Biblical Understanding of Church Membership

Why do we call it “membership” instead of “Fellowship” ???

You've heard the story a thousand times - or maybe you've lived it. A couple begins attending a local church. They enjoy
the music, and like the sermons just fine. After about a year or so the pastor, or perhaps an elder, approaches them about
formalizing their affiliation with the church in membership. But they either politely decline or become squeamishly
uncomfortable, or maybe even take offense. The pastor trots out a few of the attractive new programs in which they could
be involved, and mentions a few of the tantalizing youth activities that might make them reconsider their place on the
fence. But to no avail. A month later they leave, in search of a more comfortable anonymity.

So why does this happen? Why is it that so many people lack the desire to become members of the local churches they're
already attending? Or perhaps even more disturbing, you know of churches with membership rolls that far outstrip
attendance numbers. Why is it that so many of those who are already members fail to take their involvement seriously? No
doubt, part of the reason for a lack of interest in church membership and its entailments is that the commitment-phobia of
our culture - always waiting for a better deal to come along - coupled with the consumerism of our times that shops
around to get the most for the least - has radically affected the way many people think about their church involvement. But
some of the blame must surely be laid at the door of local churches whose teaching on the biblical reasons, benefits, and
entailments of local church membership has been ambiguous at best. Many pastors have been taught to treat people like
consumers, and so they rig up various props and programs designed to entice and attract. Indeed, in many churches there
is little discussion at all regarding the biblical moorings and obligations of local church membership. Not surprisingly,
when many regular attenders look at the lives of church members, they don't see anything very different. The members
may have gone through an initial class and may attend pretty faithfully. But non-members can attend just as often, and are
usually served in many of the same ways.

So what distinguishes a member from a regular attender - a vote at the annual business meeting? Is there clear biblical
reason for emphasizing membership in the local church? Why is it better to be a member than simply a regular attender,
especially if membership entails further obligation? What does it mean to be a member of your church? What is it that
potential members are asked to commit themselves to? How are members asked to live out that commitment in practical
ways?

What is the Church?

Before we think about what local church membership should mean, we'd be wise to ask the more basic question: What is
it that I join when I join with a local church?

The Church is NOT...

• ...a loose affiliation of people who hold roughly the same religious beliefs, no matter what those beliefs might be.
I'm not joining a religious club when I join a church.

• ...a building. A building is simply a place to meet. I'm not going to an exclusive clubhouse when I go to church.

• ...a non-profit organization with a clear vision statement and lucid objectives. I'm not joining an altruistic or
philanthropic society when I join a church.

The Church IS...

• ...a regular assembly of people who profess and give evidence that they have been saved by God's grace alone, for
His Glory alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.

• ...a local, living, and loving collection of people who are committed to Christ and committed to each other.

• ...a display of God's wisdom and Glory (Eph 3:10).

• ...a display of counter-cultural, Christ-like love (John 13:35).

Church membership is thus for believers only. It is not for those who simply give cognitive assent to the Gospel. It
is for those whose lives evidence an increasing application of the principles of the Gospel to the situations of their everyday
lives, and whose character increasingly reflects the holiness of God.
Biblical Background for Church membership {none for a written record or signing of a contract}

While we do not find indisputable proof texts for local church membership, we do find passages that imply at least
informal membership in local assemblies.

• Paul's exclusion of the sinner at Corinth presupposes formal inclusion. {an incorrect assumption. No
proof} Paul exhorts the Corinthian church to remove a brother from their ranks who was sinning in a way not even
approved by pagans.

You have become arrogant and have not mourned instead, so that the one who had done this deed
would be removed from your midst.... Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as
you are in fact unleavened. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed... I wrote you in my letter
not to associate with immoral people; I did not at all mean with the immoral people of this world, or
with the covetous and swindlers, or with idolaters, for then you would have to go out of the world. But
actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or
covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler - not even to eat with such a one. For
what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? But those
who are outside, God judges. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves (1Cor 5:2, 7, 12-13).

