‘Mulling Over Membership’
Sermon Summary
11 February 2001
Acts 2:42-47

Having a membership and therefore a roll is helpful in a number of ways. It is good for statistics, to measure numerical growth or lack thereof, provide Denominational figures; it is also good for knowing who to send material like notices, pamphlets, memo’s, reports and all sorts of in-house information to; it can also be helpful for employment, for entrance into certain institutions, schools, clubs etc. But if local church membership was reduced to being on a list of names, having been put there after jumping through a few denominational hoops, then we have missed the point of membership totally. Membership in a local church is much, much more that that.

Understanding membership in a local church requires understanding just what the church is, why it exists, and how God intends that it should carry out His intentions for it.

Church - A Summary:

The word church is ‘ecclessia’ made up of two words meaning ‘to be called out’. It was used in ancient Greece by Heralds who would go around yelling out this word to call together all those who were to take part in political meetings. It came to mean those called together to assemble and execute political business. Similarly, in the New Testament it means those who are called to assemble together and do the work of Christ ie. Matt. 28:19,20, to make disciples of all nations, and to teach all that He had passed on to the original disciples, as well as to play out in a corporate setting the Great Command ie. to Love God and people Matt.22:36-40. Hence, the church is really people called out of the world to assemble together and engage in the fourfold mission of the church – to evangelise, to teach & disciple, to love and worship God, and to care for all people.

How has God arranged for these purposes to be realised? Via the body principle 1Cor.12:12-26. With Christ as the Head, His body the church, is made up of innumerable individuals gifted and bound to Christ and each other by the Holy Spirit, with the intention of all contributing their giftings, skills, time, talents, treasures, experience, prayer, faith etc. in order to carry out His work in this world (Eph.4:15,16; Rom.12:4-8).

Sharpening the focus on Membership:

As the Church in this world is the equivalent of Christ’s hands and feet – his primary means of doing, proclaiming, discipling, worshiping, helping others etc., formal membership in a local church is a nailing of one’s colours to the mast. It is a coming out of obscurity or anonymity and saying to all, I am committed to do all in my power to ensure that the purposes of the church are fulfilled in the ways God wants them fulfilled – that is, primarily through His body, the church, and in particular, through this local church. Like Baptism is a formal and public declaration to all that you have died to self and are now living for Christ (Rom.6:3,4), taking up formal membership in a local church is a public way of saying that I am going to live for Him in and through His appointed way – through His body the church here in such and such a place. Therefore, Membership in a local church therefore means the following:

a. Acceptance of Responsibility:

Taking up membership means the acceptance of personal responsibility to see God’s will worked out through a specific group of people in a particular area, in particular ways. It is when the buck stops being passed. Where no longer is it good enough to say that the church making an impact for God in this or that community is not my concern or my affair. Membership is an acceptance of accountability before God to ensure what He is capable of doing through you to further His plans and purposes through this church, is carried out. No longer can I be dismissive of whether or not God is honoured and obeyed in the church. It means I am as responsible as much as any other Christian to see Christ’s body grow and function as it should (1Cor.12:7,27; Eph.4:16etc.).

b. Participation & Involvement:

Taking up membership means that I am willing to obey God and contribute all of the talents and gifts He has given me, to contribute what time, treasures, experience and skills , and what my specific set of circumstances allow me to contribute in order to see God’s church fulfil His plans and purposes. No longer is it good enough to watch others do all of the work – to stay on the edges of things and remain largely aloof from what goes on. It means being willing to turn faith into works, to get one’s hands dirty. It means being active and participating in the life and ministries of the church. (eg. 1Cor.12:7,27; Eph.4:16etc.).

c. Commitment & Reliability: Heb.10:25

Taking up membership means that I am committed to fulfilling God’s purposes in a responsible and reliable way. To be counted on; to be depended on, in so far as changing circumstances allow. It is an acceptance that without commitment and reliability a church will never function well, and therefore God’s purposes will be jeopardised. As a consequence, I will be committed to His church and be a committed and reliable supporter of this or that church in particular.

