Local Church Part 2 - Membership
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“We don’t go to church, we are the church”
Ekklesia - “The assembly of citizens summoned for legislative or other purposes” (Davis Dictionary of the Bible 4th Edition). Ekklesia is also used in the NT to describe other types of Assemblies; see Acts 7:38 (II Hebrews 2:12) - Acts 19:32,39,41.
“Church” almost always refers to local bodies like us – not primarily to the global bride.
1 Corinthians 11:18 (ESV)
For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part,
if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth.
Local Churches Significance —> Membership Implied
It seems in the New Testament, especially the book of Acts, that the people keep up with a Number and have a specific set apart Group
Acts 1:15 - A group numbering about 120. Pentecost 3000 more added (Ac 2:41). It seems like the Church is counting heads and keeping records. They know who they are.
Acts 4:4 - Membership has reached about 5,000
There are commands that do not make sense without membership to a local body/Church Organization - Not “Whoever comes comes”
Christian leaders are made responsible for SPECIFIC sheep
Heb 13:17 ( 1 Peter 5:2 & Acts 20:28)
How can the leaders know who they are responsible for without membership?
Leaders must give an account about who? All Christians they ever met?
(Rom 16:1 - Deacon of the church at Cenchrae, not of all churches)
Christians are responsible to submit to and “honor” specific leaders
Same Verse - Hebrews 13:17
Clearly they must know who their leaders are, as opposed to other leaders
1 Tim 5:17-18– they have to know who to honor financially
1 Cor 9:9-14, 2 Cor 11:7-8, Gal 6:6 - are you responsible for supporting all teachers everywhere? Of course not.
2 Tim 4:3 - How do they accumulate these teachers you suppose?
Christians are told to expel wicked people (Expel from what??)
1 Cor 5:13, 2 Cor 2:6, Matt 18:15-20** - where 2 or 3 are gathered
Obviously you cannot expel someone from a church unless they belong to a church and there is a specific group to expel them from.
They Kept a List of Widows
They kept lists of widows 1 Tim 5:9, 5:16
The Congregation is Given Authority - Membership is necessary to know who is a part of this Congregational Authority.
Gal 1:6-9 – It is not the elders called to act but the congregation
2 Tim 4:3 is congregational authority used wrongly
It was not something external to the local church that had final responsibility for what happened in the local church, it was the members.
Settling disputes between Christians – Matt 18:15-17, Acts 6:1-5
Admitting/Excluding Members – 2 Cor 2:6-8, 1 Cor 5:1-13
Christians are commanded to be separate from the world. – 2 Cor 6:14, 1 Cor 5:9-10 (Middle of Discipline case - *Associate* how?)
Just as God wanted a clear line between Israel and the others, he wants a clear line between Christians and others – 2 Cor 6:14-18. This is accomplished most effectively by organized and meaningful church membership.
Allowing people to become or remain members who are not following the Lord only serves to show us as hypocrites to the community and serves the remaining member negatively by allowing he or she to think himself a Christian because of his affirmed membership by our church when he or she is not. Allowing people to remain as “members” though they do not attend faithfully or are not following the Lord faithfully does not serve us leaders well, does not serve that person well, does not serve our church well, does not serve God well.
Elders and Pastors should labor to ensure that the members and prospective members of the church are indeed regenerate saved followers of the Lord.
WHAT COULD WE DO A BETTER JOB OF? HOW SHOULD THIS AFFECT THINGS?
I want to combine services - multiple services multiple churches, with no opportunity to do these things or even know each other (John Seth)
ELDERS
An Office Appointed in Every Church - Ac 14:23. Ac 20:28. Titus 1:5, 1 Tim 3:1, Phil 1:1
Ac 20 - Shepherds, Overseers, Elders (Pastor)
Care/Manage as a Household Father
Titus 1:5 - Order
“Overseer” Titus 1:7.
Heb 13:17.
Teachers
“Able to teach”
1 Tim 5:17.
Titus 1:9.
Shepherds
1 Pet 5:1.
Eph 4:11.
1 Pet 2:25. 1 Pet 5:1-5.
Prayers
James 5:14.
Sheperd of Hermas - “Team of Elders” - 1 Tim 4:14 - Council of Elders
DEACONS
MINISTERS?
CORPORATE WORSHIP
GIVING