Dever and Azurdia in Church Membership

Today is Pastor's Day at Resolve. As we continue thinking about church membership this week we feature an article from Mark Dever entitled 'An Introduction to the Church.' We think it contains some helpful reminders.

'In today’s world, the concept of membership makes one think of clubs and other voluntary associations. Such organizations exist in the world of the Bible, too.20 But the idea of membership is even more basic to humankind. Households and families have members. Races and tribes and clans have members. So, also, do communities and parties and elite groups like orders, guilds, and councils. An even more basic meaning of member refers to the human person. Our bodies have members.21 The Bible uses the concept of “member” and “membership” in all these varieties.

The Bible also represents churches as composed of members. From the earliest of times, local Christian churches were congregations of specific, identifiable people. The idea of a clearly defined community of people is central to God’s action in both the Old and the New Testaments. The lives of Christians together display visibly the gospel they proclaim audibly.
If the church, in fact, presents a glorious climax in God’s plan, several questions arise: How does an individual know he or she belongs to the church? How can one become a part of it? What is entailed by membership? The responsibilities and duties of members of a Christian church are simply the responsibilities and duties of Christians.22 But Christians also have particular duties in relation to the congregation. “Christianity is a corporate matter, and the Christian life can be fully realized only in relationship to others.”23 The most fundamental duty Christians have in relation to the congregation is the duty to regularly attend gatherings of the congregation.24 In general, membership duties can be divided into duties toward other members and duties toward pastors.

The duties and responsibilities church members have toward one another summarize the life of the new society that is the church. As followers of Jesus Christ, Christians are obliged to love one another.25 Christians are members of one family, even of one another.26 Church-members are also obliged to seek peace and unity within their congregation.27 Love is expressed and unity is cultivated when church-members actively sympathize with one another. Church-members also have particular responsibilities toward the leaders of the church.28 Church-members should remember their leaders and imitate their life and faith.29'

Also worth checking out these audio messages from Arturo Azurdia on 'the responsibilities of church members.'