Nuts and Bolts of the Church – Membership

“Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you” – Hebrews 13:17.

So last week we began this series, noting that the Church is the Body of Christ, who is the Head. The Church is the Bride of Christ, who is the Groom. It’s important for the Church to function smoothly with its many members – as important as it is for the organs in your body to work together to keep you healthy.

But it’s one thing to read 1 Corinthians 12 and talk about being members of one body. It’s quite another thing to have a system of church membership, where leaders keep track of who is a member and who isn’t, whether they are here or not. Why do we do this? Because of verses like Acts 20:28 and Hebrews 13:17, at the top of this page.

Hebrews is written to a congregation, and the writer assumes some things.
1. They have leaders who have authority over the rest.
2. Those leaders will give an account for the flock they lead, so they have to watch over the congregation.

Now, if an accountant has to account for the money in his company, he keeps pretty close records. How much more will church leaders keep before them the flock they have to answer for on the last day?

We have membership rolls because we don’t want to rely on our faulty memories or wind up giving preferential treatment toward those in the congregation we know and remember best. We have to care for everybody who comes to us.

A few months ago, a book came out with the title, Stop Dating the Church. The point was to stop church-shopping, to “get married” to one church congregation and get involved there. Becoming a church member is “getting married.” Until a couple goes through with a wedding ceremony, there is not an actual commitment expressed. She can break up with him up to the moment she makes a vow before God to be with him. Once she makes the vow, though, she has taken on some responsibilities (and some joys!) unique to marriage.

So it is with the Church. There are adherents who “date” (attend) the church but never admit the responsibilities of the relationship. (We have about 10). There are baptized members (we have 60) who haven’t ratified their baptism with a public profession of faith (Rom 10:9). Either they are too young yet, or they never chose to commit to the relationship. There are professing members who have taken such a step (also called Communicant members, because in our congregation it is they who are admitted to the Lord’s Table for Communion). We have 128.

This is how elders look at things at their meetings, discussing pastoral issues of baptized and professing members, because that is the flock they are accountable for.