Membership
People will sometimes ask, “Does God expect me to be a member of a local church whereby I formally and publicly commit myself to faithful, sacrificial service, and accountability to a local assembly?” The answer is, absolutely! In fact, the New Testament knows no other kind of Christian. Why wouldn’t you want to make that kind of commitment?
The Lord has purchased us with His very blood and at salvation the Holy Spirit placed us into the invisible, universal church, the Body of Christ that finds its visible expression in the local church. Why wouldn’t you want to be a part of the only institution on earth that God has promised to build and bless?
Pastor Harrell has explained the New Testament concept of church membership in his discourse entitled “Seven Reasons for Church Membership.” We would encourage you to hear it. The “Seven Reasons” he describes are as follows:
- To Distinguish Believers from Unbelievers
- To Facilitate the Orderly Administration of a Church
- To Discover, Develop, and Use Your Spiritual Gifts
- To Enjoy the Benefits of Divine Shepherding
- To Exalt Christ in Public Worship
- To Be a Corporate Witness in Evangelism
- To Enjoy the Blessings of Fellowship
It is our prayer that these principles will serve as a guide if you think the Lord is leading you to become a part of our church family.