The Importance of Church Membership

It is unfortunate that many churches today seem to displace the importance of church membership. While the Bible does not clearly state that a believer must join a church, the Bible does place a great importance on a believer uniting with like-minded believers in order to fulfill the divine purposes of the local church.
Below, the reader will find three reasons why church membership should be encouraged and taught.

Church Membership Brings Accountability.
When an individual joins a church, he is asking the community of believers to keep him accountable when it comes to personal godliness. He is admitting that he falls short in numerous areas in his life and that he seeks help from others who can assist him in his walk with God. Galatians 6:1-2 speaks about this accountability when the apostle Paul writes, “Brethren, even if a man is caught in a trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, lest you too be tempted.” In case certain Christians thinking they are in a spiritual elite group and devoid of others, Paul qualifies that everyone is accountable to one another when he says in the following verse, “Bear one another’s burdens.”

Without membership, the individual is left to himself to live as he pleases. Even though he may attend a church on a regular basis, he declares himself independent from a local church and not under that particular ministry. In 1 Timothy 3:15, Paul speaks to Timothy about the purpose in writing this individual letter, “I write so that you may know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God.” That word for household is significant as Paul compares the local church with that of the family unit. Within every family unit accountability is a must. Imagine the family where each individual member did as they please? The local church functions like that of a family (Why else do we call each other brother and sister?). Since this is so, accountability is essential and can only be met fully within church membership.

Church Membership Brings Opportunity. When a person decides to join a body of believers, he is asking the body to minister to him. Likewise, when a person joins hands with a local church, the church is asking him to minister to others by using his spiritual gifts toward those who are already joined together in the body. Since each believer is gifted by God in his own unique way (1 Corinthians 12:4-7), it is imperative that the individual use those gifts in service to others within the context of the local church (1 Peter 4:10), with the ultimate intent to edify those within the congregation (1 Corinthians 14:4-5, 12, 26). On the other hand, it is the direct responsibility of the local church to see that a believer’s gifts are recognized, furthered, and given opportunity to be used.

When a person fails to join a church in membership, he is denying the use of his God-given gifts and abilities to a local church. Gifts that are neglected in essence are crippling to the body. In this respect, when a person joins a church he has gifts that the body needs. Not only does the church need him, but he lacks certain gifts that others in the body can use in ministering to him. In an equal sense, he needs the local church. Every believer God has gifted and it is the local church’s duty to allow the individual member the opportunity to use those gifts. This is best accomplished within the context of church membership.

Church Membership Brings Responsibility. Believers have responsibilities toward one another. For the health of the church, and for a church to be deemed relevant, it is imperative that members exercise their responsibilities toward one another. Christians have a responsibility to encourage or exhort one another (Hebrews 10:25), pray for one another (James 5:16), love one another (Galatians 5:13), teach one another (Colossians 3:16), edify or build up one another (Romans 14:19), and admonish one another (Romans 15:14). If the believer is not fulfilling his obligation in these areas, then he is disobedient toward God and is guilty of sin.

Church membership requires commitment that many people are not willing to make. At the same time, however, from a biblical perspective, church membership is a must. Church membership is not a concept that creates bondage upon a person or a group of people. In fact, it is the other way around. Church membership provides protection and freedom by allowing the members to function in a way that upholds biblical values. Accountability, opportunity, and responsibility are concepts that are rooted in biblical revelation and that can best be fulfilled within the context of local church membership.