Why is Membership a Discipleship Issue?
Topics: Accountability, Church Membership, Community, Faithfully Gathered, Local Church
Topics: Accountability, Church Membership, Community, Faithfully Gathered, Local Church
In this episode, Chris Rivers, Scott Mozingo, and Daniel Moore discuss the biblical and historical basis for membership in a local church. From the beginning, we read in the Scriptures how God covenanted with his people (i.e. Abraham, David) to bring salvation to man. The promise was fulfilled in Christ, and believers are now united to Christ and live in communion with him and one another. Salvation is, ultimately, not about me but we. The Church, as established by Christ and the apostles, is the living organism through which Jesus invites people to follow him, to experience life transformation, and to carry out his mission of reconciling the world to himself.
Our consumer-driven, self-reliant mindset keeps us isolated from the Body of Christ and hinders our ability to experience healing. We all have blind spots and need others to “see” for us, hold us accountable, and encourage us on the journey. Spiritual formation requires obedience, humility, a willingness to submit to authority, and a commitment to love others as Christ loves us. Because church membership is not something to dismiss or take lightly, Grace Church makes intentional efforts to prepare people for this life-changing commitment. When we commit to the local church, the church is also committing to us.
Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:36-28
Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. Matthew 16:24-25
Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Ephesians 4:11-13
Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Hebrews 13:17
Teaching: Church ReImagined Sermon Series - Family of God and Body of Christ
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