Lesson 5: Church Membership

In a previous lesson, we saw that a priority of Paul’s ministry was to explain the church. Paul emphasized the church because the church is God’s way of implementing the plan of salvation throughout the world.

The Apostle Paul was called

to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God... so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known... (Ephesians 3:9-10).

The “mystery” is God’s plan to express his fullness and reveal his wisdom in the church. The church is the fellowship of people who have responded to God’s plan and have committed themselves to it. If a person does not commit to the church, he is not committing to God’s plan.

► What are some reasons people have for refusing to commit to church membership?

God lives inside every believer, but he lives in the church (the group of committed believers) in a special way. Look where these verses say that God lives:

In whom [Jesus Christ] the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:21-22).

God lives in the church. The church, the group of believers, is the house that God lives in by the Spirit.[1] God’s dwelling in the church is for purposes beyond what can be fulfilled by individuals. If a person refuses to commit to the church, he is refusing to be part of this plan of God.

A person finds his spiritual identity when he is convicted of sin, then experiences God’s love, grace, and acceptance. When he repents and puts his faith in Christ, he becomes a child of God. This is the most important identity a person can have.

The believer also has a spiritual identity as a member of the family of God (Ephesians 2:19). Other believers are his spiritual brothers and sisters. He feels a kinship with any true Christian that he meets.

The church exists as the universal family of God and also as a local congregation that functions as the local family of God. If a brother or sister has a need, it is his local spiritual family that helps him. Just as a believer can expect his spiritual family to be ready to help him, he should be committed to the family and ready to help others. The help from the family would not exist if there were not believers who commit their time and resources to it.

Some people ask for help but are never available to help others. They don’t understand what it means to be committed to the family.

Other people take care of themselves and expect everyone else to do the same. They do not understand their responsibility for the needs of others.

► How would you explain to a person that he needs to be committed to the family of God?

A person must individually believe God’s truth and individually choose to obey God. A person’s relationship with God begins when he repents and puts his faith in Christ. His relationship with God does not depend on anyone else. Every believer has the Holy Spirit to guide him in understanding God’s Word.

However, many Christians have become too independent in their attitude. Their own perceptions become their final authority. They trust only their own interpretation of scripture. They want to use their gifts to be successful as individuals rather than devoting their gifts to the success of the church. Their important decisions are based on their own opinions, their own feelings, and their own desires, and are not guided by the wisdom of the church.

Many people cannot explain the purpose of the church. They see it as valuable only to provide certain benefits to individuals. They do not commit to it like a family. They do not accept any spiritual authority. They are quick to leave a church and look for another if there is a problem. This problem exists everywhere, but people of some cultures have more tendency to try to be spiritually independent because their culture emphasizes individual freedom.

Many churches have accepted the assumption that people are spiritually independent. Sermons give instructions on how individuals can make personal decisions to get the best results. Many churches are led by a team of people who put on a program, and the congregation is a crowd of spectators. Another kind of church is a pastor’s personal enterprise, and he tries to provide enough benefits to keep the people and collect their financial support.

The New Testament picture of the church is a local congregation that shares the responsibility. It is impossible for a church to fulfill its responsibilities except as a congregation of committed, cooperating people. Most of the epistles of the New Testament are not addressed to individuals, but to churches, and should be interpreted and applied that way.

► For each item of the list, discuss how a congregation would be able to share this responsibility and do it better than an individual could.

1. Evangelize (Matthew 28:18-20).

2. Worship as a congregation (1 Corinthians 3:16).

3. Maintain doctrine (1 Timothy 3:15, Jude 3).

4. Support pastors financially (1 Timothy 5:17-18).

5. Send and support missionaries (Acts 13:2-4, Romans 15:24).

6. Help members in need (1 Timothy 5:3).

7. Discipline members who fall into sin (1 Corinthians 5:9-13).

8. Practice baptism and the Lord’s Supper (Matthew 28:19, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26).

9. Disciple believers to maturity (Ephesians 4:12-13).

Most of these things cannot be done by one person acting independently. They depend on cooperation of the group of believers and a structure of leadership.

[1]God calls every believer to commit to a local church and help that church fulfill its purpose in the world. Unless a member serves in the church, he is not fulfilling his purpose as a member of the body of Christ.

God has a plan for a local body of believers. He gives what is needed and requires a commitment from the members.

► A student should read 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 for the group.

Paul said that the members of the church should work together like the parts of the physical body. A part should not try to be independent of the others. A part cannot accomplish much without the others.

A Christian should realize that his abilities find their value in the life of the church. Just as an eye or ear is useless except when it functions for the body, a person is not likely to find a significant purpose in the will of God unless he functions as a committed member of the church.

