Church Membership in a Post-Modern, Consumer, Society
D.W. Legg 23rd February, 2009.
How should membership of Christ's universal body be
expressed locally?
Every Christian is a member of the
universal church Eph.3:6. The question is how should this be
expressed locally? It is evident from the NT that there is
also the concept of a local church, e.g. Rom. 16:5, 1 Cor. 16:9,
Phm. 2. Does the local church involve any more than just
meeting together? The answer is "yes", and that the
NT supports the idea of joining a local church, e.g. Acts 9:26 When
he [Paul/Saul] came to Jerusalem, he tried to join
the disciples, but they were all afraid of him,
not believing that he really was a disciple.
In
Acts 9:26, not only does Paul try to join the local church, but the
reason they turn him down (at first) is because they wonder if he is
a true disciple. This verses shows us that membership of the
universal church should be expressed by joining a local
church in some way.
Paul was not content simply to say to
himself, "I am a member of the universal church." He
wanted to join a local church so that he could make himself
available to serve real people, in a real place. He wanted
real fellowship in a local church with all the benefits and
demands. He was, after all, not just a consumer, but a
disciple.
The universal church is a valid and
important notion, but tangible discipleship and fellowship only take
place in a local church. It is impossible to serve the
universal church, worship with it, be an elder or deacon in it,
administer the sacraments in it or be disciplined by it. To
say, "I am a member of the universal church" has almost no
practical meaning. It is only when we "think globally,
but act locally" (as environmental activists might say) that we
begin to impact the local community for Christ. Paul wanted
to:
a) make himself available to serve the local church,
b)
enjoy the benefits of belonging to the local church,
c) subject
himself to the authority of the local church.
Without people
joining in these ways the local church cannot function biblically in
service, blessing or discipline.
2. How should church
membership be expressed culturally?
Given that the concept of
joining a local church is taught in Scripture and exemplified by the
Apostle Paul, we must decide what that looks like in the 21st
Century. Paul trying to join a local church in Acts 9 did not
necessarily involve being added to a formal list of members.
Having lists of members is a very Anglo-Saxon, western, thing, i.e.
it is a cultural thing. The question for us today is
therefore, "How do we take Acts 9:26 and apply it in a 21st
Century, western, church?"
Culturally, if we want to
enjoy the benefits of even an unimportant, non-spiritual,
organisation like a golf club, we have to gain approval from the
existing members, have our name added to the list of members, join
in the normal life of the organisation, and keep its rules. It
would be odd if church membership were less formal.
It is
therefore very natural and culturally appropriate for 21st Century
churches to have formal membership lists. In this way, the
biblical model is contextualised in a way that is inoffensive to
modern people. At the same time, a membership list makes
membership sufficiently formal for it to be taken seriously by
everyone.
3. What does unwillingness to join a local
church show?
What would prevent some-one from throwing his
lot in with God's people locally nowadays?
a) Not being a
true disciple?
b) A lack of commitment to Christ?
When
Ruth wanted the Lord to be her God, she understood that this also
meant making God's people her people: Ruth 1:16 "Your people
will be my people and your God my God". It was the
basic piece of evidence in the book of Ruth that showed that she was
now trusting the Lord for herself. She was throwing her lot in
with God's people.
c) An unbiblical view of church
membership?
See 1 and 2 above.
d) Fear of
commitment?
It has been said that post-modern people are
afraid of commitment. However, commitment is both basic to the
biblical notion of discipleship and normal in all walks of life,
e.g. joining a club. If you want to enjoy the club, you have
to commit yourself to joining the club for a year, paying the fees,
attending the AGM etc. The local church is much more than just
a club; discipleship is much more than just joining a club.
e)
A bad experience of church membership in the past?
Openness
and honesty will uncover such baggage, and show it to be mere
excuses.
f) Secret sins, a feeling of hypocrisy, fear of
being exposed, sense of inadequacy?
The answer to these is
surely a deeper understanding and felt experience of the
Gospel.
Generally:
Ruth had to decide whether she
was going to go back to Moab and Chemosh with her sister-in-law.
She showed that her faith was real by committing herself
instead to God's people. An unwillingness to become a church
member demonstrates a problem which is likely to be primarily of a
spiritual nature. Elders need to challenge hangers-on to be a
little introspective, to be biblical about their view of the local
church, and to repent of whatever might keep them from joining.
There may also be areas of church life or polity that present
potential members with obstacles to joining. In these cases, the
elders may need to review church practice.