Sunday School | Foundations - A Biblical Case for Church Membership

Well, guys, can you believe it? This is the last foundations Sunday school. Which is good news—next week, Tim's normal Sunday school class will resume. Anybody remember where he is in his systematic theology? No? Okay, I bet Tim doesn't either. Alright, let me know.

Guys, thank you so much for walking through this foundations membership class with us. Our hope, as we said from the beginning, is that we would be becoming healthy disciples who make healthy disciples. That's our mission statement. We also wanted you to have a sense of what some of our unique distinctives are at CHS. What does it mean to belong to CHS? What are some of the things that we primarily believe?

We got a thin crowd today. I'm not surprised—people weren't excited to come to Sunday school class on membership. But it's important. This is something that I think is important. Bob's getting a bunch of people. Oh, Bob's getting some people? Okay. Well, looks like you just got one, Noah. Welcome back, Noah. We've missed you.

Alright. As we jump into our last foundations Sunday school class, let me ask you this question: Is church membership biblical? How would you answer that question?

Participant: It depends how you define church membership.

Right. It depends on how you define church membership. If you're talking about being on a roll committed to just one church and that church owns you, no. If you're talking about being a part of a particular community and living in that community, participating in it, then absolutely yes.

So wait—church membership doesn't mean that we own you? I'd have to scrap this lesson and start over. You're right. There is no verse in the Bible that says that. Does anybody else want to weigh in on the biblical basis for church membership?

Participant: I was just gonna say look at Acts because that's where most of what the beginning of the church is.

Yeah, okay. I'll check that out.

Participant: I just want to add because I've heard a perspective that says definitely not. And I would completely dismantle that by the fact that they've brought up so much about the body. How it all starts from some place that we all have to be united in some way like a membership.

Right. So Chris is saying that a lot of people say there is no biblical basis for church membership, and he would completely disagree with that. I think the reason people say that is because there is no explicit verse in the Bible that says, "Thou shalt join a church," and it should be an Anglican church in Roanoke. There isn't going to be a very specific invitation to join and be a member in that way. But the concept, the heart of belonging to a local body—it is undeniable in scripture.

Church Membership is Biblical

I want to give you a few examples. The first one is: the church is a family.

So then as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone and especially those who are of the household of faith. — Galatians 6

If I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth. — 1 Timothy 3:15

We cannot meaningfully obey the "one another" commands if we don't know who one another is. So this idea that there is no such thing as membership, that there is no such thing as committing to a local body—I think that actually contradicts and disagrees with scripture. It is important, and we'll dig into this in deeper ways as we continue, but to choose and commit to be part of a local body.

The church, by the way, is a body.

Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. — 1 Corinthians 12

In fact, Paul is going to say:

So we, though many, are one body in Christ and individually members of one another. — Romans 12:5

There's something about you being here that is necessary for me and vice versa. It's not like when you go to a sporting event or a concert. You're in a crowd, but you're not part of that crowd. They are not your people. Paul is saying that we are necessarily connected parts of a whole. I need your gifts. You need my gifts. We're a body.

The church is also biblically a flock. There are leaders of the flock. I don't share this to assert my leadership, but I will share with you—and I'm going to talk about this again later—that Tim and Brian and I have taken a vow before God to care for a particular group of people. It is important, and the assumption biblically is that pastors need to know who it is that they've committed to care for.

Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly as God would have you, not for shameful gain, but eagerly. — 1 Peter 5:2

We're a family. We're a body. We are a flock, and we have different roles to serve within.

Discipline Assumes Belonging

These are some uncomfortable passages, but in Matthew 18 and 1 Corinthians 5, Paul is referencing how we ought to interact with the world and how we ought to interact with people who are within the body. And he says in 1 Corinthians 5:

What have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? — 1 Corinthians 5

Paul is saying there is an identifiable mark for those who are within the body and those who are not. And we are supposed to act and behave differently depending on where we stand or who we are in that.

