‘I love Jesus, but not the church’.

This is the sentiment, I suppose, of those who call themselves ‘Christians’ while having little or no commitment to a local congregation.

But to love and serve Christ is to be in union with him.  And that union is corporate.  Consider the following biblical metaphors:

• We are the body; he is the head – it is a living union
• We are the bride; he is the groom – it is a loving union
• We are the building; he is the foundation – it is a lasting union

So far as membership of a local church is concerned, Thom S. Rainer offers the following propositions:

1. ‘Church membership is a formal declaration of your commitment to a local body of believers.’ Membership announces that you are not merely an attendee, but are committed to the exercise of your God-given gifts within the local congregation.

2. ‘Church membership identifies you as a person who is under the care and pastoral ministry of the church.’ Church leaders cannot care for everyone; their primary and direct responsibility is to their church members.  Membership places us under that care and ministry.  See Acts 20:28

3. ‘Church membership is a commitment to come under the authority of the leadership of the church.’  Whereas it is possible for church discipline to become over-zealous and toxic, it is at least as possible for it to be weak and ineffectual.  This is often because we see ourselves as ‘volunteers’, who can simply walk away the moment a church leader attempts to correct or guide us.  Godly, loving, scriptural disciple, on the other hand, grows out of a clear and robust concept of membership.

4. ‘Church membership is an affirmation of the church’s beliefs and doctrine.’  A local church should have a clear idea of what it believes; and this should be rooted in the historic creeds and doctrinal statements of the church universal.  Church membership should involve a joyful and whole-hearted affirmation of these statements of belief.

5. ‘Church membership is a commitment to serve.’ If, as 1 Corinthians 12 teaches, the church is to be thought of as a body, then each part of that body needs to be functioning; it needs to be serving the purposes of the whole.  Part of the process of recognising new members of a local church is to explore opportunities for service with them, seeking to match up their God-given gifts with those needs.