What is a Church Member?
Yesterday’s post was on, “What is a church?” Today’s focuses on those who make up the church – the member. So, what is a church member?
To answer that we have to start with the word “member” and its connection to “membership.” There are various ways of thinking about church membership. Some churches are highly formal and regulated about membership, while others have no membership whatsoever.
The Bible has zero verses on formal church membership, but it seems to assume some form of it. Otherwise, how would elders know who makes up their flock? And who would believers know which other believers to love? And why else would so many letters reference the church of God in Corinth or Ephesus or the church that meets in so and so’s house?
These evidences point to some type of membership. But because the Bible has very little formal instruction, we shouldn’t be rigid about membership. There should be some formalities, but beyond that, we should think of it more openly, because the Bible leaves it open-ended.
So, is being a church member open-ended? Not quite. A church member, whether formally a member or not, is not free to do whatever he or she thinks is being a good church member. We’re never free to do whatever we think is best in any situation.
God’s word, instead, provides a vision of a good church member. It’s this – a believer who seeks to faithfully live out God’s commands related to how we think about, talk to, and treat other believers in the church.
This simply means that a faithful church member is seeking by God’s grace to follow God’s principles and commands on the church. And that means at least the following:
They build up others in the church by using their spiritual gifts, which they discern by opening up themselves to serve in whatever opportunities are available.
They see other members as brothers and sisters, even if they don’t know them too well.
They seek to love other members – which includes hospitality, kindness, forbearance, forgiveness, and generosity.
They submit to the elders in their hearts, not just on the outside.
They give to the church, pray for the church, and generally support the church in its endeavors. [I say “generally” because a member may not agree with everything a church does. But you don’t have to agree with everything in order to be supportive. The same holds true for a wife who might not agree with her husband’s decision. A disagreement doesn’t end love or a relationship. And a church shouldn’t make people feel like they have to be mindless clones.]
So, the exercise of church membership is really the exercise of biblical principles on what it means to be a faithful child of God. Let’s not complicate what God has made simple.
So, are you a church member? A healthy one? How do we know? Well, do we try to live up to the above bullet-points? That’s a good, practical way of knowing. Here are few others:
Do I embrace the doctrine of the church from the pulpit, in equipping classes, small groups, and other teaching venues? Am I opening up my heart to grow in my understanding of God and His Word as its being taught in my church?
Do I serve the church outside of formal ministries? Do I shed God’s love abroad by praying for, caring for, and reaching out to other believers in the church?
These are good questions to ask ourselves from time to time. But how can I live out these bullet-points? Here’s how –
You can only live out, consistently and with joy, any of these points by walking closely with Christ.
Christ is purchased the church with His blood, gifted it with spiritual gifts, sent His Spirit to indwell it, causes it to grow, and oversees every aspect of it. So, if you try to do church membership apart from drawing nutrients from the Vine, you’ll shrivel up as a branch with little fruit.
So, we need to stay plugged into Christ by faith in Him and His word to us. We need to commune with Him as we remember His word, meditate on it, and tease out its implications for our lives.
And when your heart is warmed by the blazing fire of Christ’s person and work, your heart will be molded into His. And then you won’t be able to help but live out a healthier church membership under our glorious and gracious Head, Jesus Christ.