What Does Membership Mean?

Membership is not necessary for salvation. It is not a social club, and it is not a way to earn God's favor.

Here's what membership is: it is a covenant commitment. God throughout the Bible is always interacting with his people through covenant. And when we come together and we are part of a local body of Christ, we are making a covenant commitment to live together in a certain way. It is a commitment to worship together, to grow together, to serve together, and to persevere together. We're family, a body, we're a flock, and we have made a covenant commitment to live this way together.

Why This Matters for You

The reality is this: I'm not going to treat you different if you're not a member. Whoever reaches out to us, whoever calls us, we're going to respond. We have limited availability, but we are going to love and care for whoever comes here. That said, it really does matter for you that you choose to make a commitment.

First, Jesus loves the church.

Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. — Ephesians 5:25

We cannot love Jesus but not love his church. We can't love him but not love his bride. He deeply values and established the church, and it's important to him. It should be important to us.

Second, Christianity is necessarily communal.

This idea of an individual self-directed faith or spirituality is completely inconsistent with the scriptures. We're necessarily called to live within the context of a community. And typically, community is a group of people that you have committed to be part of. The New Testament vision of walking with Christ is profoundly communal through encouragement, correction, accountability, worship, prayer, the sacraments, and bearing one another's burdens.

Third, commitment produces growth.

Deep transformation rarely happens when we're just spectators. It rarely happens in crowds. Deep transformation happens in committed relationships. People don't grow in rows. They grow in circles. It is so important that we learn to live in committed communal relationships. The larger we grow, the smaller we have to become.

Fourth, the church is God's primary mission strategy.

Jesus calls himself the light of the world and then he looks at his disciples and he says, you are the light of the world. That is a collective you. He's talking to a community of men, a growing community that would become together the light of the world.

By this will the world know that you're my disciples: that you love one another. — John 13:35

If we don't know who the one another is, we cannot obey that command. And if we're not obeying that command, then the world, by implication, will not know. Engaging with a Christ-centered community is our opportunity to be the light that Christ has called us to be.

What Are We Committing To?

For those of us that decide to take this step, what are we committing to? First of all, gathering together in corporate worship. It is important to be here. It's important.

We don't—I mentioned earlier that we're a body, that we need one another. And one of the things that you're committing to when you join a church is to prioritize weekly attendance, the gathering of God's people together on a Sunday morning. Have you noticed how much better it is when it's full? I remember a couple of years ago, we had to cancel one of our services because of a power issue. We tried to put together an alternate power source and a sound system, and we came together. It was like the sweetest Sunday. Do you know why? One service and everybody was here. It was packed. It is better when we are together. And one of the things that we're asking or encouraging, inviting our members to do is that they would make this a priority above competing opportunities and priorities to be together on Sunday morning to worship.

Hebrews 10:24-25—who has that memorized?

Forsake not the assembling together of some, but encouraging one another and even all the more as the day draws near. — Hebrews 10:24-25

What version is that? I like that version. The thing that's cool about that is that it's not just a command. It's the why—to encourage one another. That word is parakleo, which is the same form as the Holy Spirit. He is a comforter. He's an encourager, and that's how he actually works in the body—it's through the body to encourage us.

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together as is the habit of some. — Hebrews 10:24

Let me just pause there. Isn't it so easy for this to become a habit to not meet together? And it is in the consistent commitment to show up that the best things happen in life when this just becomes routine and habit. I am in a sweet place right now of ruthlessly committing to my time with the Lord. I decided, I don't know, thirty-nine, forty days ago, I will not miss time with the Lord in the morning. And can I tell you what has happened forty days later? It's totally different. There have been mornings I did not want to show up, but I did because it matters, and it produces something when you just decide you're gonna show up. And the same applies here.