► A student should read Acts 2:46-47 for the group.

The Lord added to the church daily. Joining the church was not a complex thing in the early days of the church. A testimony of conversion and faith was the basis of membership. Even without a formal membership process or a list of membership rules, it was easy to see who was in the church.

Often a church begins without a formal membership. At first the church consists of the ministry team. Then, local people are added who respond to the ministry and became involved. The group meets frequently for discussions about practical matters, spiritual issues, vision for the future, and aspects of sharing life together. There is no membership list, but everyone knows who the committed people are.

As the church grows, questions arise. Many people visit the church and participate in activities; but who are the people of the church? A church is supposed to be a witness, but how can it be a witness if the community doesn’t know who the church people are? We teach the congregation to commit to helping others who are in the body, but how can they know who those are? If a person refuses to respond to correction and lives in open sin, how can he be distinguished from the core group of believers who commit to living faithfully?

Many modern churches have extensive membership requirements. They have a statement of doctrine, rules for the member’s lifestyle, and a period of probation. It is not easy for a new convert to quickly become a member of those churches.

A new convert needs to be accepted into the fellowship of the church immediately. He needs to be part of the group of believers that are committed to one another. He loses friends who are not Christians when he is converted, and he needs Christian fellowship.

The new convert also needs the discipleship that comes from close fellowship with other Christians. He will be shaped by the values of people who share their lives with him.

What if a convert cannot join the church because of high membership requirements that he cannot understand? If he is kept out of membership, he feels that he is not accepted in the church. He needs some kind of membership immediately. The early church was able to get converts involved as members quickly.

General Membership/Fellowship Membership

If the church does well at making converts members quickly, the membership of the church will include people who are not mature Christians. New converts do not understand all the important doctrines of the church. They have not developed a mature Christian lifestyle. Therefore, they should not be responsible for making decisions for the church. Because the membership of the church includes people who are not mature Christians, the general membership of the church should not make decisions about the direction of the church.

Within the general membership should be members who form a governing body. The governing body of the church should be composed of mature Christians who understand the doctrines and lifestyle taught by the church. This is the group that makes decisions for the church. Membership in this group should have higher requirements than the general membership of the church. People from this group can serve as teachers and leaders in the church. The governing body makes sure that the church stays true to its doctrine and purpose.

The general membership accepts true converts who commit to the church. The requirements for general membership are the basics of Christianity and commitment to that particular church. A convert can be accepted quickly into general membership if he appears to be truly converted. A convert receives the fellowship and involvement in the church that he needs immediately. Some churches call general membership “the Fellowship.”

► Why does a new convert need to be involved in the church quickly?

► In the system of membership described above, what is the Fellowship, and what kind of person is a member of it? What is the Governing Body, and what kind of person is a member of it?

Mature Christian Membership

A second type of membership requires members to be doctrinally sound and sufficiently mature so that they can be trusted to vote on church decisions. This group elects people to positions of service, including the pastor. They either vote on business decisions or elect a group of representatives that makes those decisions.

Because membership controls church government, a new convert may not quickly be welcomed into membership. The more conservative and cautious the church is, the longer the list of membership requirements and the longer the time period between conversion and membership. The church sets the membership requirements to include everything a mature Christian should be, rather than the basic description of a convert. A convert may participate in the life of the church for years without qualifying to be a member. Some converts may leave because they cannot be members.

Congregational Membership

At some churches, those who normally attend worship are considered members. Some other authority may decide church business, but anyone who attends the church is a member. The church may claim that they have no list of members. However, even in a church that claims to have no list of members, there is an unwritten system of determining who is in and who is not.

In a church with congregational membership, control of the church may be in the hands of a pastor or the leaders of influential families.

If a young church has congregational membership as the final authority, there is no way to predict what it will be in a few years.

If an older church with congregational membership has stability, it probably has been controlled either by a family group or by a strong, long-term pastor. It would be difficult for them to explain the rules for the way things are done, but they trust the ones in control. Written policies may not exist or may be ignored. When the pastor or other leaders are replaced, the church may go through big changes.

► What advantages and disadvantages do you see with the two membership systems described above?

► Look at the following two examples, one from a church in the United States, and one from a church in the Philippines. Discuss how these two descriptions compare to church membership in the churches you know.

