CHURCH MEMBERSHIP

“Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.” — Matthew 5:15

I believe every Christian should be a member of a good Bible believing local church. God likens the local church to a candlestick in Revelation 1:20, and that is where our light will do the most good.

Church membership involves commitment, and that is one reason why many Christians don’t join a local church. They don’t want to commit themselves.

Emerson Colaw tells about doing some work with his church’s nonresident membership list. He wrote a letter to one family that had attended his church. A letter came back saying, “Mr. Colaw, we now live near a university campus and we go every Sunday to the chapel service there. They have unusually fine music — they have nationally known preachers ever Sunday morning… The children are being taught in church school by seminary students.” And then she ended, “But the best of all there is no membership, no pledging, and no women’s society asking me to work. So if you don’t mind, we’ll just leave our membership at Hyde Park and continue to enjoy what we have here.” No involvement, no bother. No crosses. No commitment. No responsibility.

What is the difference between dating and marriage? COMMITMENT. Quit dating the church, and make a commitment to become a member.