As is the habit of some, but encouraging one another and all the more as you see the day drawing near. — Hebrews 10:25

Guys, we are here temporarily. And the whole purpose of our gathering is to remind each other of a day that is drawing near, to live as if it's imminent. And we need each other to encourage one another to remember that.

Community

When you think of Christian community, what are some of the hallmarks or attributes that you think of?

One person mentioned local community work and volunteer work. Another mentioned sharing—not only your time and burdens with one another, but also your possessions. If someone has a need, you share what you have with them and vice versa.

Do you want to be inspired? Read Acts 2 and how people were literally just selling their land, bringing all of it to the apostles, and they were distributing to those who had need. I'm not saying that we should get rid of a capitalistic society, but what I am saying is that the church is a place within our political machine that stands out. It looks different. The way that we care for one another, the way we bear one another's burdens, the way that your problems and your needs become mine and vice versa—this is part of the reason that we are the light of the world because other people don't do that. Other communities don't live that way. But when we are, people notice. They take note.

And we're gonna celebrate with you, and we're gonna cry with you, and we're gonna love and live with you. Amen.

That we're gonna celebrate with one another, that we're gonna carry the difficult things with one another. It's Mother's Day. And yesterday, I was writing a Mother's Day note to my sweet wife, Melissa. And I got choked up thinking about the way that she does that for our kids, how their concerns—she wears them as if they are hers. Their triumphs are her triumphs. And this is the call that we have upon one another: to bear one another's burdens and to celebrate and encourage and to lift each other up.

Harry, you had something.

Fellowship. Tell me more about what you mean by that.

Gathering together outside of the church. Whether it be for golf, a meal, a hike, soccer, whatever. Fellowship with families, fellowship with individuals, fellowship with members of the body.

Right. Christian community is not just getting together to memorize scripture and pray. We're having Christian community when we break bread, when we play golf.

Yes, Jennifer.

It's the feeling that people know you and you know them, and they care about you, and you care about them too.

So it's an emotional connection. It is being known and knowing. Both of those are tremendous needs that we have. We are called to the communal life.

Also, I would say a few other things. It is refusing to gossip about your family members. It is committing to pursue reconciliation when you know there is brokenness. Jesus would say, leave your gift at the altar. If you know that there is brokenness in a relationship, I'm not really interested in your worship. I'd like you to go make it right with your brother or your sister. It matters that much to him.

Personal Growth

We'll move on to growth. Personal growth. Are you someone who is pursuing your own personal relationship with Christ? This was beat into us as Young Life staff people. My boss used to say the most important thing about you is your own personal relationship with Christ. The most important person you will ever win to Christ is the person you look at every single day in the mirror. It's you.

Yes, Gil.

I would say that going to a Christian college in Virginia Beach, being in a community, being in a good church out there, I realized that before I came there, I didn't know God as much as I thought I did. Because being around these people showed you something.

Being around Christian community brings about growth in a new way.

Absolutely. Here's just a few other things quickly. Pursuing holiness, repenting quickly. You know, Tim's always talking about sin and repentance. And the goal is that the repentance part is quick. Well, actually, the repentance part is where we live. I forget. Just see Tim for that illustration. It's a good one.

But that we would live yielded, that we would live exposed in the light, that we would honestly bring our sins and failures, not just before God privately, but to brothers and sisters that we trust, helping each other to walk faithfully with Christ.

Service and Ministry

The next one: service. That we would see this body, the work and ministry of this church. Do you know that our job as pastors is to equip the saints for the work of ministry? See, most people, the vision of church is "I come and sit and those guys that are paid do it." But the truth is, the ministry—when my dad was a pastor, in the bulletin it said, "Pastor John F. Sloop, ministers the people." And the point was very clear. It is our job. This is a team effort. We are to minister to the world around us and to one another.