Biblical Example:

The early church exhibited these qualities as part of local church involvement eg. Acts.2:42-47, 4:32-35, 5:12, 8:4 etc. Could anyone question the earnest commitment of the early church? Commitment to each other (selling and sharing of assets), to God’s agenda (teaching, fellowship, prayer, Communion), evangelism both through support of their leaders and personal sharing; their passionate participation and involvement in the life of the church, their reliability and sense of responsibility – they didn’t expect God to bring in others to do His work; they were it!

Membership, then, in a local church, is commitment to participate, support, and accept mutual responsibility for God’s agenda being played out in a local situation.

The Armidale Church of Christ

So how does one join the Armidale Church of Christ? It is quite simple really.

1. Baptism: People who, believing in Christ as the Son of God, who have confessed their faith in Him, and who have been baptised by immersion into Him, and entered into a membership covenant, and are endorsed by the Eldership, will be accepted into Membership.

2. Confessional: Due to people coming from different denominational backgrounds, Confessional membership is possible wherein a person confesses their faith in Christ, accepts personal responsibility for their own baptismal status, and enters into a membership covenant, and are endorsed by the elders. The Membership Covenant is basically as follows, and requests nothing that is not the normal Biblical charge laid on all Christians, irrespective of their denomination.

I Will Protect The Unity of My Church

I WILL SHARE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF MY CHURCH

I WILL TO SERVE THE MINISTRY OF MY CHURCH

I WILL SUPPORT THE TESTIMONY OF MY CHURCH

You will notice that if we all did these things, it would mean experiencing what God intended eg. love - forgiveness and closeness - my own needs viewed as highly important - respectful and caring oversight - prayer for yourself - benefits of bringing others to fellowship with God - a warm welcome - the benefits of the gifts and talents of others - the joy of growing in usefulness to God and others - being served by others - the joy of giving - the support and fellowship of community life - the encouragement to live daily for Christ - help to be an effective witness - and the continuation of God’s work in, and through, the Wakeley Church.

Currently, in the Armidale Church of Christ we are attempting to realise God’s purposes through an emphasis on prayer, worship, teaching, community building and small group involvement; as well as outreach through welcoming attitudes, personal evangelism, and youth, men and women’s ministries; and profile and Kingdom building through event involvement in the Armidale Community.

Conclusion:

Based on the confession of faith in Him as the Son of God, Jesus said he would ‘build His church’ (Matt.16:15-19). And He builds His church by gifting, empowering, equipping all individual believers, and calling and binding them to each other and Christ, as a whole and in local congregations, by means of the Holy Spirit, to ensure that His church is built. Membership in a local church is the acceptance of these things, with an accompanying intention to publicly and practically working them out in time and space. It also means having a group of brothers and sisters to call on and depend on, for God to speak into your life through, to help you obey Him, to help guide, support, and encourage you; to equip and help you to grow as a person and as a Christian; to develop and use the gifts and talents that He has given you to use for His purposes. It is also one of God’s key ways to help you avoid the common trap of consumerism; unbalanced preoccupation with our own needs, wants, desires – be they family, business or career; or materialism, and all manner of other unhelpful things.

Unchecked by active commitment, participation and involvement in a local church, not only will God’s work not done through you, but evasion of such responsibility will inevitably result in the spiritual bankruptcy that comes through not putting God and His kingdom first in your life (Haggai 1:5-11), as God has asked (Matt.6:33, 16:24). Have you thought about membership before? Perhaps you would like to join with us here? For those who are already members, perhaps today’s message can help you to grasp what you have done in God’s eyes when you joined? Membershipin a local church is the way to go for all Christians, but active, participatory, committed, reliable, and responsible membership as He intends it be, not our own often unbiblical but very convenient versions of it.

Blessings

 

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