In a much of church culture, there is an emphasis on membership, as a way to get believers to commit to the local church. Yet membership and commitment are not synonymous, and looking at the distinction can help us understand the importance behind these ideas.Almost all local churches have a membership process, often entailing a class one takes, and then signing a covenant about member responsibilities. Usually (one hopes!) there is an interview with church leaders to ensure the prospective member understands the gospel and is trusting Jesus for salvation. There’s certainly nothing wrong with pastoral care, and with asking people about their relationship to Jesus—would that there were more of it.
But much of what we do in this area is as an accommodation to and acknowledgement of the low state of ecclesiology among believers. That is, the New Testament presents no process of membership in a local church. It gives us no guidance on what such a procedure would look like, what it should include. Being joined to Christ is another matter. The preaching of the gospel, and the apostolic urging to trust in Jesus are very definitely presented. Having trusted him, being baptized as a first step of discipleship is also front and center in the New Testament.
The New Testament everywhere assumes that one who trusts in Jesus will join himself or herself to a local church. A Christian who is disconnected from a local church is a New Testament anomaly, never considered. The reasons for this are several. The church is the body of Christ, and it is one of the means God uses for maturing us as believers. This is a major theme of Ephesians 4; building up the body of Christ, holding fast to the head, and embracing maturity. We do so in community.
The church shopping (or hopping) some do points out our impoverished ecclesiology. We think too little of the church as a primary means of maturing believers. We think too little of how the ordinances, baptism and the Lord’s Supper, are acts of the gathered church. We think of the polity of the church as malleable and negotiable. Are we too wedded to what “works” to grow? These practices sometimes originate in the corporate world and we may have imported them into the church. A robust ecclesiology understands the church as the body of Christ, the temple of God, God’s building, and that Christians are the living stones that make up this building. Those are but a few of the metaphors the New Testament uses to express this truth. They all convey that God is building something durable and eternal, not a franchise.
Many churches hope that a solid and structured membership arrangement will overcome the deficiency in our ecclesiology, by raising the bar, as it were, on participation in the life of the church. But one must admit that the NT gives us no membership procedure, apart from being joined to Christ. I’ve heard several reasons why a membership process is needed, such as one person suggested:
“Membership covenants clarify the ethical commitments of joining a church similar to the way doctrinal statements summarize the church’s beliefs. Both must only include that which Scripture teaches. A church may not require of members ethical commitments that go beyond Scripture. But it is absolutely necessary to have a membership covenant for members because it clarifies what a commitment to a local church means. Membership with a ‘The Bible is our only guide’ approach is super dangerous.”
But this says contradictory things. That is, that a church may not require what goes beyond Scripture, but also “‘The Bible is our only guide’ is super dangerous.” If we can’t require anything Scripture doesn’t, wouldn’t that mean that we look to the Scriptures alone for what we can require? There are no ethical commitments that come with membership in the local church that are not already part of the ethical commitments of being joined to Christ Himself. On the opposite side, consider a church that requires members commit to abstinence from alcohol. I have known of a church that did this, but one can demonstrate it goes beyond what Scripture includes.
I have been a member of a church that had no formal membership structure. One wasn’t required to sign any covenant, but if you missed a Sunday morning, you would get a call from an elder saying “Hey, we missed you this morning.” In other words, formal membership such as some insist on wasn’t necessary for the functioning of the life of the church, nor for the elders to meaningfully shepherd. For example, perhaps “Jim” has attended every service for a year, gives his money regularly, teaches Sunday school. Suppose he does this for 3 years. Can one credibly say he is not committed? Moreover, it seems difficult to believe that elders are somehow ignorant of him and what he’s doing because he has not gone through formal membership.
In many churches where a formal membership process exists, it represents an enigma. That is, people who are not members are doing “member-like” things, and are commended for it. (“We really need Sunday school teachers this semester!”) I submit that in allowing this, elders are treating such people as de-facto members. If church leaders really insist that membership is that important, then to be consistent, they should tell such believers they aren’t able to serve in various ministries unless they join, and they should refuse their financial support unless they join. I haven’t encountered any churches that do this.
But to say that commitment must take the shape it traditionally has in various churches is to go beyond the New Testament instruction on this topic, and to limit the ministry the New Testament does entrust to elders. Can one have commitment to a local church without the sort of formal membership some practice? Yes. Can one have formal membership without the commitment most elders would desire? Also yes.
My point here is not to denigrate the importance of committing to a local church; quite the opposite. (And I have been a member of a church that had a formal process.) Rather, I would encourage elders to teach what a commitment to a local church means by teaching more on what the church is, and what her purpose and polity are. They can teach on the qualifications of elders, and on what participation in the life of a local body entails. Churches should do this apart from any membership arrangement. They should do it as part of teaching the congregation what ecclesiology is all about. If they did, then I suspect membership would not be much of an issue at all, because people would understand what this commitment looks like, and gladly submit themselves to being a faithful participant in church life. More understanding of ecclesiology means more commitment, and less having to insist it’s a good thing to be joined to a local body.
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QUOTE “For example, perhaps “Jim” has attended every service for a year, gives his money regularly, teaches Sunday school. Suppose he does this for 3 years. Can one credibly say he is not committed? Moreover, it seems difficult to believe that elders are somehow ignorant of him and what he’s doing because he has not gone through formal membership.”
