Weekly Reflection 1/12/26

Church Membership

Why the word Member?

• 1 Corinthians 12:12-20
• Romans 12:3-8
• The reason for using the word member is because of Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12 where Paul uses the word member in a body analogy. When we use the word church “member” we are not talking about a membership to an organization, like Sam’s Club or AAA. In these passages the local church is pictured as a body with members (legs, arms, eyes, ears, etc…). 

Local or Universal

Is being a member of a local church biblical? Or does this idea of being a member only refer to the global church? The word for “church” in the original language of the New Testament is “ekklesia” and that is the word the New Testament uses most often to refer to the church. In fact, throughout the New Testament, it is used 114 times. Now, here is the interesting thing: out of those 114 times, over 90 of them the New Testament is referring, not to the universal church, but to different local churches. 

Here are a few examples: “To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:” (1 Corinthians‬ 1‬:2‬ ESV)‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬ There you have a picture of both: the local church in Corinth together with all believers. In 2 Corinthians 1:1, “To the church of God in Corinth…” Galatians 1:2, “To the church of God in Galatia…” 1 Thessalonians, “…the church of the Thessalonians…” ‬‬‬

Scripture is giving us the church on two levels: A universal level including all believers of all times, and a local level including a local body of believers in a certain place. 

What is the picture we get of Jesus building His church?

Now, many times we are content to almost think about the church in some abstract concept. “I am a part of this invisible ideal.” But how is Christ building His church throughout the New Testament and today? He is not building some invisible ideal. He is building visible local churches, visible local communities of faith. How is Christ loving His people today? Through visible, local churches. He did it throughout the New Testament, and He is doing it today. 

Four biblical principles that imply local church membership.

1) The Church Is to Discipline Its Members

Church membership is implied by the way the church is supposed to discipline its members. Consider the implication of Matthew18:15-17 where “the church” (ekklesia) appears to be the final court of appeal in matters of church authority as it relates to membership. “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. (16) But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. (17) If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.” If there is no church membership, how can you define the group that will take up this sensitive and weighty matter of exhorting the unrepentant person and finally making a judgment about his or her standing in the church community? It’s hard to believe that just anyone who showed up claiming to be a Christian could be a part of that gathering. Surely, “the church” must be a definable group to handle such a serious matter. You know who you mean when you “tell it to the church.”

2) Excommunication Exists

Church membership is implied by the simple fact that excommunication even exists. Paul implies this in 1 Corinthians 5:12-13 where he deals with the necessity of putting someone out of the church. He says, “What have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. ‘Purge the evil person from among you.’” There are two implications here: One is that there is an “in the church” group and an “outside the church” group. Being in the church is definable. The other implication is that a person can be removed from being “in the church.” Such a formal removal would not be possible if there were no such thing as a clear membership; who is an accountable part of this body, and who is not?

3) Christians Required to Submit to Their Leaders

Church membership is implied in the biblical requirement of Christians to be submitted to a group of church leaders, elders, or pastors. The point here is that without membership, who is it that the New Testament is referring to who must submit to a specific group of leaders? Some kind of expressed willingness, covenant, agreement, or commitment (that is, membership) has to precede a person’s submission to a group of leaders. Consider the way the New Testament talks about the relationship of the church to her leaders. “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.” (Hebrews‬ 13‬:17‬ ESV)‬ “We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.” (1 Thessalonians 5‬:12‬-13‬ ESV)‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

How is this leadership and this submission going to work if there is no membership defining who has made the commitment to be led and who has been chosen as leaders? If we downplay the importance of membership, it is difficult to see how we could take these commands to submit and to lead seriously and practically.

4) Shepherds Required to Care for Their Flock

Church membership is implied in the way the New Testament requires elders to care for the flock in their charge. Of course, elders can extend their love to anyone and everyone, and should, within the limits of their ability. But the question is whether the Bible tells elders that they are to have a special responsibility and care for a certain group, a group of members. Consider Acts 20:28 where Paul tells the elders how to care for their flock. “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.” This verse does not say elders cannot visit unbelievers or those who are not yet members. But it does make clear that their first responsibility is to a particular flock. How are they to know who their flock is? Who are we as elders and pastors responsible for? For whom will we give an account to God? The way Peter speaks to the elders in 1 Peter 5:2-3 is even more clear on this point. “Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; (3) not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.” “Those in your charge” (your portion, your lot) implies that the elders knew whom they were responsible for. If a person does not want to be held accountable by a group of elders or be the special focus of the care of a group of elders, they will resist the idea of membership. 

Membership of Living Hope Ministries 

This Spring (likely March and April) we plan to have our membership class again. This will be four sessions, and we plan to have them following the Sunday morning service for 45 – 60 minutes. The purposes of the membership class are to help people know who Living Hope Ministries is and what we believe; as well as helping Living Hope know the people who, potentially, may become members. Membership of Living Hope is for born again believers who have been baptized and believe that God is calling them to Living Hope. Because we value and place high importance on local church membership it is important to us that we know and trust who it is that is becoming a member of this local body. To help with this we require that before people become members of Living Hope they have regularly attended and participated in church life for at least six months. 

Prayer and Fasting

As we continue to grow as a local church, we invite you to pray and fast one meal each Thursday. To use that time to seek God for wisdom and His help. Our desire is to be a local church that is joining God in what He is doing. Prayer points:

1. Thanksgiving and praise: Thank God for all the amazing things He has done, the amazing people who are part of Living Hope. All the ways He has blessed us and provided for us.
2. Spiritual Growth: How do we effectively help people grow and mature? (Small groups, bible studies, children, youth, men, women, Sunday mornings) Who is it that God is asking you personally to be in a disciple-making relationship with? In all this, that we will stay faithful to the Word of God and led by the Holy Spirit.
3. Physical Growth: How do we manage growth? (Do we expand the building? Do we add a service? Do we send people out to plant a church?) How do we steward well the property and resources God has given us to glorify Him and share the love of Jesus with the community?
4. Leadership: Continue to ask for wisdom for the Leadership Team. As the church grows it is likely the Leadership team should grow. When does that happen? How does that happen? Who will that involve?