Church Membership
Good morning, brethren, I like to share on a topic that often makes people uneasy: “Church Membership.” My goal is to shed light on what the Bible teaches about Church membership and how it compares with modern Church practice. First, we must understand that the Church is not a building, but the Body of Christ (Ephesians 1:22–23). Therefore, becoming a Church member begins with salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. As John 1:12 declares: “But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.” The early church reflected this truth—those who believed in Christ were baptised and added to the church (Acts 2:41). Secondly, true membership involves publicly identifying with Christ and His Body. In the New Testament, faith was always followed by baptism, which marked entry into fellowship with the church.
Acts 2:41–42 shows that new believers were devoted to teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer. Membership was never just a private belief—it was visible and lived out in community. For example, the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8:36–38 believed, was baptised, and became part of the faith Community. Thirdly, believers were committed to gathering together for worship, prayer, teaching, and mutual encouragement. Hebrews 10:24–25 reminds us not to neglect meeting together but to stir one another to love and good works. Acts 2:44–47 describes how the early Church shared, broke bread, and praised God together. Membership meant fellowship, accountability, and shared life. In addition, being a Church member also means being under spiritual care and discipline. Paul instructed the Church to discipline unrepentant sinners (1 Corinthians 5:11–13), which shows that membership had boundaries. He also described the Church as one body with many members (1 Corinthians 12:12–27), each with a role and responsibility. Furthermore, membership in the early Church was active, not passive. Members served one another with their spiritual gifts to build up the Body of Christ (1 Peter 4:10). In Acts 6:1–6, the Church chose deacons to serve, showing that members actively participated in ministry. Now, how does this compare to modern church membership? In the biblical Church, membership came through faith in Christ, baptism, and joining the fellowship. In the modern Church, there is often an added step—formal recognition by a local congregation, which may include attending a membership class or signing a membership covenant. In the biblical Church, members devoted themselves to teaching, prayer, fellowship, and the Lord’s Supper (Acts 2:42). They also practiced accountability and discipline (1 Corinthians 5; Galatians 6:1–2). In the modern Church, membership often emphasises attendance, tithing, volunteering, and service.
In conclusion, I want to encourage us to ensure that our understanding of Church membership aligns with the biblical model—people who are saved, baptised, committed, and actively serving as part of the Body of Christ. Service begins at 10:30am, with the workers’ meeting at 10:00am. God’s blessings . — Mike