IS CHURCH MEMBERSHIP BIBLICAL? (5 of 5)

“Go and make disciples”

We all know the great commission; however, here’s something to consider: Is Jesus’ commission given to “the church” or the individual Christian? That is, do we make disciples within the confines of a sanctuary and under the auspices of clergy or is Jesus commanding every individual member of Christ’s body to go and make disciples?

If we say Jesus commands only the clergy to make disciples, then we’ll have to consider if Jesus only commands pastors to “be witnesses” (Acts 1.8), “preach the Word” (2Tim 4.1), “love one another” (John 13.34) and “do good” (Gal 6.10). God commands us all to be witnesses, preach the Word, love one another, do good, AND make disciples. It’s not a congregational commission but an individual initiative.

What did Jesus do?

If Jesus individually commissions us to make disciples then should we engage in discipleship individually or communally? That is, should we make disciples congregationally (large group classes) or individually (one-on-one or one-on-two to three)?

Let’s ask another question: are we making disciples of Jesus or of [insert name, group, or denomination] here? If we make disciples congregationally, then how are we exemplifying a personal relationship with Jesus Christ? How does 1 provide accountability for 200? What covenant are we promoting when discipleship only occurs within the confines of a brick and mortar “temple?”

You can count on one hand the number of times Jesus required church membership. Actually, such a list would’ve been a death warrant shortly after His resurrection because Jesus NEVER required what we call essential.

“Teach them to obey everything I commanded you”

Instead, His disciples taught others as they were trained by Him. Jesus began His ministry with two of John the Baptist’s disciples who later invited their biological brothers to join the fellowship (John 1.35-42). One of those brothers was Peter, of whom Jesus said, “Blessed are you… for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father…. You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church” (Mt 16.17-19). In other words, what Jesus did for Peter is the foundation upon which the Church is built, not the old covenant church confined by walls and run by priests, but the new covenant church Peter understood all too well.

Peter writes to those he discipled, “You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1Pt 2.4-5). No other verse so succinctly summarizes the message of the New Covenant than Peter, Jesus’ rock, does here. Peter’s revelation came directly from God, not man, and his relationship was personal, not congregational.

The question:

Is the requirement for church membership biblical? Jesus told His disciples a parable about how only old wineskins can contain old wine, and new wineskins only new wine. He ended this parable with this remark: “No one after drinking the old wine wants the new, for he says, ‘The old is better.’

If our definition of “church” is old covenant, then we won’t like the taste of the new. If you are a member of the New Covenant Church then a requirement to join the old covenant will seem quite unbiblical.