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 Church Membership... is it Biblical?

In most churches today there is a thing called "Church Membership". Sometimes there is more involved with becoming a member of a church than there is to being born again.

Do you think that modern day "church membership" is Biblical?

Keep in mind, I am all for being committed to a fellowship, thats not what I am talking about.

Also... one of the "benefits" of church membership means you get to vote on church matters.

Is voting on church matters Biblical? Do you think it's a good idea, or a bad one... and why?

Krispy

 2008/2/1 9:28
jimp
Member



Joined: 2005/6/18
Posts: 1481


 Re: Church Membership... is it Biblical?

hi,i offer a testimony of a church i have been with, on and off for 37 yrs.after many years of pastoring southern baptist churces, roy receieved the baptism in yhe Holy Spirit and left under pressure a large sb church. he was led of the Lord many months later to buy a home with some acreage. after moving in he held a service with his family of 5,a man knocked on the door and asked if this was where the new church was going to be. as a sb pastor he was always caught up in numbers,God told him to get out of the book of numbers and into the book of acts. for many years we had no members,no deacons,no paid staff,no paid musicians etc. he would say "you can't join this church: the only Thing you can join is Jesus" i have seen thousands saved and filled with the holy spirit and millions given to missionaries.many missionaries sent out from here, many miracles of every kind. all votes of the church were unanamous...all in favor say amen...this church is not perfect(allows me to attend}by any means but it is sweet and bears much fruit even with close to 20,000 attendees noone has heard of us.jimp

 2008/2/1 13:08Profile
PaulWest
Member



Joined: 2006/6/28
Posts: 3405
Dallas, Texas

 Re:

Quote:
Do you think that modern day "church membership" is Biblical?



Well, scripturally, I believe the genuine born-again experience automatically ushers a person as a royal priest into the Church of the Living God, and this is all done through the Spirit. The corporeal aspect of this, of course, is the actual [i]physical fellowship of believers[/i], which we attend in the flesh, and what most of us here get out of bed to do on Sunday mornings.

These two "churches", however, do not always complement each other. What I mean to say is you can one without the other. There are multitudes not born into God's spiritual church in Christ, yet these same are loyal, exemplary church members corporeally. Normally, these are the ones who would make the corporeal church a law unto itself, and would even make it a "sin" to miss a Sunday. This is usually because an overriding true membership in the spiritual is lacking. I've had actually brethren accuse me of "backsliding" because I missed a Sunday, and I'm sure others here can attest to the same. When this happens, it is normally a sign of coporeal exaltation over the spiritual. These same people will not normally question your quiet time, they will not ask if you've been neglecting personal fellowship in the spiritual with the Lord; they will only see an absence from the corporeal body and automatically deduce the obvious: a backslidden condition.

I think church attendance corporeally is scriptural and something we should all practice. And why wouldn't we? This horrid world is a terrible place, and we being strangers in a strange land ought to seek every opportunity to congregate and edify each other. But I don't think we should make this weekly congregating a law unto itself, and like tithing the obligatory 10% in fear of robbing God, I don't think we should make such a thing compulsory - and we certainly shouldn't lay guilt trips on those who abberate from what we would inaugurate as laws through grace. I say let us hear from God and obey the Holy Spirit according to the will of the Father as revealed in Scripture.

Brother Paul





_________________
Paul Frederick West

 2008/2/1 13:38Profile









 Re:

Paul, I agree with every word you said. It is very scriptural to gather with a fellowship, and more often as the end draws near.

My question has to do with church "membership". You know, sign the card, agree to the church by-laws and doctrine... enjoy the perks of membership such as being allowed to teach, or voting on church business... etc. Many churches put a huge emphasis on membership, and as you pointed out, they end up with more unsaved members than saved members many times.

And then there is the question of voting. Should churches vote on issues facing the church?

Should the church be a democracy?

Krispy

 2008/2/1 15:03









 Re: Church Membership... is it Biblical?

Quote:

KrispyKrittr wrote:
In most churches today there is a thing called "Church Membership". Sometimes there is more involved with becoming a member of a church than there is to being born again.

Do you think that modern day "church membership" is Biblical?

No

Quote:
Keep in mind, I am all for being committed to a fellowship, thats not what I am talking about.

I understand, and I'm sure most here will.

Quote:
Also... one of the "benefits" of church membership means you get to vote on church matters.

Is voting on church matters Biblical? Do you think it's a good idea, or a bad one... and why?

Probably not. The only two examples I can think of offhand, of decisions made in a church meeting are Acts 13:1-4, Paul and Silas' missionary commissioning and Acts 15:5-30, the Council of Jerusalem.

[my emphasis]

Acts 13:
[color=990000]1 ¶ Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, [i][b]the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them[/b][/i].
3 And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
4 ¶ So they, [b][i]being sent forth by the Holy Ghost,[/b][/i]. departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus... [/color]

Acts 15 (parts of the passage)
[color=990000]4 And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them.
5 But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.
6 ¶ And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.
7 And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.
8 And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us...

...12 Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by them.
13 And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me:...

...19 Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:
20 But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.
21 For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.
22 ¶ Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren:
23 And they wrote letters by them after this manner...

...28 For [b][i]it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us[/i][/b], to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things...[/color]

It seemed that the Holy Spirit was very much Lord of their discussions - they didn't need a vote! Even when there was dispute and long discussion they eventually ("the whole church", not only the leaders!) came around to His way of thinking!

