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Do we need to join a local church? Is formal church membership something the Bible teaches? Some don’t believe so, including some churches and denominations. It is remarkably argued, “God knows who are his. All believers are part of the universal church. The Bible never implicitly commands formal church membership. Why then should joining a specific church be encouraged or required?” Sure enough, salvation is most important, and the New Testament never explicitly commands formal church membership. However, formal membership in a local church is clearly implied throughout the New Testament and is, consequently, expected of every believer.
Does The Bible Demonstrate The Need For Formal Evangelical Membership?
Indication for church membership is seen in the fact that many of the New Testament epistles were written to local churches or their leaders see (Colossians, Philippians, 1 and 2 Timothy, etc.).
Apparently, when those letters were received, people had to be able to differentiate whether they were part of those churches or not. Similarly, see (Revelation 2-3) Christ in reality gave commendations and/or rebukes to seven local churches. To Christ, there were specific people identified with those local congregations whom those words applied to and people outside of them whom the words did not apply. Without a formal membership, how could those believers and their leaders know who were part of those churches?
Evidence For Evangelical Membership Is Seen In The Language In Acts About The Early Church.
For instance, see (Acts 2:41) it says about the church in Jerusalem: “So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand people were added.” When people had repented and were baptized, they were added to the existing believers the church. It is crystal clear that the church was keeping a numerical count of those added to them. Again see (Acts 4:4) it says, that the number grew to 5,000. Therefore, they were keeping track of who were part of the church.
Besides, many other statements in Acts point to a well-defined Evangelical membership see (Acts 8:1) it referes to the “church in Jerusalem.” see (Acts 15:22) speaks about a gathering and decision by “the whole church,” again describing the Jerusalem church. In order for the “entire church” to be gathered and agree on something, there must be a distinguishable and well-defined group. Similarly see (Acts 14:23), recounts Paul and Barnabas appointing elders in “various churches.” The language in Acts of the early church present for a defined membership.
Evidence For Evangelical Membership Is The Fact That Elders Are Called To Shepherd Local Churches And Will Be Held Accountable For Doing So.
Isee in (Hebrews 13:17), the author said this to the Jewish Christians, “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls and will give an account for their work.” If elders are going to give an account to God for the members of their flock, they must know who flock belongs to it. They are not accountable for every church visitor or person who attends church. They are accountable for those who have publicly committed to the church and its leadership.
Evidence for church membership is Christ’s command to practice church discipline.
Further, see in (Matthew 18:15-18), here Christ gave a four-step process for restoring a sinning member. This includes going to them one on one, with another person (or two), then bringing it before the church, and finally the person being removed from fellowship see (Matthew 5:18; 1 Corinthians 5:11). Logically, is only somebody who is clearly part of a local church and submitted to her leadership can be removed from church fellowship.
Evidence for Evangelical membership is the need for believers to fulfill the “one another” texts in the New Testament.
For example, see (Hebrews 10:24-25) it says:
And let us take thought of how to spur one another on to love and good works, not abandoning our own meetings, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and even more so because you see the day drawing near.
Instead of forsaking the assembly of true believers, we are called to faithfully meet together, to “spur one another on to love and good works” and “encourage each other,” as we wait for Christ’s coming. Also, see (1 Peter 4:10) it syas, “Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of the omnifarious grace of God.” We are each called to find our gifts and use them to “serve one another.” It is challenging to faithfully do these without committing to and on a regular basis meeting with a local body of believers.
Though Scripture never explicitly commands joining a local church, it is clearly implied throughout the New Testament, therefore, expected. In joining a local congregation, we commit to pray for those believers, to serve them, to hold them accountable, to help them grow, and to partner in reaching the lost locally and globally, among other things.
Why is evangelical membership very important?
The universal Church that is the body of Christ Jesus see (Romans 12:5) is composed of all true believers in Christ Jesus, and local churches are to be microcosm of the universal Church. As believers, we have our names written in the Lamb’s book of life see (Rvelation 20:12), and that is what is most important. Nevertheless, it is also important to commit to a local church where we can give of our resources, serve others, and be accountable.
The Bible does not directly address the concept of normanl church membership, but there are several passages that strongly show its existence in the early church. “And the Lord added to them day by day those that were being saved” see (Acts 2:47). This verse show that salvation was a requirement for being included to the church. See in (Acts 2:41) it seems that somebody was keeping a numerical record of those who were saved and thus joining the church. Churches today that require salvation before membership are simply following the biblical model see (2 Corinthians 6:14-18).
In the Screpture, there are other places in the New Testament that show the local church as a well-defined group: see in (Acts 6:3), the church in Jerusalem is told to hold elections of some kind: Choose seven men from among you. The phrase among you imply a group of people distinct from others who were not among them. Simply put, the decons to be church members.
Evangelical membership is important because it helps define the pastor’s duty. See (Hebrew 13:17) teach, “Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account.” the question is whom will a pastor give an account for, except the members of his own church? He is not accountable for all the Christians in the world, only for those under his care. Likewise, he is not responsible for all the people in his assemblage, only for believers under his leadership his church members. Membership in a local church is a way of voluntarily placing oneself under the spiritual authority of a pastor.