• Paul is calling for the exclusion of this immoral brother, which would imply that it meant something to be
included in that church. He would lose the privileges of membership previously conferred upon him. But
exclusion DOES NOT presupposes formal inclusion.

• Paul's reference to "the majority" in 2 Cor. 2:6-7 seems to refer to a group commonly recognized
as the church's members. {that is NOT what is stated in the text} Sufficient for such a one is this punishment
which was inflicted by the whole congregation, at least υπο των πλειονων, "by the more";, so that on the
contrary you should rather forgive and comfort him, otherwise such a one might be overwhelmed by excessive
sorrow.

• The early church kept a list of widows. {No they did not. No record ever, No list is mentioned.} We know
from the widow list mentioned in 1Tim 5:9 {the apostle means the those who were deaconesses in the
Church; and that no widow was to be admitted into that rank who did not answer to the following
character. See on 1Ti_5:10 } that lists of people were kept and tracked. If widows were listed, it is likely that a
list of current members was kept and updated as well.

• God Himself keeps a list of all believers. {An analogy only, NOT an actual book.} Indeed, true companion, I
ask you also to help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the Gospel, together with Clement
also and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life (Phil 4:3). ...and nothing unclean, and
no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into [the New Jerusalem], but only those whose
names are written in the Lamb's book of life (Rev 21:27).

• God has always made a clear distinction between His people and the world. Drawing this distinction
was the reason for the ceremonial and civil laws of the Old Covenant - these laws distinguished Israel from the
nations surrounding them, as a people set apart to the Lord. Such clarity of distinction between God's people and
the world argues for clarity and specificity on our membership rolls. {grasping for straws}

What Does Church Membership Signify? Sign Language

Church membership signifies a church's corporate endorsement of a person's salvation.

• If we believe that only genuinely converted Christians are to be members of the local church, then it makes sense
to take time to hear people's testimonies and listen for evidences of godly fruit and increasing holiness in their
lives.

• When the church approaches membership in this way, membership can function as the church's corporate witness
to the fact that the new member does indeed increasingly display the fruits and characteristics of a genuine
Christian.
Church membership signifies an individual commitment to grasp hold of one another in mutual love and
discipleship.

• By identifying ourselves with a particular church, we let the pastors and other members of that local church know
that we intend to be committed in attendance, giving, prayer, and service.

• We increase others' expectations of us in these areas, and we make it known that we are the responsibility of this
local church. We assure the church of our commitment to Christ in serving with them, and we call for their
commitment to serve us in love and to encourage us in our discipleship.

• In short, we enter a covenant {NOT contractual} relationship with that church and its leadership.

Church membership signifies a regular responsibility that involves people in each other's lives for the
purposes of the Gospel.

• Church membership should not be viewed as a loose affiliation useful to members only on occasion. This is a self-
centered way of looking at membership. It says, "I want to join this club for the benefits that it can offer me. But as
soon as it starts demanding more than I feel I'm receiving, I think I'll start looking around."

• Church membership is not a set of rights that I purchase with my giving. It is a set of responsibilities that I commit
myself to, to carrying out, both for and with other members in Gospel fellowship, work, and joy.

Church membership signifies an inward love for God and His people.

• By joining ourselves with God's people in local church membership, we show that we want to covenant with them
to help and be helped, encourage and be encouraged, rebuke and be rebuked. In other words, we show that we
want to love God's people, and be loved by them.

• According to 1John, this willingness to love God's people is the fundamental indicator of our heart's disposition
towards God Himself. If someone says "I love God", but hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not
love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have
from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also (1John 4:20-21).

What are the Criteria for Church Membership?

Regeneration

Churches should be careful to allow only genuine believers into the covenant of church membership. Why?

Because of who the church is.

• By definition, the church is the gathered people of God. Those who are not a part of that people are welcome as
visitors. But membership in a local church only belongs rightly to those who already belong to God by faith in His
Son Jesus the Christ.

• Unregenerate members do not share the same spiritual DNA as Christians. Infusing the Church with their blood
will lead to complication, infection, and potential fatality.

