PART 1: BELONGING TO NEW HOPE MĀNOA
“So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God’s holy people. You are members of God’s family. Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. Through him, you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit.”
Ephesians 2:19-22 NLT
Over the 36 years I’ve been a full-time, paid by the church pastor, I’ve periodically wrestled with the idea of “church membership.”
I’ve only been on staff at two large churches for the past 36 years, but I have talked to probably hundreds of pastors over the 36 years about “membership.” My position and philosophy have changed, realizing that various churches, denominations, and pastors/spiritual leadership have differing views and reasons for their membership classes.
Does the Bible speak about church membership? Do churches need to have formal membership or not? Is church membership biblical (or required)? I love Paul’s definition of membership to the Christ followers in Ephesus. Reread the passage above (Ephesians 2:19-22). What do you make of what Paul is saying? How would you apply this passage to today’s church or our church?
“If we belong to Christ, we belong to each other.”
– Billy Graham
I don’t think it’s a matter of “right or wrong” for churches to have formal membership (courses/classes). But I do strongly believe us pastors, spiritual leaders, need to check our hearts’ motive for why we want to have membership.
In conversations and meetings I’ve been a part of, I have sensed possessiveness, ownership, and greed. As if when people “sign” the membership card, they belong to the pastor and church. Giving tithes/offerings and serving can become the greedy goal of the church’s leadership. More committed members may likely mean more tithes/offerings. It’s sad to say that behind closed doors, conversations like this happen around the church leadership table. We pastors don’t like to say or admit this, but many of us have seen the damaging results of church leadership who make it a priority to count “nickels and noses.”
I think we can apply Paul’s heart-check guidance to young pastor Timothy:
“The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Some have wandered away from these and turned to meaningless talk.”
1 Timothy 1:5-6
LORD!! HELP ME to love You and Your people, teaching them with a pure heart, good conscience and sincere faith. Please, please Holy Spirit, help me not to wander from the Father’s heart to encouraging and equipping Your church! We, Your church, are members of Your holy family!
