For a couple of weeks now I’ve been highlighting our upcoming Next Steps at the Bridge luncheon on 3/12. Although the luncheon is designed for people who are relatively new to the Bridge, it is also for folks who have been attending for a while and are interested in church membership.
Church membership is something of a debated idea within Christian circles. Some folks do not believe the concept is found in the Bible (more on that in a moment) and you will certainly find churches that do not maintain official membership rolls. Others believe it to be a crucial part of the Christian life, so much so that you’ll find churches where membership is needed to participate in the life of the church. And, of course, most people are somewhere in the middle, which I suppose is where Andrews Bridge is as well.
Let’s get one thing out of the way – church membership is NOT a requirement to be a Christian, nor is it required to worship and be an active part of the church family at the Bridge! However, allow me to share some thoughts as to why you may want to consider it.
Although the Bible does not directly mention the existence of a formal membership roll in the New Testament church, there are several passages that (at minimum) imply its existence. On the day of Pentecost in Acts 2 we read this:
Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
Acts 2:41
And the Lord added to them day by day those that were being saved.
Acts 2:47
Here we see that salvation was a prerequisite for being “added” to the church. It also seems that someone was keeping a record of those who were saved and thus joining the church.
Later on in the book of Acts we read about what might be the first church dispute and the first church election. In Acts 6:3 Jesus’ disciples decide that they need some help managing the church so that they can focus on preaching and teaching. To formally appoint this help they tell the church in Jerusalem: “Choose seven men from among you.” What is significant here was that these people (soon to be called deacons) were to be selected from “among you.” Simply put, the deacons were to be church members.
So, what are the benefits of church membership? Well, at some churches membership is required in order to receive communion. That is NOT the case at Andrews Bridge. All who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior are welcomed to partake in the bread and the cup. Other churches only allow members to use the offering envelope system, or use the church facility, or participate in some church ministries and programs. Again, this is NOT the case at Andrews Bridge. Although there are some leadership positions that call for a person to be a member of the church, and we do note whether or not someone is a member when we call for votes, we believe that by and large those connected to the church should be able to participate in the life of the church.
So….why become a church member?
When we become a member of a church we make a visible commitment to the local expression of God’s family. It is a way of identifying ourselves and what we believe about God, redemption, and salvation. It tells the church that you are “all in.”
It also makes a powerful statement about commitment to a culture that is increasingly commitment-phobic! Look all around us. Service clubs, volunteer fire departments and community groups face declining membership. Adult recreational sports leagues are folding due to lack of interest and teams. No one wants to commit to anything! Joining a church has become about as “counter-cultural” as you can get!
Church membership is also a way to acknowledge that we need to take God’s call to accountability seriously. I like the way that pastor and author Kevin DeYoung puts it:
When we join a church we are offering ourselves to one another to be encouraged, rebuked, corrected, and served. We are placing ourselves under leaders and submitting to their authority (Heb. 13:7). We are saying, “I am here to stay. I want to help you grow in godliness. Will you help me to do the same?”
Joining the church is also a way to help out the church’s leaders. As elders we try to be diligent in following up with people who haven’t been at our church for a while. This is a challenge, because we don’t want people to think that we are “tracking” them, but we also don’t want people falling through the cracks. It can be challenging to shepherd the flock when we don’t know who really considers us their shepherds.
Finally, church membership helps us grow in our faith. It connects us to others who are also on a faith journey with Jesus, helps us use our resources and skills to impact the community, and provides a source of encouragement through the difficult times of life.
I’ll end this by restating what I said in the beginning – church membership is NOT a requirement to be a Christian, and it is NOT required to worship and be a part of the church family at Andrews Bridge. BUT, if you find yourself at a place in your faith journey where church membership is something you might be interested in, please join us at the Next Steps luncheon.
As always, feel free to connect with me regarding any questions you may have.
Here’s what’s happening:
- This weekend is the Bart Township Fire Company’s annual mud sale. Bart is responsible for fire coverage for ABCF. Check out their Facebook page for more details.
- Junior Youth meets THIS Sunday, 3/5, after the morning worship service.
- Solanco Meat Canning is taking place on Tuesday, March 7 from 3:30-8pm. Sign up sheet is on the bulletin board. See Lloyd Kreider or Vernon Myers for more information.
- Next Steps at the Bridge luncheon is set for 3/12. Please let me know by this Sunday if you plan to join us.
- Solid Rock Youth Center in Quarryville is having their annual auction and ham dinner on Friday, March 24. Head to www.solidrockquarryville.com for more details and/or to register.
- Senior High Youth next meet on 3/26 after the worship service.
- This Sunday we will start collecting canned pasta for Oxford Neighborhood Services. Donations can be placed on the table in the lobby. Collection runs from Sunday through 3/26!
Our journey through Mark finds us in Mark 6 this week. The disciples have been experiencing great success in ministry and have just witnessed the Feeding of the 5,000. Things are going well, but it is at that moment that Jesus decides that they need to learn some tough lessons about what it means to be one of His followers.
See you on Sunday!
Scott