The Victory Chapel Fellowship

The public is invited to attend most activities of Victory Chapel, including worship services, home congregation meetings, and Bible studies. All may participate in worship, sharing of needs, prayer, congregational meals, orderly discussion, and informal fellowship. However, the New Testament indicates that the group of people who make up a local church should be identifiable. It should be publicly known what people are the church. Without such an identifiable group, it is impossible that the church have a clear testimony before the world, share true Christian fellowship that is based on Christian unity beyond friendship, exercise biblical church discipline, and bear together responsibility for the ministry of the church. Therefore, responsibility for the ministries of Victory Chapel rests on a group within the congregation called the “Fellowship.”

Criteria Met by Those in Fellowship

We recognize that there are many other specifics that are marks of spiritual growth, but the following list provides the basics that seem necessary for unity and true Christian fellowship.

(1) Spiritual Life

Demonstrate evidence of conversion, spiritual desire, and commitment to walk in obedient relationship with God.

(2) Biblical Morality

Abstain from sexual immorality, illegal drug use, tobacco, and alcoholic beverages.

(3) Church Commitment

Attend all services of the church faithfully unless prevented by health, other ministry, or employment in a type of work that cannot be paused for Sunday.

Tithe into the offering of the church.

(4) Doctrinal Unity

Unity and understanding of the statement of faith of Victory Chapel is necessary. The pastor will share discussion and instruction time with each candidate.

(5) Practical Ethics

Maintain honesty in all relationships and faithfulness to commitments. Maintain behavior consistent with love and loyalty to those in the fellowship.

Policies

We realize that some new members will not continue, but we choose not to have a probation period, because new converts need immediate involvement in the church.

The governing body will evaluate a name proposed for the Fellowship after the candidate has been interviewed by the pastor.

A convert accepted into the Fellowship will be scheduled for baptism unless he has been baptized previously.

If a believer in the Fellowship is found to be in violation of the requirements, the governing body may either drop the believer from Fellowship or allow him to have a period of probation and accountability, after which his case will be reconsidered.

Philippine Bible Methodist Church

Having received Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord, believing in his death, the shedding of his blood and his resurrection as the complete work for my salvation, I now unite with the universal body of Christ. But as the body has many members, so is the body of Christ. Through sincere prayer, I feel led of the Holy Spirit to unite with the Philippine Bible Methodist Church family—to its fellowship, faith, and spiritual disciplines as God increasingly enables me. In doing so, I commit myself to God and to the other members to do the following:

First, to protect the unity of my church

• By acting in love toward other members (1 Peter 1:22)

• By refusing to gossip or backbite (Ephesians 4:29)

• By following its appointed leaders (Hebrews 13:17)

• By having compassion on brethren who have fallen out of the grace of God (Galatians 6:1-2)

Second, to share in the responsibility of my church

• By praying for its growth (1 Thessalonians 1:1-2)

• By inviting the unchurched to attend (Luke 14:23)

• By warmly welcoming visitors (Romans 15:7)

• By introducing people to Jesus Christ (Acts 8:33-35)

Third, to serve the ministry of my church

• By the discovery of spiritual gifts (1 Peter 4:10)

• By being equipped to serve with the pastors (Ephesians 4:11-12)

• By developing a servant’s heart in ministering to the saints, and to the hungry, the naked, the sick, the widowed and orphaned, and the imprisoned—as means and opportunity is granted. (Matthew 25:31-46, Philippians 2:3-7)

Fourth, by supporting the testimony of my church

• By attending faithfully (Hebrews 10:25)

• By humbly receiving the Word of God as preached, and walking in its light (1 John 1:9-10)

• By pursuing a holy life (Hebrews 12:14, Philippians 1:27)

• By confessing faults (James 5:16)

• By partaking of the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:23-26)

• By giving regularly (Leviticus 27:30, 1 Corinthians 16:2, 2 Corinthians 9:7)

Signed this ____ day of ______________

Signature of Member _______________________

Approved by: ___________________ Local Church Pastor

1. God lives in the group of believers in a special way.

2. The church is the family of God, where believers commit to the family relationship.

3. Church membership is a way to commit to God’s plan for the church.

4. A congregation must share the responsibilities of the church together.

5. An individual’s abilities are most valuable when used in the life of the church.

6. A new convert needs to be involved in the church immediately.

7. Maturity should not be a requirement for church membership.

1. Memorize the Seven Summary Statements for Lesson 5. Write one paragraph explaining the meaning and importance of each of the Seven Summary Statements (seven paragraphs) to someone who is not in this class. Turn this in to the class leader before the next class. Be ready to share a paragraph with the group if the class leader asks you to during discussion time. Write the statements from memory at the beginning of the next class session.

2. Remember to schedule your own outside-of-class teaching opportunities and report to the class leader when you have taught.

3. Writing Assignment: Estimate the percentage of people who attend your church who are committed members. Describe how a person becomes a member in your church.