Church Membership
Definition
Church membership concerns belonging to or being a part of the church of Jesus Christ. It involves different concepts of the church, entry requirements, and the responsibilities and privileges of membership.
Summary
In a time when churches are either discounting or re-emphasizing church membership, it is important to consider some fundamental understandings of membership from theological, historical, and denominational perspectives. This article explores membership in relationship to five issues: (1) different perspectives on continuity and discontinuity between the people of God prior to the coming of Jesus Christ and those after his coming; (2) the universal church and local churches; (3) churches that baptize infants (paedobaptism) and those that baptize believers (credobaptism); (4) responsibilities and privileges of members; and (5) removal of people from, and restoration of them to, church membership.
Videos
Does Church Size Matter?
Learn about the true marks of church growth and the pride that plagues Christian leaders no matter the size of their ministry.
Podcasts
Articles
5 Ways to Be a Healthy Member of an Unhealthy Church
We follow a God who doesn’t give up on unhealthy churches, but works to heal them.
To the Young Christian Who Hasn’t Committed to a Church
Your current commitment to a church—or lack thereof—will reverberate not just on the future church, but on the future you.
College Freshman, Commit to a Church
To quit attending church in college would be like Noah jumping out of the ark.
Yes, Pastors Should Have Friends in the Church
Isolation and loneliness are common struggles for even the most extroverted pastor.
Welcome to College. Join a Church.
Scripture compels college students to be meaningful members of a local church.
10 Ways Pastors Can Encourage Church Attendance
Church attendance and participation should seem natural for believers, but often it’s not.
You Can’t Livestream Church
Church isn’t something you can get solely online.
Doing Church with Autism Spectrum Disorder
I have autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and here are some ways to understand and care for people like me.
