IS CHURCH MEMBERSHIP BIBLICAL? (1 of 5)

One of my “pet peeves” about congregational gatherings is the dogmatic push for church membership. Maybe it’s because I spiritually “grew up” in parachurch groups and military chapel systems where membership was implied through consistent attendance and not complicit acceptance of denominational doctrine. Sure, I understand that church membership is of great logistical importance to modern congregations and that for some, belonging to a fellowship necessitates formalities. However, when church membership becomes a requirement it mutates into something more than a mere convenience.

What is “Church?”

We all know that “Church” is not a where, but a whom; not an edifice but an edifying body of believers building one another up in Christ. All Christians also understand that we belong to the universal body of Christ not when we sign a paper, but because we are adopted as His sons and daughters through the indwelling of His Spirit (Gal 4.6). So why do some believe a pledge of allegiance to an organization is required?

An article on gospelcoalition.org about the requirement for church membership stated, “being a part of the universal church without submitting to a local church is not possible, biblical, or healthy…. Every letter in the New Testament assumes Christians are members of local churches…. Independence—the desire to choose for yourself what’s right and wrong—is at the heart of sin. You need the humility lesson of submitting to flawed elders” (http://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/is-church-membership-really-required).

 

Old or New Covenant?

Most Christians define “church” similar to what the Gospel Coalition and other denominational organizations do: a local congregation led by an ordained elder or pastor, meeting in a sanctified edifice, and consisting of a laity who gives and serves separate from a clergy who shepherds and preaches. This construct is what the Bible calls “the old covenant” with the expectation that anyone who is following Jesus will comprehend, adhere to, and inevitably become a member of the new covenant.

The old covenant requires our dependence upon an appointed, ordained, and educated priest, prophet, pope, or pastor. The new covenant states, “none of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother” (Heb 8.10) imploring us ALL to mature to teachers, not babies dependent upon the milk of others’ knowledge (Heb 5.11-14).

The old covenant “had ordinances of divine service and the earthly sanctuary” (Heb 9.1) requiring “church” to be housed in a sanctified facility. The new covenant says “for where two or three come together in my name,” there is Church—whether where we come together is a home, a restaurant, or a park (Mt 18.20). Old covenant church is a where and when; new covenant is who and why.

The old covenant requires the priest to complete a duty dissimilar to the laity. The new covenant teaches that we are all priests (1Pt 2.9), called to ministry (2Cor 5.17-20), and required to do “our part” as a member of Christ’s Body (Eph 4.16).

Therefore, the question we must ask is this: are you becoming a member of the old or new covenant?