Membership is a commitment from an individual belonging to a particular group or club. It holds your spot letting others know you belong. There are many things we belong to today that are a membership of sorts-gyms, grocery chains, cell phone companies, Amazon Prime… There’s also clubs-book clubs, hiking club, bird-watching club.
They all use marketing tools to get us to join. We commit, even if it costs us money. Belonging is experiencing benefits for both the person and the club. Belonging doesn’t usually cost money.
Have we let going to church become a membership commitment or a club to us? Have we slipped into the mentality of its where we go for watered down grace and no requirements? Is it where we go for our “benefit?” Is it where we are seen by the world as a member? Is it just what we do on Sundays? Are we off track?
We go to church as a “coerced family” bonding and committing to one another because we go to the same church every Sunday and sit in the same seat every Sunday. We have our list of rituals or a mental list that we go through at church. It’s what we do every Sunday-greet others, get your coffee, sit down, sing 3 songs, hear the sermon, pray and leave. Commitment done! But was it done the way God would have us do it?
There are different kinds of memberships to church. Are you a mailbox member? You believe in the “association” or club but your level of participation is reading the monthly newsletter. It doesn’t matter if you’re an active member. Do we go to church once a week without participation except sitting in the same seat? We don’t see the need to be an active servant? This would be idle. “We hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies.” (2 Thess. 3:11) Are you busy being a member or just a busy body involved in everything for looks. Mailbox Christians are overly busy or idle.
Did you join to become a member of the community or simply to have the title of “member?” That title makes us look good in the world’s eyes. Your title doesn’t matter to God-your entrance to heaven will be because you loved and served Him. True servants of God have no titles. It makes it about us and who we are. “He who speaks of himself seeks his own glory; but he who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him.” (John 7:18) “The greatest among you will be called your servant.” Matt. 23:11 If you have a title (pastor, deacon, Sunday school teacher, member), are you at least faithful to it?
Was your membership free or did it cost you so much a year to join? It does not cost us anything to belong. We were bought with a price and purchased with the sinless, spotless blood of Jesus Christ. “He came not to be served but to serve others.” (Matt. 20:28) We go to church to serve others, not to be served. We go to church not to see how much we get out of belonging but to serve others and welcome them into membership or belonging. A servant is truly committed.
The weakest place to act like a “member” is at church where the environment is set up for you. It’s easy for us there. The lighting, the music, the prayer time….They are there to make us “feel good.” There’s nothing wrong with all that but if we slip into the mentality of this is what we do because we’re members, then we’re off track. True membership of belonging to Christ’s body is when we are still servants in environments where it’s hard to feel His presence-in places where there is commitment without needing that conducive environment. A servant is committed.
Are you the idle, the faithful or the committed?
Belonging is to be accepted and loved. It fulfills the need for connection with God and others. Does it cost? Membership is extended to all free of charge!
Committed members are at the core of the heart of the church. They know inside the church and outside the church who are forgotten, overlooked, neglected, discouraged, lost and they respond to them and serve them. There IS value in membership and belonging.