Interesting!

in Him

Jeannette

 2008/2/1 15:47









 Re:

Quote:

jimp wrote:
hi,i offer a testimony of a church i have been with, on and off for 37 yrs.after many years of pastoring southern baptist churces, roy receieved the baptism in yhe Holy Spirit and left under pressure a large sb church. he was led of the Lord many months later to buy a home with some acreage. after moving in he held a service with his family of 5,a man knocked on the door and asked if this was where the new church was going to be. as a sb pastor he was always caught up in numbers,God told him to get out of the book of numbers and into the book of acts. for many years we had no members,no deacons,no paid staff,no paid musicians etc. he would say "you can't join this church: the only Thing you can join is Jesus" i have seen thousands saved and filled with the holy spirit and millions given to missionaries.many missionaries sent out from here, many miracles of every kind. all votes of the church were unanamous...all in favor say amen...this church is not perfect(allows me to attend}by any means but it is sweet and bears much fruit even with close to 20,000 attendees noone has heard of us.jimp

Wow! In the UK a church of a few hundred is considered large!

I love these quotes: 'God told him to get out of the book of numbers and into the book of acts.'

and 'he would say "you can't join this church: the only Thing you can join is Jesus"'

AMEN and AMEN!!! :-D

Jeannette

 2008/2/1 15:52
Lor_E
Member



Joined: 2006/12/23
Posts: 248
Montana USA

 Re:

Quote:

My question has to do with church "membership". You know, sign the card, agree to the church by-laws and doctrine... enjoy the perks of membership such as being allowed to teach, or voting on church business... etc.

Should the church be a democracy?



I can not find anywhere in scriptures where the church, the Local Body or any other Body that should be a democracy... I believe the scriptures prove that the church should be a Theocracy with God by the Holy Spirit as the head..and those in positions of leadership as under shepherds, servants to all not just those in their "congregations". (The book of Acts, 2 Peter 5:2-4, I Corinthians 1:12,13& 3:1-8))

My personal experience has been that the divisiveness found inside churches is not based solely on scriptures, rather on the democratic perspective that the group rules under the direction of the corporation. In other words, if our corporation is in competition with your corporation I can ignore your needs and you can ignore mine. (Yet, they only ignore up to the point that someone crosses their doctrinal comprehension and many are ready to BLAST the other out of the water)..but the rule of our corporation is that God is rather a silent partner and His "by-laws" are subject to the interpertation of the law school I went to.

I don't believe that it is sinful to be a "member" of a church, and it can be quite helpful to some.. but what a sad commentary on the spiritual state of being within the churchworld when being a "member" is more influential than being a son or daughter of God led by the Holy Spirit.

As far as voting for church business... why not? If your running it as a business you might as well let the "members" have a say in whether your parking lot is paved.....

I would like to say, that there are some very precious people in congregations around the country, that I have met, and I do not hold ANY THING against their choice to partake in modern churchianity. It can be a stumbling block to some, yet on the other hand, it seems almost everything these days can become a stumbling block.

"I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy....with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love. endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit....There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling: One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all." Eph 4:1-6


_________________
Lori Salyer

 2008/2/1 16:26Profile
LoveHim
Member



Joined: 2007/6/14
Posts: 562
Indiana, US

 Re: Church Membership... is it Biblical?

Quote:
Do you think that modern day "church membership" is Biblical?

no, the only membership is by a real and living union with Jesus.

that begs the question: is the reason why we have non-biblical "church membership" because we fail to understand what the church (ekklasia) really is?

maybe that is for another thread, but it ties in to this one as well. i'll let you decide krispy.

have a good day.
phil

 2008/2/1 17:08Profile
hmmhmm
Member



Joined: 2006/1/31
Posts: 4994
Sweden

 Re: Church Membership... is it Biblical?

This article shows the "new testament pattern for the church" its quite challenging and provoking


[url=https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=22023&forum=34&2] challenging reading [/url]


_________________
CHRISTIAN

 2008/2/1 17:15Profile
ginnyrose
Member



Joined: 2004/7/7
Posts: 7534
Mississippi

 Re:

About church membership: If there were no membership, you would have wolves come in and destroy a brotherhood and once they have accomplished it, will run off. Actually, methinks this question is rooted in an independent spirit that does not want to submit to others which is anathema to brotherhood. (EDIT: The moderators prefer a scripture to substantiate a position: here is one: consider 1 Corinthians 5.)

Quote:
Many churches put a huge emphasis on membership, and as you pointed out, they end up with more unsaved members than saved members many times.



Do you not think the reason this happens is when a church is more concerned with numbers then the quality of spiritual life n a person? Too many people are more interested in joining a social club for the personal benefits then they are in joining a group that works to build each other up and act "as iron sharps iron". When this sharpening occurs they run off to another social club (called 'church') where they will be celebrated for any reason - you fill in the blanks.

Quote:
And then there is the question of voting. Should churches vote on issues facing the church?



What kind of issues are you referring to? If it has to do with issues pertaining to "thus saith the LORD" these should never be put to a vote. You either obey God and his Word or you don't. Simple. It is not up for modification.

Quote:
Should the church be a democracy?



I will vote with the other poster who says it should be a theocracy. Hebrews 13: 17 is still in my Bible, like it or not...

In our brotherhood, members vote for trustees, SS superintendent, church hostess, librarian, ushers, etc. We do not vote on which scriptures are applicable for today, which can be ignored or which ones are no longer relevant. This method is Biblical as far as I can discern from the scripture. And it works with us frail humans.

ginnyrose


_________________
Sandra Miller

 2008/2/3 17:26Profile





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