Because of how the church operates.

• By speaking truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the
whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each
individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. (Eph 4:15-16).

• The growth of the body comes from Christ. But Christ causes that growth through the instrumental working of
each individual part. Unregenerate members therefore do not contribute to the growth of the body because they
have no proper function in it.
Because of the covenant that membership signifies.

• To enter church membership is to enter into a covenant with the other members and the pastors. It is a
commitment to being meaningfully involved in the lives of other members to do them good spiritually.

• Therefore, when we allow non-Christians into our membership, we are allowing them intimate access to the lives
and struggles of other members - allowing them to informally counsel, comfort, rebuke, correct, teach and train.

• In limiting membership to Christians, we are protecting the flock from being infiltrated by wolves in sheep's
clothing

Observable Fruit

In discerning who is a genuine believer, the most reliable criteria for which we can look is the fruit of godly character and
actions. Why demand such fruit?

Because Jesus advises us to do so.

• Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will
know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every
good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad
tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then,
you will know them by their fruits (Matt 7:15-20).

• Cf. also John 15:1-11; Gal 5:22-23; James 2:14-26; 2Peter 1:4-11; 1John 3:10.

Because other criteria are unreliable.

• Emotions ebb. Expressiveness in worship can be merely external. Clarity in talking about spiritual things has been
achieved by the unconverted. Being entrusted with responsibilities or positions at church does not necessarily
imply godliness. And the use of apparently spiritual gifts can be fatally deceptive (Matt 7:21-23).

• Increasing conformity to God's character is the only sure yardstick to measure the genuineness of confession.

What are the Entailments of Church Membership?

R&B (Repentance and Belief) or R&R (Remembrance)

The most important entailment of local church membership is a lifestyle of repentance and belief. One must make a
genuine commitment to consistently repent of known sin as it occurs, and to continually believe in Jesus' death and
resurrection as the only basis of acquittal before God.

More specifically, this lifestyle of repentance and belief should be evidenced in three concrete steps.

Baptism. This is the first way we are commanded to express our death and resurrection with Jesus the Christ.

• Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the
Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you... (Matt 28:19-20).

Statement of Faith. The most important thing we unite around is the message we proclaim - the Gospel.

• For this reason, it is healthy to require people read and agree to the church's statement of faith. This way,
everyone knows what the church is united around, and doctrinal division is less likely to occur.

Church Covenant. The second most important thing we unite around is the lifestyle demanded by the message we
claim to believe. For this reason, it is healthy to ask people to commit to the principles and priorities of a church
covenant. {only a contract requires a signature}

• This way, everyone knows what it means to be a member, what is expected of them when they join, and when they
are falling short of fulfilling their covenant obligations as members.
Five Basic Responsibilities of Membership

• Attend regularly. If we don't attend, we can't be edified, and the pastors can't get to know us in a way that
meaningfully informs their shepherding care of us.

• Give regularly. If we don't give, the pastors can't fully devote themselves to preaching and teaching, the
missionaries have to come home, and the lights will have to be turned off in the building.

• Pray regularly. One of the most basic ways we can edify and encourage one another towards greater obedience,
holiness, and joy is through prayer. Pray through your church's directory a page a day, using the Scripture you're
reading in your devotions.

• Attend communion services. It is an ordinance commanded by the Lord for our joy in and remembrance of Him.
It binds us together as a believing community, and reminds us of the significance of Christ's death.

• Attend business meetings. We should care enough about the life of our local church to attend business meetings
and to contribute to them in helpful ways by being quick to listen and gentle in speech. {my most profound sin}

Why is Meaningless Membership Dangerous? {those not “plugged-in”, not involved}

Meaningless membership refers to the common practice of neglecting to tie church membership to specific
responsibilities, priorities, expectations, privileges, and sanctions. It is dangerous for the following four reasons.

Meaningless membership sends a confusing witness to the surrounding community.

• When we fail to tie membership to specific obligations, we allow people to become members without them feeling
any particular obligation or accountability to live and teach as the church lives and teaches.