In fact, in a church this size, one of the things I often say to people coming through my office who are thinking about joining this church—as we talk about getting connected in community at a deeper level—I say at a church this size, most of the pastoral care that you will experience is within the context of your smaller community. It is your life group. It is the life group that is going to be bearing and caring for the needs. There are three priests on staff here and a handful of deacons. There's no way we can care for all of the needs, and this is not to absolve ourselves of any sort of responsibility. We love to enter in when we can. But the best way that we are going to most effectively carry out this mission of caring for one another in the way that God calls us to is through the context of our smaller connected life group community.

The question I wanted to ask is: Are we using the talents that God has given us for this body? Do you see this as a place for your gifts to flourish? We need you. We need more and more people to see themselves as ministers. You know, in Young Life, the language we used for this was campaigner kids.

We were trying to reach the school, and if it was just up to the volunteer leaders and the staff to do it, we would not be able to. But we had a group of kids that were called campaigners. They were disciples. They were seeking to grow in their personal walk with him, and they saw it as their personal responsibility to be ministers. When we would have club, no one knew that they had any sort of responsibility, but they were constantly looking for who seems left out, who's on the fringes, who seems upset, who is not having fun playing this game. I'm gonna go to that person.

If we had a church filled with people that saw themselves as ministers looking for where they can give a gift or fill a need, it would radically change this church. And we, again, would be the light of the world.

Generosity

Here's another one. Generosity. We talked last week about the responsibility that we have as God's children to support the work of ministry, not only with our gifts and our talents, but with our finances. Are you someone who is cultivating a spirit of generosity? I would encourage you if you didn't hear that last week to listen to it. Not because we're struggling financially at this church. We're actually doing quite well. God has blessed what's happening here at Church of the Holy Spirit.

The reason I want you to hear that message is because it is crucially important for you as a disciple to be someone who sees God as owning everything that you have. You just cannot grow unless you're someone who's generous.

Submission

How about this one? Submission. That's a fun one. I almost took that out and I'm like, ugh. I'll put it back in. Let me read this verse to you in Hebrews thirteen seventeen.

Obey your leaders and submit to them for they are keeping watch over your souls as those who will have to give an account. — Hebrews 13:17

Let me tell you why I felt compelled to put this. I mentioned earlier that we, as your pastors—I'm so not on a power trip about this. This is not a fun part of our job. By the way, we need it too. It's not like we are exempt from needing someone to call out our sin. But here's what I want you to know. The way that God has designed his church to function is to put spiritual leaders in place who will give account. We will stand before God one day to give account for how faithfully we shepherded the flock that he entrusted.

I take that seriously. Tim takes that seriously. There have been some uncomfortable conversations in our offices. And by the way, Brian, Barb, Laura, Bob, we all take that very seriously. Everyone on staff—Aaron, Harrison—everyone. The call to shepherd, to be a watchman, to hold up the bible as a mirror and say, "I'm sorry, but what you're suggesting is not true. It does not align. It is not compatible with someone who says that they're a disciple. I love you, but this is not okay." We've had conversations like that, and we'll have conversations like that.

And if you're a member of this church, just know that if maybe this is not encouraging you to join, I want you to know that this is how God designed it for all of us—that we would learn to live in submission to those that he's placed in authority. Because the truth is if we cannot live under our human spiritual leaders, we will not live under his authority.

Mission

And then here's the last one. Mission. I said this at the beginning. Not just that you would be becoming healthy disciples, but that you, with us, would become someone who is making healthy disciples. That is the great commission. Not that we would make converts, but that we would make disciples. And he tells you how to do that: that you would teach them to obey everything that I've commanded.

You know that you can play a significant role in someone else learning what it means to follow Jesus, the most important thing that they'll ever decide in their entire life? I wonder if you've considered how you might get in the game, how you might be a part of it. Some of us have different roles, but it's important that we all see ourselves as actively seeking to make disciples.

The Vision

I wanted to close with this thought. Jesus in the gospel, he is calling to himself a group of people. He's making himself a body to represent what he is like. And it's only as we live together in a community, as I've said, that we fulfill his vision of us being the light of the world.

