Church Membership
Pastor Leslie Chua
“Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.”
Nowadays, many Christians do not take church membership seriously. They are generally ambivalent about it. They question the need for any affiliation to a church.
Such an attitude is a reflection of the prevailing cultural norms and values. Commitment, whether to a relationship or an entity, does not make sense to these people. It ties them down and limits their freedom. It is the same when it comes to church. Their commitment to a church lasts for as long as they like it and find value in it. As soon as there is a push or pull factor, they move on.
The pull factor might be a fresh and exciting alternative. As for the push factor, it varies. Usually, these believers are involved in a quarrel or misunderstanding, or they are confronted because of a sin. Instead of resolving the issues or dealing with their sins, they bail out.
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Regardless of the reasons for avoiding church membership, my objective for this pastoral reflection is to convince believers of the critical importance of church membership.
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Don’t get me wrong. Some people leave their church for good and valid reasons. Nowadays, misdemeanours and scandals are not unusual in the ranks of church leadership.
People who leave their previous church for legitimate reasons are understandably apprehensive to commit themselves to another church, even if their new church is proper and good. Sadly, some of these Christians become disillusioned and opt to stay away from the local church.
Regardless of the reasons for avoiding church membership, my objective for this pastoral reflection is to convince believers of the critical importance of church membership.
Here are 4 basic considerations for the case of church membership.
A High View of The Church
First, a high view of the church.
Christians ought to have a high view of the church just as they have a high view of the Holy Scriptures.
After all, the church is God’s idea and Jesus died for the church to birth it. He paid for its inception with His blood.
Besides, the church is not just a gathering of God’s people but it is essentially the body of Christ. You and I and all the believers throughout the world are members of this body of Christ.
1 Corinthians 12:27 - Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.
Ephesians 1:18 – And he (referring to Jesus) is the head of the body, the church.
Christ the head and the church as its body is more than just a caricature of the church. This imagery communicates the vital truth that the church occupies a significant place both in God’s heart and in God’s plan.
Given that, we must take the church very seriously. We are saved and integrated into the body of Christ. We are called to be the church. We are called to be members of the church. To take the idea of the church lightly and to treat it casually are sacrilegious.
When viewed from this perspective, church membership is a serious matter that warrants every believer’s consideration.
But you might argue that while it is important, there is no need to formalise it. It is good enough that I know it and I am a part of a church.
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In the same way, church membership is a clear statement of your identification with and involvement in a local body of Christ. It is a declaration of your commitment to a local church community.
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But such an argument is as good as saying that there is no need for water baptism because I am already saved. I believe in Jesus and I have received Him as my Lord and Saviour. Having done that, why should I go through the formality of water baptism?
True, baptism does not save you. Baptism is an outward demonstration of your inward faith in Christ. It is a public statement of your allegiance to Christ and your identity in Christ.
In the same way, church membership is a clear statement of your identification with and involvement in a local body of Christ. It is a declaration of your commitment to a local church community.
Commitment
Second, commitment to a local church.
Christians ought to be committed to a local church for their own sake.
Every believer needs to be nurtured in their faith and grow to spiritual maturity in Christ. They also need to be equipped for the works of ministry.
God has provided the church to meet these crucial developmental needs for spiritual growth and ministry training. God gives leaders “to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ…” (Ephesians 4:12-13).
The church also provides the community with care, fellowship, and prayer support.
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Church membership is a statement of intent of your commitment to the body of Christ. Be a member of a local church, be it Rock of Ages Church or another church.
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Having said that, nothing can be done if a believer refuses to commit himself to a local church body. He might be attending a church but he is not a useful member of the body of Christ. This is not God’s will.
Please understand that no believer can fly solo in their Christian journey. God has ordained believers to be committed members of the body of Christ for effective ministry and advancing His Kingdom.
Church membership is a statement of intent of your commitment to the body of Christ. Be a member of a local church, be it Rock of Ages Church or another church.
Spiritual CoverinG
Third, spiritual covering.
Spiritual covering is an important biblical concept that is not taken seriously or viewed suspiciously nowadays. Believers ignore it to their own peril and loss.
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God appoints pastors and elders and gives them spiritual authority to lead and govern the church. Church members come under their leaders’ authority and cover for both protection and blessings.
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Put succinctly, believers need to be in a local church for spiritual covering because that is how God has ordained it. God has ordained for the church to function in this way.
God appoints pastors and elders and gives them spiritual authority to lead and govern the church. Church members come under their leaders’ authority and cover for both protection and blessings.
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Blessings flow from the top downwarD.
The spiritual cover of protection works in the same way.
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Psalm 133 gives us a graphic illustration of how God’s anointing and blessings flow down the lines of spiritual authority.
Psalm 133:1-3 – Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the LORD has commanded the blessing, life forevermore.
This is a beautiful imagery of how blessings and anointing flow. They flow from the top of Aaron’s head down to his beard, collar, and then robes.
Blessings flow from the top downward. The spiritual cover of protection works in the same way.
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Christians need to be in a local church with God-ordained leadership to be spiritually covered to enjoy God’s blessings and protection for His church.
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When the authority of the God-ordained leadership is challenged, the cover will be broken and the protection will be lifted.
When Korah, Dathan, and Abiram challenged Moses and Aaron’s spiritual authority, God was angry. He caused the ground under them to open up and they and their families were swallowed alive (Numbers 16).
These 3 men were jealous of Moses and Aaron. They contended that they were just as qualified to lead the Israelites and that Moses and Aaron should not lord it over them. Maybe, they were smarter and better but they missed the point, which is God had chosen Moses and Aaron. It is not a matter of capability but divine choice and appointment.
Christians need to be in a local church with God-ordained leadership to be spiritually covered to enjoy God’s blessings and protection for His church.
Some Christians consider the issue of spiritual authority and covering controversial because they have encountered misguided, bad or abusive leadership. All I can say is God will deal severely with these leaders but it does not negate the biblical truth of the importance of spiritual authority and covering.
Identification with a Local Church
Finally, identification with a local church. In our case, identification with the Rock of Ages Church.
You must identify with a local church. That is, you see yourself as part of a local church and you are an active member there.
Here are some questions to help you consider whether you identify with Rock of Ages Church.
Have you been attending our church service regularly?
Are you blessed by the sermons from our pulpit and teachings in our Pastoral Reflections and special events?
Are you encouraged by our Omega Conversation sessions?
Can you identify with God’s call and mission for our church?
Do you enjoy the fellowship with the brothers and sisters in our church?
Are you part of the Community Groups? Are you serving in certain ministries?
Are you served by our pastoral care and support?
Are your youths and children well taken care of in their respective ministries?
If you answer yes to some or most of these questions, you are identifying with us. If you have been attending Rock of Ages Church regularly for a while and you have been blessed by our church, you should seriously consider joining as a member.