Membership: Expectations According to God’s Standard

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Many Christians struggle when there are no clear expectations within a church’s membership structure. By clarifying roles and responsibilities for both the member and the church at large, both can minister more effectively. 

The Need

  • Front-Door Problem: If expectations aren’t clearly defined at a member’s entry point, it is doubtful that those individuals will ever meet them.
  • Back-Door Problem: Without a defined system of evaluating and removing church members, roles get inflated, and people get overlooked.
  • Open Door Problem: Too many options in a church leave people unsure of what is necessary.
  • Closed Door Problem: Without clear guides for development within a church, people can become frustrated with a lack of forward motion.
  • Next Door Problem: Churches cannot make decisions for their members based on the activities of the other churches around them.

The Word: Hebrews 13:17

  • Within the New Testament, we never discover a Christian seeking to follow Jesus in isolation.
  • The phrase “church membership” is not found in the Bible, but the principle is taught throughout.
  • In Hebrews 13:17, the author implies two critical things:
    • Christians should know who they submit to
    • Pastors should know who they are responsible for
  • Acts 2:37-47 – The early Church tracked who was converted and how they connected.
  • Acts 6:1-7 – When problems arose within a group of Christians, a set group of pastors assigned duties to select individuals.
  • Acts 20:29-30 – Paul warns about dangerous people inside and outside the church.
  • Romans 16:1-16 – Like this chapter, many New Testament letters end with a list of specific church leaders and members.
  • 1 Corinthians 5:1-12 – Paul encourages the church to enact discipline on a sinning member among them.
  • 1 Timothy 5:3-17 – Paul gave this pastor directions on how to care for needs within his distinctive church.
  • 1 Peter 5:1-5 – Peter instructs how pastors should interact with their congregations.

The Task

  • First Step
    • How do you describe your church online and onsite?
    • What is your system for connecting people once they visit?
  • Step In
    • How is salvation assessed?
    • How is baptism handled?
    • How is membership confirmed?
  • Step Up
    • How will you connect the member to the church?
    • How will you care for the member?
  • Step Out
    • How will you utilize the giftings?
    • What process do you have to keep them on mission?