Is Church Membership Really Necessary?

[Piper]

The question of the necessity of membership is completely the wrong question for us to ask. We understand from Romans 6 and Colossians 3 that we were each united to Christ, and thus united to one another. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote,

When God’s Son took on flesh, he truly and bodily took on, out of pure grace, our being, our nature, ourselves. This was the eternal counsel of the triune God. Now we are in him. Where he is, there we are too, in the incarnation, on the Cross, and in his resurrection. We belong to him because we are in him. That is why the Scriptures call us the Body of Christ. But if, before we could know and wish it, we have been chosen and accepted with the whole Church in Jesus Christ, then we also belong to him in eternity with one another. We who live here in fellowship with him will one day be with him in eternal fellowship. He who looks upon his brother should know that he will be eternally united with him in Jesus Christ. Christian community means community through and in Jesus Christ. On this presupposition rests everything that the Scriptures provide in the of directions and precepts for the communal life of Christians.

We should longingly attach ourselves to local bodies of believers because we want to live out the reality that has already been done in Christ.

God never intended for us to grow on our own without the help of others. God loves to use those in local church to bring about the growth in others. We are to reflect Christ and help each other to reflect Christ more together. None of us evades this responsibility, but we are all responsible to disciple others and it is best done in the context of a covenanted community in the local church.

TGC Course | Difficult Questions About The Church

 

[taisto]

How can there be effective discipline in the local church if there is no membership and accountability to the local embassy where we come to hear the words of our King?
Could Paul pen 1 Corinthians 5 and expect the church to respond effectively if there were no membership in the Church?

We see in scripture that both the Lord's Supper and Baptism express covenant membership and union in the Body of Christ. This is why local assemblies check to see if a person is indeed saved and is baptized. These symbolize membership into the covenant and therefore convey discipline upon those who live in rebellion to the Kings commands.

 

[Salty]

Church membership and marriage are similar- as they both require a commitment.

 

[tyndale1946]

How can there be effective discipline in the local church if there is no membership and accountability to the local embassy where we come to hear the words of our King?
Could Paul pen 1 Corinthians 5 and expect the church to respond effectively if there were no membership in the Church?

We see in scripture that both the Lord's Supper and Baptism express covenant membership and union in the Body of Christ. This is why local assemblies check to see if a person is indeed saved and is baptized. These symbolize membership into the covenant and therefore convey discipline upon those who live in rebellion to the Kings commands.

I disagree the local assembly of the church, is to welcome those who want to join... The church doesn't save anyone, the Lord does... He's in the Salvation business alone... Who is going to join a church with a bunch of fruit inspectors?... The last time I checked it was The Lord's Church, not the preachers, not the congregation... We are suppose to act like Christians, not hypocrites... The Lord alone is the fruit inspector and he inspected me along time ago, then I joined the church... Not to be better than anyone, because everyone there was just like me... Brother Glen

1 Timothy 1: 15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

 

[Salty]

Then how does someone join the local church - or do you think there is no need for a person to join a church

 

[taisto]

I disagree the local assembly of the church, is to welcome those who want to join... The church doesn't save anyone, the Lord does... He's in the Salvation business alone... Who is going to join a church with a bunch of fruit inspectors?... The last time I checked it was The Lord's Church, not the preachers, not the congregation... We are suppose to act like Christians, not hypocrites... The Lord alone is the fruit inspector and he inspected me along time ago, then I joined the church... Not to be better than anyone, because everyone there was just like me... Brother Glen

1 Timothy 1: 15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

How does a church deal with a 1 Corinthians 5 situation if no one is a member and there is no consequence for a person in the church openly rebelling against the King?

The church should be full of grace toward all who join the fellowship of believers, but open rebellion and blaspheme against the King must be dealt with. Read the letters Jesus wrote to the seven churches in Revelation and see what the churches are commanded to do.
Fruit inspectors, no. Disciplining people who openly mock the King, yes. Jezebel must be removed.

 

[37818]

By a mere attendance? By a local church vote? By taking a roll? How local membership is to be counted, the New Testament is otherwise silent. But . . . we are told,

Acts of the Apostles 2:47, ". . . Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. . . ."

Hebrews 10:25, ". . . Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. . . ."

 

[Deacon]

One can regularly attend a church and even faithfully serve in it

But membership carries an additional burden of responsibility, not only for ones self but for others in the congregation.
Proper church discipline cannot always be properly implemented in our society without membership.

Rob

 

[Marooncat79]

Very very very hard to find good churches

 

[atpollard]

Then how does someone join the local church - or do you think there is no need for a person to join a church

I do not have a good answer. I have been a member of a church where one became a member by walking through the door and trusting that Jesus was your savior. I have been a member of a church where a 5 person Elder Board asked to hear your personal testimony and then asked questions about your faith to clarify things that you said. Each had merits.

... so I have no answers, except this:

One becomes a member of a local church by choosing to invest - emotionally and with your time and through "being real" - with others attending that church. Sharing their triumphs and pain and being open to sharing your life with them. Absent that ... one is merely attending a performance as a passive participant.​

 

[taisto]

Very very very hard to find good churches

Isn't that because they are all filled with sinners like us?

 

[MB]

Very very very hard to find good churches

I agree it is. I always choose carefully with the Lord's guidance. Joining should be done with care and prayer Then if you feel led to, do so.
MB

 

[Salty]

Another aspect of church membership - legality!
I have read (and I dont remember where) that if you donate to a church,
you could be considered a member (this could depend on the State/commonwealth)

Do you want just anybody to vote in a church business meeting?

How about a "hot issue" (inactive) members will come out of the woodwork to vote!
Thus it is important to have a Constitution to indicate who is a member and who votes.
Again in some States/commonwealths you must be at least 18 to vote on certain issues..

That is why I include I Cor 14:40 in our church constitution

 

[tyndale1946]

Isn't that because they are all filled with sinners like us?

I heard a minister say one time... You will never find the perfect church!... Do you know why because I'm in it... Speaking of himself... Now put your name there!... The best illustration I heard of a church was from the Prince Of Preachers... Spurgeon... Church IS a hospital for sinners!... Brother Glen

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

One can regularly attend a church and even faithfully serve in it

But membership carries an additional burden of responsibility, not only for ones self but for others in the congregation.
Proper church discipline cannot always be properly implemented in our society without membership.

Rob

By discipline do you mean expulsion?

 

[Marooncat79]

No

Isn't that because they are all filled with sinners like us?

it’s the garbage that’s allowed

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

One can regularly attend a church and even faithfully serve in it

But membership carries an additional burden of responsibility, not only for ones self but for others in the congregation.
Proper church discipline cannot always be properly implemented in our society without membership.

Rob

By discipline do you mean expulsion?

 

[taisto]

By discipline do you mean expulsion?

What do we see in 1 Corinthians 5?

 

[Deacon]

By discipline do you mean expulsion?

Yes. Members under discipline often just leave the local church and hop over to another local church.
In such a situation the pastor could contact the new church and discuss the situation.

Membership would minimize the possibility of legal action against the church for slander.
A non-member could potentially win such a case against the church.

Rob

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

What do we see in 1 Corinthians 5?

That’s just sin. My father was a fornicator and my wife and brother both drunkards. I did not abandon them. I was a thief, a crook, a liar and something’s too heinous to mention. And those are the ones Christ came to heal. Just yesterday a marijuana grower out of the blue solicited me to purchase his products(for which he has a myriad). I thought, well now what stance will the church take on the distribution of this stuff… I could very well just smoke a joint in my car and drive high as a kite, possibly killing myself or someone else. Will the church take a prohibition stance against it? It’s getting mighty popular in the USA.