Life Cycle of Church Membership Part 1
Notes
Transcript
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
We must allow the texts of scripture, empowered by the Holy Spirit to change even our thought patterns; You may have been IN church for decades and yet missed important facets or truths, so let us begin a look at the life cycle of church membership. I will not be covering how to live life apart from a local church for one and one reason only; there is no scripture that teaches how to do so, or suggests this as right or helpful.
Joining
Joining
Conversion
Evangelism is not the first priority; that should be worship, but there is no church apart from evangelism.
Kingdom presence
I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will have been loosed in heaven.
Fruit - more than a one time testimony
testimony amid persecution
“86 years have I have served him, and he has done me no wrong. How can I blaspheme my King and my Savior?”
Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.
The church has always flourished under persecution, and few were the false professions.
Not all testimonies are the same
John Michael
10yo
I was ready to believe whan God was ready for me.
A depression came over him more than a conviction
The pic of the crucified Christ weighed heavy on his mind
He then became filled and began preaching loudly to the trees about Jesus
He went inside and told his mom, “I’ve been a sinner my whole life.”
I was one way before, and another way after
I have felt more conviction since than before.
Considered adult profession
C.S. Lewis atheist to theist to Christian
familial / relational
I ask parents
Let’s give them time.
Baptism
picture of the gospel
picture of conversion
promise of faithfulness
Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a clear conscience, desiring to act honorably in all things.
but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.
Peter rightly connects the Ordinance of Baptism both to obedience (leading to clear conscience) and as THE public profession of faith.
Discernment & Discussion
Personal
Sermons
Confessions of faith
Familial support
Pastoral dialogue
Church
Credible profession
Life of repentance
Valid Baptism
Methodology
Presentation
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
Consideration & Acceptance
[Bro. Jerry Reynolds] told of Brother J.M. Pendleton speaking in 1887 before the Kentucky Baptist Convention about how fifty years prior (the 1830’s) there was a revival of emphasis on experiential conversion. He spoke of how careful the churches were then about receiving members to ensure a truly regenerated membership. Candidates for membership in Baptist churches in that day would have been, “hard pressed,” to gain entrance apart from clearly demonstrating a true conviction of sin, hatred of their own sin, sorrow for that sin, and a strong determination to forsake sin in addition to a conscious awareness of acceptance by God. He said they then agreed, as he did today, with J.B. Moody who once said, “The work must begin on the inside before it shows on the outside.” Brother Reynolds said this was exactly what John the Baptist was requiring before baptizing in the Jordan River (Matthew 3:8). Brother Reynolds emphatically stated, “This experience of grace was indispensable for candidates for baptism,” in the churches of that day and should be the same today.
So if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive me. If he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it—to say nothing of your owing me even your own self.
Channels
New Baptism
Corrected Baptism
We do not have a specific example in the Bible of a ‘re’ baptism, but right and necessary consequence of scripture leads one to obtain a proper baptism if they are saved and have none.
Correspondance
THIS IS NOT REQUIRED
THERE IS NOTHING IN SCRIPTURE ABOUT HOLDING MEMBERS HOSTAGE!
So if you consider me your partner, receive him as you would receive me. If he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, charge that to my account.
Independant action / statement
Every person presenting for membership is taken by statement and evidence
Participating
Participating
Attendance / Prioritization
not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
“You shall have no other gods before me.
“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.
Contributing
Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.
This is so much more than about money. Jesus said render to Caesar what is Caesar’s and God what is God’s… our whole life is God’s
Discipling
Submit to God’s plan
giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
S
ubmit to teaching
As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him,
Submit to discipline
Being Blessed
Being Blessed
The Gospel
Supportive Families
Accountability
Leadership / presence of God
to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.
More Mud
Having said these things, he spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man’s eyes with the mud
Church family, we must allow the scripture to define our understanding of the church and how to behave in her. God help us to strive to be a Biblically informed and ordered church for the Glory of God and the saving of our lost loved ones.