed? Are you involved? Are you part of the team? Do you want to serve Christ in the way He would have you serve?
John, I'm just going to print of this page and use it to teach my class, you've saved me a lot of studying this week.
So, with that in mind lets see if I can heat things up. John's very first question is the back bone of this Sunday. No where in the Bible does it mandate that you have to be a member. I can join together with FBCS and meet all 3 of the reasons that John laid forth. As a matter of fact there was a lady in our church that served for years as Co-Teacher, very faithful attender, yet I was flabbergasted when Iwas told she was not a member. She has since joined, only because circumstances in her life changed that allowed her to release herself from a promise she made years before.
So back to John's first question, Why Join?
Crystal Gill said –
Wow, John -- I agree with Paul. I could use this page and teach my lesson.
How would I answer your questions –
1.Why should I be a member? -- Because I want to be on the team. I see what the team is doing and no longer am happy being a pitch hitter. I also want to be a part of a group of fellow believers. As Christians we are often under the scrutiny of nonbelievers, they watch us at work, at Wal-mart, even at Church. I need the encouragement of others to try to walk in the light (as we say in the youth and stay away from the darkness). I also want to show others the way to the Lord. And those visitors that show up also very Sunday morning at our church are waiting for us to reach out and show them.
2.Why is membership so important? Because as a team we can accomplish so much more than just as individuals. I could not help to notice the side bar that says 863 people have died since I have logged on to this website. That’s it – because people are dying and going to hell every second. As believers we should be joining together analyzing all of our spiritual gifts and using everything we have to reach those lost ones around us.
Sorry it took so long to blog Billy. I have been checking my email each day waiting for an email reply for this blog site; I finally went straight to the source and realized it had already started. I have to say I’m in agreement with everyone, John you said it all.
Paul, ok to your comment (no where in the Bible does it mandate that you have to be a member). Here are my thoughts……
The Bible does say in John 17:20-22 , “ ‘My prayer is… that all of them may be one , Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me’.
Also in Hebrews 10:24-25, Let us consider how we many spur one anther on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one anther – and all the more as you see the Day approaching”. We may not be mandate to join, but are strongly encouraged to become part of a church body. Here is my point— the Bible does not mandate us to become baptized in order to become saved. Romans tells us to become saved we must “confess with our mouth and believe in our heart that Jesus Christ is Lord. Luke 23:43 Jesus told one of the thief that “today you will be with me in Paradise” I know he did not have time to be baptized. (And Yes, I do believe in baptism.)
What about tithing? In Malachi 3:10, we are told “bring our tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house”. If we are not mandated to be members of a church than which storehouse do we tithe? (And yes, I do believe in tithing to my local church and foreign missions.)
The Bible is God breath and each word is important, if we were not meant to be part of a church than why is the church even brought up all threw the Bible.
When my children are sick I take them to the doctor. Not because someone tells me to but because I love them. The Bible does not mandate us to join or does it? I’m just saying….
Does the bible mandate church membership? Paul’s comments forced me to take a more in depth look, for some evidence about the subject. (Hey, maybe that’s what this whole blogging thing was for.) I did find some interesting information. Although the New Testament does not explicitly state that the church should have an official roster of members, it is obvious that people knew who was in our out of the local body. There is scriptural basis to support the idea of membership and a roll of them. I’ve listed some, as follows.
1) Acts 1:15 says that “the number of names (meeting in the upper room before Pentecost) was about 120.” It’s likely that someone was counting and documenting who was there. Why?
2) Acts 2:47 says the Lord added to the Church “daily those who were being saved.” I’m guessing someone was keeping records. Why?
3) 1 Tim 5:9 mentions a list of widows that needed financial assistance. Do you think that they kept this kind of list but not a list of members and their standing.
4) 1 Cor. 5:2 This portion of scripture deals with discipline, and even disfellowshipping (is that a word?) of a member. I wonder how they kept up with who was disciplined without some kind of record keeping of members and their standing? I’m guessing the accused was brought before the congregation of the local assembly of which they were a member?
5) 1 Cor. 14:40 says “Let all things be done decently and in order.” A members list definitely helps maintain Church order and prevents confusion.
If counting was done, and documentation was performed, and list were kept, and records were kept……..perhaps membership was important. What better way to say we’re on the same team?
By the way Crystal, I like the point you made about the strength in numbers. I found an illustration that supports your thought. The great Sequoia trees of California are some of the largest living things on Earth. Yet you seldom see a Sequoia standing alone. Scientist tell us that the Sequoia has a relatively shallow root system and that if a storm comes, a single tree can easily be blown down. Nevertheless, a grove of these tree will intertwine their roots together. The collective effort of the Sequoias provides support for all of them, in the face of the storms. What a marvelous picture of the importance of the church, its members, and their encouragement and support of one another in the face of the storms!
Strength in numbers? Check this out. There are 6.8 billion people on planet earth. As of 10-14-2008 744,051,972 of these have heard the gospel message. All total, 2,611,818,268 people have heard the gospel but not believed. Here is the staggering one: 3,404,966,794 people on planet earth have not had an adequate opportunity to hear the gospel. These figures change by the second on the population clock of the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. How can one of us as an individual ever reach all these people? Odds are we never would! But... thanks be to God for the Southern Baptist Convention and other organizations of the same we have a better chance to reach this lost world. Strenth in numbers... because we ARE a member. Lets bring this in closer to home. Georgia population: 9,727,131 Estimated unchurched in Georgia: 60% Estimated believers: 70% Estimated not in church weekly: 80% Why? because they are not committed and don't have anyone to hold them accountable. Several years back in a church I served in we had this little saying we would put before the people constantly: "Every member a minister" That's what will change this world when we realize that it starts with me on a local level as I reach out to my fellow friends and coworkers and do my part as a "functioning member" of the body of Christ.
John's first paragraph holds part of the answer to my question.
"This verse teaches that the moment you were saved, God baptized you into the body of Christ and made you a part of His Church."
However, in my opinion this is spiritually speaking. Christians do not have to be a member of a local congregation, but John laid out 3 sound reasons why every Christian should. I'm a big believer in membership. Take John's 3 reasons and as you read them say "I don't want to-" Thats what a person is saying when they fail to seek membership. Does that sound like a person you want fellowshipping with you?
Okay, I've finally made the time to participate like I should be to be a faithful productive "member" of our great youth department. After teaching the lesson this week what the 11th grade class figured out was that they didn't serve like they should to be good "members". But to give some of my insight into having to be a member of a local body leads me to the great story of the Sequoias and weeds. Have you ever seen just one beggarlice plant all alone in the midst of the field. Even the weeds have more sense than most people when it comes to standing for something. You may have seen just one, but give a little time, wind, and rain, there's more beggarlice than crop. If Christ hadn't meant for Christians to congregate and have some type of records management, then the writers of the letters to the churches in the New Testament wasted a lot of ink. If the Corinthians didn't have a congregation then we'd have had letters to Bob, Susie, etc.... And the problems these first churches were having, the only way that they could have been known was from having members not just visitors stumbling in.
Hope I haven't confused anyone with my thoughts, this blogging is new to me, I'm used to just writing reports.
Wesley
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