Evangelical membership is as well important because, without it, there can be no accountability orchurch discipline see (1 Corinthians 5:1-13) teaches a church how to deal with blatant, unrepentant sin in its midst. See the same (1Corinthians 5: in verses 12–13. We only judge those who are “inside” the church, church members. How can we know who is “inside” or “outside” the church without an official membership roll? See also (Matthew 18:17).
Though, there is no scriptural mandate for official church membership, there is surely nothing to prohibit it, and it seems the early church was organized in such a way that people clearly knew if somebody was “in” or “out” of the church. Church membership is a way of identifying oneself with a local body of believers and of making oneself accountable to proper spiritual leadership. Church membership is a statement of solidarity and like oriented see (Philippians 2:2). Church membership is also valuable for organizational purposes. It’s a good way of determining who is allowed to vote on important church decisions and who is eligible for official church positions.
Evangelical Membership
In a day when sincerity is a rare commodity, it should come as no surprise that church membership is such a low priority to so many believers. Sadly, it is not uncommon for Christians to move from church to church never submitting themselves to the care of elders and never committing themselves to a group of fellow believers.
To disregard or to refuse to join a church as a formal member, however, show a misunderstanding of the believer’s obligation to the body of Christ Jesus. And it also cuts one off from the many blessings and opportunities that flow from this commitment. It is necessary for every Christian to understand what church membership is and why it matters a lot.
The Definition of Church Membership
When an individual is saved, he becomes a member of the body of Christ Jesus see (1 Corinthians 12:13). Because he is united to Christ Jesus and the other members of the body in this way, he is therefore qualified to become a member of a local church of that body of Christ Jesus.
To become a member of a church is to formally commit oneself to an identifiable, local body of believers who have joined together for specific, divinely ordained purposes. These purposes include receiving instruction from God’s Word see (1 Timothy 4:13; 2 Timothy 4:2), serving and edifying one another through the proper use of spiritual gifts see (Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 12:4-31; 1 Peter 4:10-11), participating in the ordinances see (Luke 22:19; Acts 2:38-42), and proclaiming the gospel to those who are lost see (Matthew 28:18-20). In addition to this, when one becomes a member of a church, he submits himself to the care and the authority of the biblically qualified elders that God has placed in that assembly.
The Basis for Evangelical Membership
Although Scripture does not contain an explicit command to officially join a local church, the biblical foundation for church membership permeates the New Testament. This biblical basis can be seen most clearly in:
the example of the early church,
the existence of church government,
the exercise of church discipline, including
the exhortation to mutual edification.
One of The Example of the Early Church
In the early church, coming to Christ Jesus was coming to the church. The thought of experiencing salvation without belonging to a local church is foreign to the New Testament. When individuals repented and believed in Christ, they were baptized and added to the body of Christ Jesus being the church see (Acts 2:41; Acts 47; Acts 5:14; and Acts 16:5). More than merely living out a private commitment to Christ Jesus, this meant joining together officially with other believers in a local assembly and devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching, fellowship, the breaking of bread, and prayer see (Acts 2:24).
The epistles of the New Testament were written to churches. In the case of the few written to individuals such as Timothy, Philemon, and Titus these individuals were leaders in churches. The New Testament epistles themselves show that the Lord assumed that believers would be committed to a local assembly.
There is also evidence in the New Testament that just as there was a list of widows eligible for financial support see (1 Timothy 5:9), there may also have been a list of members that grew as people were saved see also (ACTS 2:41; Acts 47; Acts 5:14; and Acts 16:5). In fact, when a believer moved to another city, his church often wrote a letter of commendation to his new church see (Acts 18:27; Romans 16:1; Colossians 4:10; including 2 Corinthians 3:1-2).
The Existence of Church Government
The accordant pattern entire New Testament is that a plurality of elders is to oversee each local body of believers. The particular duties given to these elders imply a clearly defined group of church members who are under their care.
Among other things, these godly men are accountable to shepherd God’s people see (Acts 20:228; 1 Peter 5:2), to labor diligently among them see (1 Thessalonians 5:12; 1 Timothy 5:17), to have charge over them and to keep watch over their souls see (Hebrew 13:17). Scripture teaches that the elders will give an account to God for the individuals assigned to their charge see (Hebrew 13:17; 1 Peter 5:3).
Those responsibilities need that there be a distinct, mutually understood membership in the local church. Elders can shepherd the people and give an account to God for their spiritual wellbeing only if they know who they are; they can provide oversight only if they know those for whom they are accountable; and they can accomplish their duty to shepherd the flock only if they know who is part of the flock and who is not.
The elders of a church are not accountable for the spiritual wellbeing of every individual who visits the church or who attends sporadically. Rather, they are primarily accountable to shepherd those who have submitted themselves to the care and the authority of the elders, and this is done through church membership.
Conversely, Scripture teaches that believers are to submit to their elders. See (Hebrews 13:17), says, “Obey your leaders, and submit to them.” The fundamental question for each believer is, “Who are your leaders?” The one who has refused to join a local church and entrust himself to the care and the authority of the elders has no leaders. For that person, obedience to see (Hebrews 13:17) is hopeless. To put it simply, this verse implies that every believer knows to whom he must submit, which, in turn, expect clearly defined church membership.