• The poor behavior of many members in such a low accountability environment often taints the church's corporate
witness in the community and confuses unbelievers around us about what it means to be a Christian. It makes the
church look hypocritical when an immature or unconverted member sins, repeatedly, in a publicly known way.

Meaningless membership causes division due to the sin of unconverted members.

• When we uncritically allow mere verbal professors of Christ to enjoy membership in the local church, such
members can become sources of division within the church. The church is a web of mutually sanctifying
relationships. One quarrelsome unbeliever can sow many seeds of division by slavery to sins like gossip, anger,
lying, and covetousness.

• Division is especially likely if the verbal professor of Christianity has natural teaching ability and is able to
propound his own views over against those of the church by teaching Sunday Schools or leading Bible studies with
false motives. When this happens, meaningless membership has led to the infiltration of false teachers.

Meaningless membership causes ambiguity regarding the duties of membership.

• When we fail to tie church membership to specific duties, new members don't have any concrete understanding of
that to which they are committing.

• When members do not understand exactly what their responsibilities are, they are left without a practical
yardstick by which to faithfully examine their own behavior or to hold their Christian brother or sister
accountable.

Meaningless membership leads to the self-deception of irresponsible members.

• Church membership is a local church's affirmation that an individual is bearing fruit that evidences repentance.
Failing to tie church membership to duty and obligation communicates to the lazy and unconverted that the diligent
killing of indwelling sin is unnecessary, and that observable growth in practical holiness is for the few, not for all.

• Such failure communicates the church's tacit approval of the idea that a person can be a genuine Christian and
anticipate entrance into the Kingdom of God while simultaneously indulging complacence with spiritual inactivity and
disobedience.
Three Reasons to Join a Local Church

Join a church for the sake of non-Christians.

• Church membership helps make the Gospel clear to non-Christians by providing a unified witness of what it
means to be a Christian.

• Membership provides this unified witness by implementing a statement of faith, encouraging unity in doctrine,
and a church covenant, encouraging unity in lifestyle.

Join a church for the sake of weaker Christians.

• God is not merely concerned about our own private piety, but also about our care for the other sheep. This is a
whole aspect of godliness that privatized Christians ignore. If we don't love God's people, then John says we have
reason to question our love for God Himself (1John 4:8).

• God wants us to encourage weaker Christians and run the race with them. Don't leave it to other people to care for
those outside your circle of friends. This is your responsibility.

• Members should see themselves as providers - coming to serve others, not to be served.

Join a church for the sake of the church leaders.

• If regular attenders don't eventually make themselves known to the pastor as members of the church, then the
pastor cannot take responsibility for them as part of his particular flock. Pastors need to know his sheep so that
they can tend to them most responsibly and effectively and with joy. (Heb 13:17). {Hermeneutically, this is so far
from the reality}

• If regular attenders don't join churches, then pastors cannot be freed to do what they do. Pastors can only devote
themselves to the ministry because they are set free to do so by members who fund their work. Regular attenders
benefit from the commitment of other people who have become members and who give and serve and pray
regularly. {this whole section is Unbiblical – a Pastor should NEVER be funded by only his flock, but that’s a
whole’nother Study}

More Reasons to Join a Church

Join For the Corporate Health of the Church

Join a church to expose false Gospels.

• The best defense is often a good offense. God wants us to band together in love so that we can model Christianity
for the world. This is often how we best debunk messages that masquerade as biblical Christianity but are really
different messages altogether.

• Christians are called to differentiate the true Gospel from false ones, to defend it against distortion, and to prevent
it from being perverted. We do these things best together because we are sharpened by each other's insight,
encouragement, and correction.

Join a church to edify the church.

• Some people refuse to join a local church because they feel they would be slowed down in their spiritual growth if
they joined. Perhaps. But maybe God wants such people to join a church to help speed other people up.
Membership doesn't stop with M-E.

