Do I really need to be a member?
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Do I really need to be a member of the Church?
Do I really need to be a member of the Church?
It seems in life everyone wants you to become a member of their group or club or company.
whether it be for Costco, the library a political party, or a gym, it seems like everyone wants your membership
so what to we normally do?
for most of us we weigh the pro and cons to see if membership is worth it.
what is the value of being a member?
I heard a story of a guy who said “I just signed up for a 12 month membership at a gym. My bank called wondering if my credit card got stolen.”
A gym gives you access to their facility, and maybe some instruction, and hopefully a desire to get your monies worth. You pay a fee.
interesting thing is The gym benefits by the fee, so it doesn’t even matter to them if you use it or not
Every membership out there has a give and take. or a Cost / benefit
so when we look at the Church can we look at it the same way?
For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ.
For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
For the body is not one member, but many.
If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body.
And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body.
If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?
But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired.
If they were all one member, where would the body be?
But now there are many members, but one body.
And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”
On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary;
and those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable,
whereas our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked,
so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.
And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it.
And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues.
All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they?
All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they?
But earnestly desire the greater gifts.
And I show you a still more excellent way.
This passage of scripture refers to membership in the body of Christ.
It actual automatic when you become a Christian.
there is no form to fill out
just a rubber stamp.
You a Christian....your a member of the Body of Christ
But what about the local church?
Is membership even needed? I mean if you a member of the body of Christ do you have to be a member of a local church.
Let me say this.
As a Church leadership, we will treat you the same whether you are or are not a member.
doesn’t matter in that way
Its not like we have a policy that says we only visit members in the hospital, or to meet with a pastor you need to be a member
Membership does not give you access to a special club, special treatment, or hidden secrets to make millions.
In reality membership is what you get out of it.
The difference between being a member and not being a member is the level of commitment you want to make.
When you choose membership you are saying.
God placed me in this church, and I’m ready to actively serve in any way i’m able.
becoming a member is saying I’m committing myself to this local body of believers.
let me say it again:
You will be treated the same whether you are a member or not,
membership is a commitment you make to improving Kingdom Way.
So what are the expectations of being a member of Kingdom Way Church?
1. I will protect the unity of my church.
Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment.
. . . by acting in love toward other members
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.
. . . by building intentional relationships
bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.
. . . by following the leaders
Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.
2. I will share the responsibility of my church.
Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor.
For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up.
Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone?
And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.
. . . by praying for its ministries and people
With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,
. . . by warmly welcoming those who visit
Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.
. . . by inviting the unchurched to attend
He said to his daughters, “Where is he then? Why is it that you have left the man behind? Invite him to have something to eat.”
3. I will serve the ministry of my church.
For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints.
. . . by discovering my gifts and talents
As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
. . . by being equipped to serve by my pastors
And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,
for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;
until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.
As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;
but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ,
from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.
. . . by developing a servant’s heart
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.
Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;
do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.
Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,
4. I will support the testimony of my church.
My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness
And of Your salvation all day long;
For I do not know the sum of them.
I will come with the mighty deeds of the Lord God;
I will make mention of Your righteousness, Yours alone.
O God, You have taught me from my youth,
And I still declare Your wondrous deeds.
And even when I am old and gray, O God, do not forsake me,
Until I declare Your strength to this generation,
Your power to all who are to come.
. . . by attending faithfully
not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.
. . . by giving regularly
Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
“Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.”
Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
. . . by living a godly life
Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
Explain how to become a member