Church Membership: Is it for you? What Does it Mean? Michael Gowens So, you are thinking about becoming a church member… How wonderful! It is certainly a very important decision— one of the most important you will ever make in your life. At first, it may seem to be a very simple choice—as they say, a “no brainer”—for there is no organization more important and no cause more noble than the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. Neither the Lion’s Club, Girl Scouts, Toastmasters, nor the local chapter of a particular worker’s Union can claim the Creator of heaven and earth as its Head. The church can. Furthermore, no earthly organization is guaranteed a perpetual existence. Every company that comes along will be replaced eventually by a newer and more relevant model. Not the church—it will last forever. Indeed, it seems like an easy decision. But, then again, I’m sure you have a number of questions whirling in your mind: How do I know if I’m ready to join the church? What do I need to know before I join? How do I go about joining the church? Is it even necessary to apply for formal membership? What will it matter if I don’t? Well, I want to help you to answer some of these questions. It is appropriate for you to consider, in advance, the significance of this decision and to learn something about the many privileges associated with membership in the church. I also want to address a few issues that you may or may not have considered regarding some of the responsibilities associated with church membership. Jesus taught that it is important to “count the cost” of following Him—that is, to consider what is involved in discipleship. What will membership in the church require of you? What will be expected of you? No doubt, you’ve heard the adage, “With privilege comes responsibility.” In a day when many people approach the gospel as consumers, asking “How can this benefit me?”, it is needful to recover Jesus’ emphasis on servanthood. The most basic question asked by early Christians was not the consumer’s question—“How can I benefit from the church?”—but the question of the servant—“What shall we do?” Indeed, there are privileges—rich and wonderful privileges— associated with membership in the church. Church membership will benefit you in a variety of ways. But there are also duties that accompany the commitment to follow Jesus Christ in the fellowship of other believers, and it is important that you understand both what you can expect from church-life and what will be expected from you, before you become a member. Perhaps we should begin by asking the very basic and fundamental question… Is the concept of “joining the church” even a Biblical concept? A reaction against institutional forms is one of the unhappy emphases of our day. Some would argue that baptism is “into Christ,” as Romans 6:3 says, not “into the church”. But it is doubtful that Romans 6 is talking about “water baptism” at all; the subject of Romans 6 is the legal doctrine of spiritual union with Christ. It may surprise some people to know that the Bible does indeed talk about “joining the church”. Twice in the book of Acts, reference is made to a person “joining himself” to the church. The original word translated “join” means “to cement together, to unite” and refers to a formal relationship such as the joining of a man and a woman in a marriage covenant. Furthermore, there are statements in the New Testament that make sense only in the context of an official membership—“tell it to the church,” “when you are gathered together,” “if the whole church be come together into one place,” etc. All of these references suggest that the early church was a local assembly with a definable membership. In Acts 2:47, conversion is defined in terms of “the Lord adding to the church such as should be saved.” Obviously, the Bible assumes that church membership is the will of God for every true believer. That leads to the next question… Who should join the church and when is the right time? How do you know if you are ready to join the church? If the Lord has done a work of grace in your heart, then you are not only qualified for membership, but called—simply by virtue of His gift of salvation—to unite yourself to His people. The call to separate oneself from the world and to identify oneself with the stigma of the cross is God’s will for every one of His children. The church is for believers. We practice credo- (or believers) baptism, not paedo- (or infant) baptism, for belief in the Lord Jesus Christ is the ultimate evidence that a person has been born again. Are you a believer in Jesus Christ? Well, ask yourself these questions: Have I been brought to see myself as a sinner who needs a Savior? Have I found comfort in the gospel of Christ and dared to believe that the work of Jesus on the cross was for me? Have I ceased to trust in my own personal worth or merit as the basis of my acceptance with God, convinced that Christ alone is my righteousness? Have I turned from the ambivalence and unbelief that presumes to sit in judgment on the Bible and said with the hymnwriter, “I can, I will, I do believe”? If you can answer “yes,” then you ought to unite with others who understand your experience. Perhaps you wonder how much you ought to know before you can be a member. Some groups have “membership classes” to educate candidates for membership in the doctrinal convictions of the group. While we don’t observe that practice, it is helpful (especially in cases where a person is an adult) to have a basic understanding of the fundamental or core beliefs of the church. Of course, from one standpoint, commitment to Christ comes first and education second. Jesus said, “Take my yoke upon you and learn of me”—in that order. In a very real sense, all that is required for membership is the knowledge that (in the words of John Newton) “I am a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior.” On the other hand, there is a place for learning as much as possible about the basic theological convictions of the church, for baptism is essentially a theological statement—a confession not only that you believe in Jesus Christ but of what you believe about Jesus Christ. Do you believe in the sovereignty of God in salvation? Do you rejoice to hear the message of a successful Savior who actually secured salvation for His people on the cross and finished the work of redemption? Is the message that says “salvation is of the Lord” a joyful sound in your ears? Does the message that man is hopelessly fallen in sin and cannot recover himself by his own decision or effort agree with your experience? Does your heart resonate with the proclamation that salvation is by grace alone—not of works lest any man should boast? Do you hunger for the faithful and consistent teaching and preaching of God’s word? If you can answer “yes” to these questions, then (may I be so bold as to say) you ought to unite with those who share these convictions. Now is the day of salvation; today, if you will hear his voice, harden not your heart. How does a person unite with the church? The ordinance of baptism marks the entrance into the fellowship of the local church. By this solemn act, a person gives dramatic testimony to those with whom he will live and worship of his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Gospel baptism marks a turning point in the believer’s life—a decisive act of repentance from his former lifestyle and willing submission to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. In a very real sense, it is a fresh start—a new beginning—a “year of Jubile”. At the conclusion of each worship service, a hymn is sung and opportunity is given to publicly confess faith in the Lord Jesus. This public profession is a wonderful opportunity to testify to the great things the Lord has done for you and to “name the name of Christ” before others who have also given testimony to their Lord. Though it takes courage to publicly confess Christ, such a first step will help to prepare you for many future occasions in which your Christianity will require a courageous and steadfast faith in God. The church rejoices to hear someone relate an experience of grace and how the Lord has led to this point. To witness a penitent sinner submit to Christ in baptism strengthens the faith, inflames the zeal, and renews the commitment of the entire church. It also establishes a bond of mutual love and understanding within the fellowship—a unity in the Spirit that arises from participation in a common faith. What difference will membership in the church make in my life? What can I expect? Have you ever noticed that much of the New Testament’s instruction for Christian living is framed in the context of local church life? For example, it is in the epistle to the church at Ephesus that we are exhorted to walk in holiness, love, light, and wisdom. It is in the fourth and fifth chapters of that letter—as well as the letter to the Colossians—that the apostle Paul gives practical directions for living Christianly in the areas of personal attitudes and behavior, relationships in the home and at work.