Being a part (a member if you will) of a local body is more than your willingness to regularly give and attend. It is by necessity a covenantal relationship. For example, WHY is Jim teaching a sunday school class? Has he been interviewed to hear his testimony? His understanding of the gospel? Do the elder acknowledge his testimony? Does the whole church body acknowledge his testimony? Has he given assent to a doctrinal statement or is he free to teach whatever he wants? Has he agreed to be accountable to this church body? To submit to its leadership? To be disciplined (Mt 18) if he violates a standard of conduct unrepentantly? How to you accomplish any of these apart from a “formal” process? Merely “showing up” doesnt accomplish MOST of what the NT necessitates for church members any more that long term dating makes one married.
QUOTE “I haven’t encountered any churches that do this.”
My church is a fairly “run of the mill” GARBC church. Weekly we remind everyone that only members are expected to support the ministry financially. Also, if you are not a member you cannot serve in any ministry of the church.
QUOTE “Can one have commitment to a local church without the sort of formal membership some practice? Yes.”
No. It is impossible to carry our many new testiment commands and expectations apart from some kind of formal process of acknowledging members and the commitment required of members of the local body.
The scriptures necessitate some more than merely regular participation. For example…
• Heb 13:17 – What leaders do I submit to? Who will Pastor give an acct for?
• Acts 20:24-30 & 1Pet 5:1-5 – Elders care for specific people
• 1Cor 5:1-13 (esp 11-12) – How can you put someone “out” If they were never “in” ? Have I agreed to a doctrinal/ethical standard?
• 2Cor 2:6 – suggests a majority vote? Am I part of the decision making process? If so, am I in agreement with the churches stated doctrinal standards and mission?
• Acts 2:37-47 – numerical records, track growth
• Acts 5:12-13 – “joining” the church is serious. Do I acknowledge this at any point or just “show up”?
• Acts 6:1-6 – Elections take place? Am I in “good standing”? If I have been disciplined for unrepentant sin can I still elect church leaders?
• Rom 16:1-16 – Assumes awareness of members?
• 1Tim 5:3-16 – Widow care, organized, who can serve? who is cared for? who is giving for this?
• Serving in the church requires a credible testimony. Who hears and acknowledges this testimony? Does the church affirm me as a brother in Christ and agree to help hold me accountable?
• Discipline requires agreement of mutual accountability. How could I be disciplined regarding a doctrinal or ethical position that I never agreed to or even acknowledged.
These things that the NT necessitates as being part of a local body are what membership IS. Commitment yes, but also acknowledgment of their testimony, mutual accountability, doctrinal and missional agreement, mutual submission & service & giving, etc. etc.
Thanks for your comments, Eric. I think to say that the elders of a local church will be ignorant of who is under their care unless there is a formal membership process, complete with a covenant signing—or whatever else the elders deem necessary—does not reflect how things are. They will know who attends, who gives, who the widows are. These things are part of the life of a local church where committed believers have joined together. They do so around the person of Christ, and they should insist on no more than the New Testament requires. You note “It is impossible to carry our many new testament commands and expectations apart from some kind of formal process”
I understand you have not seen this in practice, but I have, and it is eminently possible.
In short – nothing that the NT stipulates as part of the life of a local church requires membership to be implemented in the way many churches in our day do. The New Testament provides no procedure, or process for this.
You keep using the word “formal” as if its the boogey man. At some point, the elders need to hear every potential members testimony. They need to acknowledge it as a credible profession of faith. The whole church body should affirm it as well. As soon as you say, “this needs to be done for everyone”, you, by definition, have a “formal” process for being part of the local body.
There must be some acknowledgement about agreement on the gospel and doctrine. As soon as you agree that this must be and that someone in the church needs to verify this agreement, your have a “formal” policy. If there are practices that a church feels must take place in order to be scripturally faithful, you HAVE a formal process. The church that doesnt do this is either (A) not being faithful, or, (B) they absolutely do do these things, they just eschew the label “formal” or “membership” and pretend they dont have formal membership which they totally have.
Many churches will let unbelievers be part of the church body, let anyone teach a Sunday school class, and fail to practice church discipline. They are simply unfaithful to scriptures commands.
Some churches fear being labeled as “traditional” or they dont like the flack that requiring a formal membership process can produce, so the pretend they dont have one. “No creed but the Bible” etc. BUT, they totally only let people that agree with the semi-secret doctrinal statement serve and struggle to implement church discipline consistently and fairly. This is a great disservice to the church body because they TOTALLY DO have some formal “policies” but not everyone knows what they and people end up getting treated unfairly.
Again, I understand if you have not seen what I refer to function, it may be difficult to see how it works, but it can and does. There’s nothing secret, or semi-secret about it. If elders are in fact doing the work of protecting the flock, are they not free to implement that protection as they read the NT to teach?
My reference to a “formal” procedure highlights the fact that in churches that have defined membership in this way, that process can create a caste system.
You have the members who have certain privileges, and non-members, who do not. But importantly, the elders recognize both as being in the body of Christ, as joined to him by faith. For the latter group, because they are not members, they prevent them from full participation in the life of the church. Membership enforced in this way actually leads to disunity. If they are consistent, I think it is incumbent on the elders to act. They should urge these believers to join the church, and if for some reason they refuse, they should tell them they must find a church they can join. They should ask them to leave rather than perpetuate the caste system. Failure to do that leads to a kind of schism in the local church.