What it means to be a church member. Message 1

What it means to be a church member.

Message 1

Membership Covenant

a. I make you sign up every year.

i. I do this because of the importance of the “commitments” you are making to each other.

ii. You are entering into a contract with Grace Church.

iii. You are becoming accountable to each other.

b. Let us take a quick look.

i. I WILL PROTECT THE UNITY OF MY CHURCH

ii. We do this by three different ways.

iii. Love, gossip, accountable.

c. Next five weeks

i. What it means to be a church member.

ii. Membership class.

The state of a church.

a. What happen to First Baptist.

i. 70, 80, 90, over 10,000 in attendance.

ii. It was the who’s who of SBC.

iii. By 2016 average of 2500.

iv. 10,000 seat auditorium. (in disrepair)

Your church will decline.

i. Because a loss of biblical faithfulness

1. Jude 3 (NLT) — 3 Dear friends, I had been eagerly planning to write to you about the salvation we all share. But now I find that I must write about something else, urging you to defend the faith that God has entrusted once for all time to his holy people.

Jude 3 NLT

Dear friends, I had been eagerly planning to write to you about the salvation we all share. But now I find that I must write about something else, urging you to defend the faith that God has entrusted once for all time to his holy people.

A change in “culture” around the church.

1. The world is hostile to the church.

iii. A change in the “community” around the church.

iv. Changing ministry models and methodology.

1. McDonalds Big Mac

2. Principles and doctrine never change.

3. Methods and practices must change.

4. We must understand when to do so.

v. Lack of evangelism

vi. A changing culture within the church.

vii. Loss of vision.

c. We will look at five practices of church membership to address some of these needs.

One Body in Christ.

a. A call to unity.

i. 1 Corinthians 12:27 (NCV) — 27 Together you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of that body.

1 Corinthians 12:27 NCV

Together you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of that body.

ii. Each of us has our role to play.

iii. One person is the foot (evangelism)

iv. One person is a hand (service)

v. Christ is the head.

vi. Three things happens when a congregation love one another and function as one body.

It Strengthens our Spiritual Growth.

i. Unity fosters an environment where we can grow spiritually.

ii. There are testimonies all over this church of that.

iii. We support one another spiritual journey.

1. Write this down.

By praying for each other.

By studying the bible together.

By being an encourager and mentor.

(children)

iv. Our relationship with God is deepened.

v. Strengthens our walk of faith.

Unity has an Impact on the Community.

i. A united church is better equipped for outreach and community impact.

ii. When we work together in harmony, they can pool our…

Resources

Talents

Time.

iii. Declining churches turn inward.

iv. They complain about the world and them instead of reach out to them.

Loving Each other Reflects Christ’s Love.

John 17:21 (NLT) — 21 I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.

John 17:21 NLT

I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.

ii. Unity is a powerful testimony of Christ’s love.

I WILL PROTECT THE UNITY OF MY CHURCH

By acting in love toward other members

i. John 13:34–35 (NIV) — 34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

John 13:34–35 NIV

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

By refusing to gossip

i. Proverbs 16:28 (NLT) — 28 A troublemaker plants seeds of strife; gossip separates the best of friends.

Proverbs 16:28 NLT

A troublemaker plants seeds of strife; gossip separates the best of friends.

ii. Ephesians 4:29 (NLT) — 29 Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.

Ephesians 4:29 NLT

Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.

By being accountable to each other for spiritual growth.

i. Galatians 6:1–2 (NLT) — 1 Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. 2 Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.

Galatians 6:1–2 NLT

Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.

ii. Sometimes a simple question is all that is needed.

How’s your walk with the Lord?

How can I pray for you?

The power of a unified church.

a. A lesson for churches too.

i. Ecclesiastes 4:12 (NLT) — 12 A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.

Ecclesiastes 4:12 NLT

A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.