Loudonville Community Church
Thursday, February 23, 2012
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MembershipThe next membership class will be: Sunday, February 5 from 3:30-5:30 PM
WHY BECOME A MEMBER?
Scriptural Basis For Church Membership
There is no verse in the Bible that requires a person to become a member of a church. However, the Bible clearly teaches that believers are to be involved and committed in a local church. Throughout the New Testament, the church pattern portrayed is one of Christians meeting regularly in local congregations (Acts 2:46; I Corinthians 14:26; Ephesians 4:16; I Timothy 3:15; Hebrews 10:25). The biblical principle is that the church is a family of committed believers. Church membership is a way of expressing that commitment to the church family.
What Difference Does Membership Make?
Two major images are given in the Bible: the church is a family, and the church is a body. The concept of family is used often, and communicates the warmth of love that is to mark the fellowship of believers. We are sons and daughters of God now through Jesus; as children of God we are also brothers and sisters. Learning to look at each other as brothers and sisters, and to think of ourselves as family, helps us realize why love truly is the mark of Christian fellowship.
While “family” speaks to us of relationships, “body” speaks to us of ministry. These two images of Christ’s church are never held up in contrast. Instead, they are two perspectives on a single reality. The family relationship is context for ministry. Ministry is how we fulfill God’s will for the church to worship Him and make disciples. In Ephesians, Paul tells us that Jesus is the “head of the body” (Ephesians 2:20-22). Jesus as living Head directs us – we who are His hands, feet, eyes, ears, and mouth – to continue His own mission in our world. The compassion Jesus showed to the sick and weary and the sin-tormented, He still shows – through His body. When we as individuals and local groups of believers mature and become sensitive to the Lord’s guidance, Christ ministers to us and through us.
No one person is fully equipped with all of the spiritual gifts. Instead, each is given his own distinctive gift or gifts: each then makes his own unique contribution to the “common good” (I Corinthians 12:7). It is through cooperation and coordination that each of us makes his or her contribution and, in turn, is helped and aided to grow. Individualism, with its emphasis on competition to discover the “best” and “greatest,” is totally foreign to the Body of Christ.
How much we need to rediscover the reality of the Body of Christ today! Our society exalts competitiveness and individual achievement. We find it hard to work with others in a team relationship. But we are a body, and it is as a body – honoring each part, ministering and being ministered to – that we must learn to live in God’s family.
Membership in the universal Body of Christ and membership in a local expression of that Body should be parallel realities. At LCC you will hear us talk more about the “church family” than about “church membership.” We want the emphasis to always be on the spiritual ties that unite the true Body of Christ. This unity is real and authentic even when someone has not formally joined with the organization. Though some churches are opposed to the idea of formal “membership,” we believe that such recognition is necessary so that the life of the church can be carried out decently and in order.
Members participate in church decision-making. Membership allows you to have a say in what the church does and how it functions. In particular, church members approve the church’s budget and vote for the appointment of pastors and church officers. Only church members are invited to raise questions and make proposals about any issue at a church business meeting. If you want a voice in the way the church is run and the things it does, you need to have a vote, and to have a vote, you need to be a church member.
Although the church seeks to provide support and care for everyone, the church has a special responsibility toward its members who are in need. Members who wish to make use of the church’s facilities and ministries are given priority.
Some ministry roles of the church require you to be a church member before you can become involved. For example, adult Sunday School teachers and board members must be members.
Membership brings about a deeper sense of belonging and accountability. The saying goes, “You only get out of something what you put into it.” The depth of meaning you receive from any kind of involvement is directly proportional to the level of commitment you are willing to make. The same is true for the church. The more you invest yourself in the community of faith, the more you will find your life touched and made whole. Membership is a concrete step of commitment to the church.
Requirements of Membership
In order to formally join the membership at LCC we require that you:
For those who are married and whose spouse is not applying for membership at the same time, we will ask if your becoming a member could create any problems between you and your spouse. If so, we encourage working these issues out prior to applying for membership.
We also expect that if you are a member of any other local church that you will terminate membership in that church. It is illogical to try to be members of two church families at the same time. However, the Constitution does allow for “Associate Membership” for special circumstances (e.g., missionaries).
Responsibilities and Expectations of Membership
Although the primary responsibility of church membership is often thought of as voting in church meetings, being an effective member goes beyond just voting. The main responsibilities and expectations of being a member of LCC include:
Privileges of Membership
Becoming a member of LCC enables one to:
The Covenant
Prospective members are asked to affirm this covenant from the LCC Constitution:
I believe the Bible to be the Word of God, the only infallible rule of faith and doctrine, and I promise to make it my personal rule of life.
I confess Jesus Christ as my personal Savior and Lord.
It is my desire and intent to use all means of grace so that the righteousness and love of Christ might increase within me daily and that I might set that example that God desires.
I promise to support faithfully the Church of Jesus Christ with my prayers, presence, means, and service.
The Membership Process
At LCC, we take membership seriously. Therefore, we have instituted the following process to help insure that membership on the roster of LCC truly means something. The membership process is outlined below.
Step 1 – Attend Membership Class.
Step 2 – Fill out the “Application for Membership” form and write out your personal testimony. Turn these forms in to the Church Office or place them in the Church mailbox at the Welcome Center.
Step 3 – When the Elders receive your application form, they will contact you to schedule a meeting. This will be an informal time to talk with two members of our Elder Board. The purpose of this meeting is:
· To get better acquainted (both directions).
· To hear your personal testimony of salvation.
· To hear/discuss any concerns you may have about affirming the core beliefs, mission, and vision of LCC.
· To explore ways in which you might become more connected and involved in the life and ministry of the church.
Step 4 – Elders vote on receiving the candidate into membership. An affirmative vote makes one a member of LCC as of the time of the vote. We then have a brief and simple public ceremony where we offer you…
Step 5 – The right hand of fellowship before the congregation.
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