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Biblical church membership is important in churches. While it may be tempting to just clean the rolls and start from scratch in a revitalization with bloated rolls, there are better ways to go about this.
Today’s Listener Question:
FROM JUSTIN
What are your recommendations for leading a church to a healthy view of meaningful membership? And what are your thoughts about “inactive” membership as a “middle way” for those who are hesitant with removing non-attending members from the rolls?
Episode Highlights:
- “Before removing inactive members from the church roll, you’re going to need the leadership of the church supporting the direction.”
- Too many church members see a church membership roll as equal to the Lamb’s Book of Life.
- For healthy church discipline to occur, healthy church membership must first be present.
- You church’s mission and vision should be tied to healthy membership.
The five keys to leading a church to meaningful membership that we discuss are:
- Learn tactical patience
- Emphasize a new members’ class
- Give examples of other churches
- Work on the membership rolls
- Tie the vision to healthy membership
Resources mentioned in this episode include:
- I Am a Church Member
- CrossPoint Church – Trussville, AL
- ChurchReplanters.com
- ChurchAnswers.com
- Replanter Assessment
- Find more resources at the Revitalize & Replant page at ThomRainer.com
Submit Your Question:
Do you have a question about church revitalization or replanting for us to use on the podcast? Visit the podcast page to submit your question. If we use it on the show, you’ll get a copy of Autopsy of a Deceased Church and Reclaiming Glory.
I have been in a meeting to remove the pastor. The lady sitting next to my wife said that she had not been there in seven years. She had been called to come vote in this meeting. The pastor was voted out and those who stood with the pastor sadly went off to start another church leaving the “cheaters” left to run the church. Although the church documents allowed them to call people that had been gone seven years that kind of process is not ethical and the “leaders” should have known that.
Dividing a church is not good. We need a strong unified Body of Christ.
Robby Gallaty was the one who mentioned Wesley – Episode 190.
It would seem that “church membership”, while it does enable a church to manage its finances, and I’m sure have dozens of other benefits, creates as you yourself acknowledge, a faulty, and even potentially deadly false self assurance that a person is saved simply because they are card carrying members. Biblical ignorance and apathy within today’s church would seem to only exacerbate this. Add to this that membership / commitment to a specific local body isn’t really even a biblical requirement. I say this even as I myself am a member of a local church. My intent here isn’t to be difficult, but rather that as a result of reading this article, it has forced me to reconsider church membership, and the potential harm that might result from it, leading me to ask “are the benefits of membership worth the risks to the souls of others?
Robert –
Respectfully, I would disagree. Commitment to a local body is explicit in Paul’s letter to specific people in specific congregations in specific communities. And 1 Corinthians 12 is an explicit mandate for the members at Corinth to function together as the body of Christ.
In todays mixed up cruel and impersonal world, we need the Word of the Lord and the church more than ever.
You may have discussed this… my church welcomes everyone and let’s people know they are welcome to become a member of the church. That is different from being a Voting Member. Voting Members have no “benefits” other than voting. Leadership expects Voting Members to agree on doctrine, the mission statement, and vision for the church. You are also asked to tithe and volunteer as you are able. Of course living a Christian lifestyle is a given. With over 2000 in attendance, there are about 300 voting members. To be a voting member one must take allegiance to this one specific church a priority in their life while also embracing the community around us.
Thanks, Charles. A number of churches have indeed become more specific and explicit about church membership requirements.
We are finding a different view of church membership at one local church. There is no roll. If you attend regularly you may vote. Up to your own conscience. They seem to have quite loyal and long time attenders. Just no written down somewhere or voted on membership.
What IS stressed is membership in THE CHURCH, as in being a born again believer rather than a church member.
New to me. Opinions?