Church Membership Part 3

How does this work practically?
There are a variety of practical implications that flow from how we understand membership.

Pastoral Care
Unless someone activates a conversation with the pastor or another member of the leadership team about church membership it is likely that they will assume that the person is still undecided about whether they will be making the church their spiritual home. As such pastoral care of someone who is missing for a number of weeks becomes awkward. If we take seriously the covenant understanding that there is an invitation on behalf of the individual of the church into their life then it is a straightforward matter to challenge and encourage a person pursuing that covenant relationship. When no such invitation exists then it becomes more difficult. Please know two things, not being in church membership does not lessen our concern and interest in you (it just makes our relationship more difficult to define) and also we would sooner that someone fully thought through church membership following God’s leading rather than jumping into it because of someone applying external pressure. The leadership will, for the most part, await the individual taking the initiative in this.

Ministry and service
There are certain areas of ministry in the church that we consider to be reserved for church members. Leadership, preaching, praise leading, prayer team membership will only be conducted by church members. On a slight side note, the local church is the primary place of Christian service; the place envisaged for the outworking of the grace gifts (spiritual gifts and natural abilities) that God gives to all believers. It is the privilege and responsibility of the leadership to prayerfully discern the place and practice of these gifts within the church and with godly wisdom to deploy the church membership into areas of ministry and service.

Membership Responsibilities
Our constitution indicates that attention is required by members in the following areas:
Members joining the church shall come under the obligation to attend worship regularly, to contribute systematically as the Lord has prospered them towards the support of God’s work, to engage in some form of Christian service in connection with the church, and to maintain the spirit of Christian love and unity.

Attendance
Hebrews 10:23-25
Again, our constitution indicates that:

'Should any member fail to attend communion for a period of three months without giving satisfactory reason for absence when visited, the matter shall be brought before the Church Business Meeting, when, if the church so decides, the name of the absentee will be removed from the roll of membership.'

Attendance is vital in for a number of reasons. First, the Bible has in view the people of God gathering regularly to worship together- our attendance at church is indicative of how much we prize such times. Second, it provides a thermometer of your relationship with God, He prizes the church and expects you to be part of it; do you prize what He prizes? Third, it supports and sustains your Christian walk; it is unhealthy for a Christian to frequently be absent from Christian fellowship in a local church. Fourth, the witness and welcome of the church suffer because visitors might variably think the place is empty and dying. Fifth, you miss the opportunity to bless and be blessed. Sixth, it makes it difficult to plan services and promote activities when those involved are unclear as to who will be there.

Giving
We are called to give to the work of the church from the material gifts we are given from God’s grace to us. This involves giving
· Sacrificially (this is reflective of our worship of God. King David said that He would not offer to God something that had cost him nothing, we should take a similar approach).
· Regularly (this helps the financial planning of the church)
· Cheerfully (It is an act of praise and worship responding to God’s goodness- not some form of spiritual taxation).

Service
There are many areas to serve in the local church. Not all are glamorous, but all can be done to the glory of God. Cleaning, making soup, clearing tables, making tea and coffee for people arriving, participating in the praise band, youth work…. The list is long and varied.

Find an area to serve in because as people get involved in service in one area we see opportunities for developing and growing the ministry of the church in another area. As an increasing number of people involve themselves in a variety of ways the leadership can see ways of expanding ministry in keeping with an expanding group of people committed in membership and action to the goals of the church.