Is Church Membership a Biblical Idea?

Nathan Stam
Children/Communications Pastor

Recently, I finished a condensed version of Mark Dever's "What is a Healthy Church?" One of the issues that he addresses is the topic of biblical membership in the local church and I thought it would be appropriate to bring up in the light of our upcoming New Member's Class on May 24 and May 31.

Dever begins, "When a person becomes a Christian, he doesn't just join a local church because it's a good habit for growing in spiritual maturity. He joins a local church because it's the expression of what Christ has made him: a member of the body of Christ. Being united to Christ means being united to every Christian. But that universal union must be given a living, breathing existence in a local church."

What a perspective on membership! As a member of the body of Christ (that includes believers all around the world) it's only natural that we become a member of a local body where we can be discipled and be in community!

Dever continues with a gut check, "Committing to a local body is the natural outcome--it confirms what Christ has done [given us his righteousness through his death on the cross]. If you have no interest in actually committing yourself to an actual group of gospel-believing, Bible-teaching Christians, you might question whether you belong to the body of Christ at all!" (Check out Hebrews 10:23-27 on this point)

So, is membership in a local church a biblical idea? The answer is "Yes!" Check out the list of widows in 1 Timothy 5 or Paul's instructions to the church in Corinth in 1 Corinthians 5. What does church membership mean? 

Dever writes, "By identifying ourselves with a particular local church, we are telling the church's pastors and other members not just that we commit to them, but that we commit to them in gathering, giving, prayer, and service. We are telling them to expect certain things from us and to hold us accountable if we don't follow through . . . Church membership means being incorporated in practical ways into the body of Christ. It means traveling together as aliens and strangers in this world as we head to our heavenly home."

I don't know about you, but on this journey with Christ I need all the help I can get from my brothers and sisters in the faith! I can't do this on my own!

Mark Dever ends with a challenge:

"If your goal is to love all Christians, let me suggest working toward it by first committing to a concrete group of real Christians with all their foibles and follies. Commit to them through thick and thin for eighty years. Then come back and we'll talk about your progress in loving all Christians everywhere."

Contact Tim if you're interested in taking part in the New Member's Classes!