Comments on: Church Membership

By: Christian Free Credit Counseling

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By: Tim

Tim — Sat, 14 Oct 2006 18:08:39 +0000

A guy named Shane made a good comment on my blog that I think summarizes the problem well:

“If we can find a way to make it a commitment to each other instead of a commitment to the institution I think you will find church memebership will become more than just a church letter.”

(P.S. Dunno why the trackback to this entry didn’t work, Paul. Sorry about that. *shrugs*)

By: PaulF

PaulF — Sat, 14 Oct 2006 14:56:15 +0000

I can live with that.

By: Paul

Paul — Sat, 14 Oct 2006 11:31:41 +0000

PaulF

As always, great thoughts. It is always better when people love each other well. However, in marriage, there is always a deep sense of what is expected and a call to commitment. Many pastors won’t even marry a couple if they don’t have premarital counseling to prepare them for the commitment of marriage. If in marriage those commitments aren’t met, then there are ways to reconcile the relationship and steps to take to continue the relationship.

I would like to see the same seriousness applied to the sense of belonging and commitment to the bride of Christ.

By: PaulF

PaulF — Sat, 14 Oct 2006 03:54:03 +0000

As to the last sentence, I don’t think it’s a matter of holding people accountable. It’s a matter of them loving the body of Christ so much that they’ll sacrifice willingly.
If someone doesn’t want to give or serve, then they shouldn’t. It would be ridiculous for them to do so grudgingly. God doesn’t need it.
Maybe I’m reading your last sentence wrong.
The thing about it is that when I became a member it was a mechanical process, just like getting married was. But in both cases, when the process was finished, there was a feeling of “rightness” – of belonging. 1+1=1

By: Paul

Paul — Sat, 14 Oct 2006 02:44:54 +0000

Tim,

I think that this is one of our generations challnges to answer. I am glad to know there are others thinking about it.

Hash,

I thought you would resonate with this. I’ll post one on communion later.

Don, thanks for cemmenting and the affirmation.

Milton,

Off-topic is welcome here and I am no longer burned out, thanks to God and my friends.

By: Milton Stanley

Milton Stanley — Sat, 14 Oct 2006 00:54:34 +0000

Off-topic, but thought I’d tell you I like your new author description. The old one really bothered me. Peace.

By: Don

Don — Fri, 13 Oct 2006 17:59:07 +0000

As a 26 year pastor, I think you are hitting some key concerns about the spiritual issues of memebership. Is it an American organizational system? if so, dump it, unless you want to keep property and maintain a non-profit status and get loans from banks. The spiritual side is dicey. Jesus says where 2 or 3 are gathered, there I am in the midst. So membership is not required for Jesus’ presence, but it does affirm the reality of my commitment to this one, unique, warty community of believers in a similar way my marriage vow commits me to one person. I think membership validates incarnation (a real, in-time, in-place community) versus the idealistic mystic community. I really think it’s far more about ministry to others than it is about benefit to belonging (like a health club).

By: hash

hash — Fri, 13 Oct 2006 17:47:01 +0000

Wow, great summary of what I always get in arguments/debates over. Really, if I’m already doing all kinds of things for the church, what does it matter whether you call me a “member” or not?

If churches allow/expect non-members to have responsibilities for things within the church, is the only difference between members and non-members that the members get the benefits with the responsibilities and the non-members only get the responsibilities?

So, let me get this right. Jack is a member, but he does nothing for the church nor does he support it with his tithes (those go to missionaries he supports). Alan, on the other hand, is not a member, but does tithe some and works every other weekend in Sunday school. Which is a more valuable addition to the church body?

Let’s move on to communion. Correct me if I’m wrong, but communion is about the personal relationship between God and you. What does church “membership” have to do with it? Show me where this “fencing the table” idea comes from in the Bible. One reference will do.

More thoughts later…

By: Tim

Tim — Fri, 13 Oct 2006 15:04:20 +0000

Dude, I was talking with someone last week about this very thing. Ever since I was little I never understood the whole membership thing. When I ask about it, the only response I’ve ever received is, “People who are members are allowed to vote and it helps keep people committed.” Hmmm… Those both seem like pretty lame reasons to me. First, what if I don’t really care if I can place my annual vote on the church budget? Second, if membership is the best thing you have going in your church to maintain commitment, then I suggest you have far greater issues to address.

I dunno. Maybe I’m a heritic, but church membership seems kinda silly to me (and it’s not necessarily biblical either).