Mentoring Men for the Master

I AM A BIBLICAL CHURCH MEMBER – WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

I AM A BIBLICAL CHURCH MEMBER – WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

1 Cor. 12; Heb. 10:24-25

Conforming to the image of Christ involves far more than believing.  It involves belonging.  Only as we belong to Christ’s body can we become what He wants us to be.  In fact, it is impossible to grow to spiritual maturity by yourself.  You must be connected to the other parts of the Body.  Many professing Christians are far more devoted to the Masons, to the Country Club, and other Civic Groups than to their local church.  But church membership is not as in a civic organization or country club.  It’s the kind of membership set forth in 1 Cor. 12:27, “Now you are the body of Christ and individuals members of it.”  Just as the physical body is made up of many parts to function, so is the body of Christ and without which it is crippled and only partially functional.  The concept of an inactive member is an oxymoron.  Biblically, no such member really exists.  What does this mean for the average local church?  Simply this:  if your church has 300 on roll, it probably has only a hundred biblical members, because only one out of three is functioning.  I preached in First Baptist Church, Dallas, which had 25,000 members (on Wednesday evening) and how many persons do you think attended?  Less than 500.

Let us now summarize what it means to be A REAL BIBLCIAL CHURCH MEMBER:

  1. I RESOLVE BY THE AID OF THE HOLY SPIRIT TO BE A “FUNCTIONING MEMBER.”  I will attend, give, serve, evangelize, and I will remember that if one member suffers, all members suffer.

 

  1. I RESOLVE BY THE AID OF THE HOLY SPIRIT TO BE A UNIFYING MEMBER.  I will not be a source of gossip.  I will know there are no perfect pastors, choir directors, etc.  I will work hard to keep the unity of the body for the sake of the gospel.

 

  1. I RESOLVE BY THE AID OF THE HOLY SPIRIT NOT TO LET MY CHURCH BE ABOUT MY PREFERENCES AND DESIRES.  I will not demand my preferences be followed, but that I am in the church to exalt Jesus and to serve others, not myself.

 

  1. I RESOLVE BY THE AID OF THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT I WILL PRAY FOR MY PASTOR AND CHURCH LEADERS.  Knowing the incredible demands on my pastor, I will pray everyday for him, also the rest of the staff, deacons.

 

 

  1. I RESOLVE BY THE AID OF THE HOLY SPIRI THAT I WILL LEAD MY FAMILY TO BE FAITHFUL, POSITIVE CHURCH MEMBERS.  I will lead my family to be good members of our church.  We will pray together in our home for our church and worship together in our church.

 

 

 

 

  1. I RESOLVE BY THE AID OF THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT WHILE RECOGNIZING THAT I AM A MEMER OF THE INVISIBLE UNIVERSAL CHURCH THROUGH THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT (1 Cor 12:13) that I choose to join a visible local church.  The Bible makes it clear that we are to be members of a visible specific church or body of believers.  One cannot function in an unseen body.  Ex:  A lady asked Dr. RG Lee if she could sing in the choir and he asked her if she were a member of the church to which she replied, “I belong to the invisible church,” to which Dr. Lee answered, “I suggest you then sing in the invisible choir.”

 

Questions and Answers:

  1. Explain how country club members and church members are different?
  2. How is the function of the physical body like that of the body of Christ?
  3. What is the best path if someone comes gossiping to you about your church?
  4. Why do many churches have “worship wars”?
  5. How does the biblical teaching of the “log and speck” in Matthew 7 apply to church members?
  6. Why do so many church members have a sense of entitlement?
  7. Are you a magnet to draw people to your church or a away?
  8. How do you reply to persons who say “You don’t have to go to church to be saved?”
  9. How do you reply to persons who say “I’m just a member of the universal church?”
  10. True or False:  One’s continued absence from ones church is his or her vote to close one’s church.
  11. If so, would your church be open or closed today?
  12. If every church member were just like me, what kind of church would my church be in:
    1. Attendance?
    2. Giving?
    3. Evangelism?
    4. Respected in the Community?
  13. What is the connection between your spiritual gift and church membership?
  14. Scripturally, what is the major thing you are commanded to do when you come to church?
  15. What great privilege does your church give that no other organization can give? (you’re hatched, matched and dispatched)