And perhaps one of the greatest quotes I've ever read—it's pretty long, but it's worth listening to—about my hope for what we become was written by a guy named Elton Trueblood, and it was called The Strategy of Jesus. And I want to read this to you, and we'll have it on the screen too. I'm gonna read this to you, and I just want you to think: What if this was what our church was like? And what does it say about us that this was Jesus' plan? It's wild.

There is no person in history who has impacted all of mankind more than Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus was deeply concerned for the continuation of his redemptive reconciling work after the close of his earthly existence, and his chosen method was the formation of a small band of committed friends. He did not form an army, establish a headquarters, or even write a book. All he did was to collect a few very common men and women, inspire them with the sense of his spirit and vision, and build their lives into an intensive fellowship of affection, worship, and work.

One of the truly shocking passages of the gospel is that in which Jesus indicates that there is absolutely no substitute for the tiny, loving, caring, reconciling society. If this fails, he suggests, all is failure. There is no other way. He told the little bedraggled fellowship that they were actually the salt of the earth, if this salt should fail, there would be no adequate preservative at all. He was staking it all on one throw.

What we need is not intellectual theorizing or even preaching, but a demonstration. One of the most powerful ways of turning people's loyalty to Christ is by loving others with the great love of God. We cannot revive faith by argument, but we might catch the imagination of puzzled men and women by an exhibition of a fellowship so intensely alive that every thoughtful person would be forced to respect it. If there should emerge in our day such a fellowship, wholly without artificiality and free from the dead hand of the past, it would be an exciting event of momentous importance.

I wanted to read that quote and leave that thought with you. A society of genuine loving souls set free from the self seeking struggle for personal prestige and from all unreality would be something unutterably priceless and powerful. A wise person would travel any distance to join it.

The reason I wanted to end here is because I hope that's inspiring to you as it is to me. This is the hope of the world. Christ in us, the hope of glory. Christ in us. It's not just Christ in you, the hope of glory. It is Christ displayed through a people, not just a person. See, Christ can be the light of the world by himself. You can't. It requires us joined together in community doing that. And when he says a wise person would travel any distance to be a part of it, it is so true because this doesn't happen very often. But what if it happened here? It could. All it would take is us deciding, stacking hands, and deciding together that this is what we're gonna be about here at Church of the Holy Spirit. We hope that you'll join us.

Let's pray. Father, thank you. We love you. We want to honor you by faithfully being the people that you've called us to be. Forgive us for taking lightly the call to be committed to your people. It is inconvenient. It does cost me and it is worth it. In Christ's name. Amen.

What's Next

So your question of what are we doing next week was a great one. If you guys were here forever ago in the fall, we've been doing a long doctrine survey over weeks and weeks and weeks, months. We have studied well. You remember where do we start? The very first section of this was theology proper, the doctrine of the first person of God. Then we finished the Trinity. Christology, pneumatology, doctrine of the Son and the Spirit. Then we did the Trinity, basically three persons of the Godhead. We talked about the doctrine of the scriptures, bibliology. We talked about hamartiology, which is the doctrine of sin. We talked about anthropology, the doctrine of man. Having finished the doctrine of sin back in January, now we start the doctrine of salvation. How does salvation work?

What we have left is doctrine of salvation coming, then the doctrine of the church, then angelology, and then eventually we'll get to eschatology, the doctrine of last things. I don't know if we'll be done this summer. It could be great. Last things might occur before you get there, I don't know. It could.

So we resume next week with the doctrine of salvation, that'll take us probably a couple months to get through that. So come back, join us, and we will resume. Give it up for Tim Henderson, guys.

It was good. Aaron, what's up?

There's also, starting next week, a women's Sunday school class. If you would like to do that, we are doing a book called Adore, the characteristics of Christ and his glory. Come on.

Alright. We love you guys. Go to church.