The Exercise of Church Discipline STOP
In (Matthew 18:15-17), Jesus outlines the way the church is to seek the restoration of a believer who has fallen into sin a four-step process commonly known as church discipline. First, when a brother sins, he is to be confronted privately by a single individual see (v 5). If he refuses to repent, that individual is to take one or two other believers along to confront him again see (v16). If the sinning brother refuses to listen to the two or three, they are then to tell it to the church see (v 17). If there is still no repentance, the final step is to put the person out of the assembly see (v 17; 1 Corinthians 5:1-13).
The effort of church discipline according to (Matthew 18) and other passages see (1 Corinthians 51-13; 1 Timothy 5:20 Titus 3:10-11). imply that the elders of a church know who their members are. For example, the elders of Eternal Grace Community Church have neither the responsibility nor the authority to discipline a member of the church down the street. Sadly, the widespread lack of understanding of church membership has made it necessary for our elders to discipline not only formal members but also those who on a regular basis fellowship at Eternal Grace Community Church. However, the Bible’s teaching on church discipline assumes church membership.
1. Pray Consistently
It is necessary that the church be united in prayer, seeking God’s blessing on the work of the church and the Gospel’s impact in your congregation, your community, and beyond see (1 Thessalonians 5:17; Romans 12:12 and Colossians 4:2).
When you become a member of a church, you should commit yourself to praying for your church’s ministries, its leadership, and its people regularly.
2. Submit Humbly
Church members are called to submit to the church’s leadership and teaching. See (Hebrews 13:17) it says “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.”
Does this mean that we give blind allegiance even when pastors and elders fail to lead and teach biblically? Of course not so.
What it does mean, nevertheless, is that we are called to support, pray for, and adhere to the spiritual authority of those appointed to positions of church leadership.
Church members can either be a demanding for a pastor or a blessing. Choose to be a blessing.
3. Live Communally
There are fundamental many ways to develop relationships with others in the church. Whether you are involved in a ministry team, small group, Bible study, or other group we are called to develop close relationships with others so that you may encourage one another, pray for one another, build one another up, and hold one another accountable as followers of Christ Jesus .
There is a reason that many of the figure of speech in Scripture about the life of the church reveal that we are many members of one body. While our faith is personal, it isn’t meant to be private. Therefore, we should live as a community of believers. Don’t run the Christian race alone for Christ Jesus sake.
4. Preserve Unity
Jesus said “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” see (John 13:35).
All believers are tasked with preserving the peace and unity of the body, overlooking offenses when proper see (Proverbs 19:11), bearing with and forgiving one another see (Colossians 3:12-14), and pursue biblical and God-honoring peacemaking when conflicts arise.
Quarrelling, gossip, and divisiveness should not mark the life of the believer. Rather, make a point to not only avoid division but to actively work towards preserving unity.
5. Give Generously
Our love for the Lord should manifest itself in every area of our lives, including how we make use of the finances. He has entrusted to us. Members are to contribute, as the Lord directs, to the financial support of the church and its ministries see (1 Corinthians 16:2; 2 Corinthians 9:7).
While the New Testament does not specify an amount we should give, it does provide principles for us to follow. In short, we should give regularly, generously, and sacrificially to the work of the Lord.
6. Serve Faithfully
Each of us has been given the ability and the command to serve the Lord in some capacity. Members should eagerly find a place where they can serve and make use of their spiritual gifts for the good of others see (Romans 12:1; Ephesians 4:11-13).
Don’t lay to rest your talent in the ground! Use it to benefit God’s people, reach the lost, and glorify the Lord.
While there is a lot of talk about discovering your unique spiritual giftedness, there is a lot to be said for discovering areas that need help and stepping up to serve. You can discover where you do the most good along the way.
IIn New Creation Evangelical Mission, we teach that salvation is wholly of God by grace on the basis of the redemption of Jesus Christ, the merit of His shed blood, and not on the basis of human merit or works see (John 1:12; Ephesians 1:7; Ephesians 2:8-10; 1 Peter 1:18-19).
IIn New Creation Evangelical Mission, we teach that, because all men were in Adam, that is a nature corrupted by Adam’s sin has been inherited to all men of all ages, Jesus Christ being the only exception. All men are thus sinners by nature, by choice, and by divine declaration see (Psalms 14:1-3; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:9-18, 23; Romans 5:10-12).
In New Creation Evangelical Mission, we teach that election is the act of God by which, before the foundation of the world, He chose in Christ Jesus those whom He graciously regenerates, saves, and sanctifies see (Romans 8:28-30; Ephesians 1:4-11; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Timohy 2:13; 2 Tmothy 2:10 and 1 Peter 1:1-2).
In New Creation Evangelical Mission, we teach that the unmerited favor that God grants to totally depraved sinners is not affiliated to any initiative of their own part or to God’s expectation of what they might do by their own will, but is entirely of His sovereign grace and mercy see (Ephesians 1:4-7; Titus 3:4-7and 1 Peter1:2).
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