• Joining a local church counters wrong individualism, helping us live out the corporate nature of Christianity. The
NT is full of injunctions to care for each other. This is part of what it means to be a Christian. So if we think we are
mature, yet lack a care for Christ's body that evidences itself in carrying out the responsibilities of local church
membership, we hurt the church, and we are not yet as mature as we presume to be.
Join For Your Individual Health as a Christian

Join a church for your own spiritual protection.

• We can't always read our own souls perfectly. We can deceive ourselves, and we therefore need other people to
help us walk as individual Christians (Jer 17:9; Ps 19:12).

• The Bible speaks of people as sheep. Sheep aren't meant to be wandering around on their own recognizance
between folds. Sheep are dumb. We fall into ravines when we are by ourselves. We need to be shepherded into
folds.

• So we need to exercise the humility to view ourselves as sheep and submit ourselves to a local body of believers for
mutual encouragement, protection, and examination. It is our wisdom and safety to humbly stay with the flock
and near a good shepherd who grazes, guides and guards us.

Join a church for your own spiritual assurance.

• In joining a church, we are asking our church family to hold us accountable to live according to what we confess.
Membership in a local church is that congregation's public testimony that your life gives continual evidence of
regeneration.

• In joining a church, we are taking hold of one another to know and to be known in mutual responsibility and care,
so that we can make sure we are bearing the fruit of holiness, "without which no one will see the Lord" (Heb 12:14;
cf. John 14:21; 15:10, 14).

The Best Reason to Join a Church

Join for God

Join a Church for the sake of God's name.

• The building up of the church is ultimately GOD'S work. The LORD added to their number daily those who were
being saved (Acts 2:42, 47).

• Saul, Saul, why do you persecute ME (Acts 9:4). Jesus so closely identified himself with His church that He said
Saul was persecuting Him when he was persecuting the church.

• If Jesus identified himself closely with the church, we should too. By our being together in a church, we are giving
testimony and praise to God through our lives as we live and love each other together.

• It would be easy to put on programs and attract people, and allow people to enjoy being in the choir and having
homogenous friendships in small groups, but never deal with the most important issues.

• We could service people socially, but will they be committed to pray, give, serve, love, and attend? These are the
marks of a faithful Christian, and these are the characteristics and actions that give God Glory in the church.

Join a Church for the sake of God's cause.

• God wants His Glory displayed and His Gospel spread to all the nations.

• "It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved
ones of Israel; I will also make you a light to the nations so that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth"
(Isa 49:6).

• We can take God's Glory and Gospel to the nations better if we band together than if we remain alone.

• Being part of God's plan to spread His Glory and Gospel to all nations is a privilege that we will not have in
heaven. We seize the privilege of evangelism best if we work together as one diverse unity.
The Reflecting Pool

• Does the Bible make explicit mention of membership rolls or lists in a local church? Where? If you think so, is it
implicit? Read 1Cor 12:14-26. How can church membership help us, as Christians, to live out these obligations we
have, to one another as Christ's body?

• Do most of the members of your church view membership as a loose affiliation useful only on occasion, or more as
a regular responsibility involving them in each other's lives for the purposes of the Gospel? What are the
responsibilities of a church member? How can the fulfillment of those responsibilities contribute to the work of
the Gospel?

• Why might it be true that church membership is dangerous unless it is the reflection of a living commitment to
Christ? What does a living commitment to Christ and His church look like?

• Church membership is a church's corporate testimony to an individual member's salvation. Read Hebrews 13:17.
The Bible teaches that church leaders will be required to give an account for those they instruct. Do you think this
"account" will simply be a statement that a person once made a decision for Christ, or is it a knowledgeable
testimony that a person is faithfully bearing fruit in the Gospel? How does this affect our understanding of who
should be in our membership?

How would a biblical understanding of church membership make our witness to non-Christians clearer?

How would it make it more difficult for weaker Christians to stray while still considering themselves Christians?

How would it help to give shape and focus to the discipleship of mature Christians?

Why do we call it “membership” instead of “Fellowship” ???

Matthew Henry - Commentary on the whole Bible, 6 v. - 1662-1714

3,072,000+ words -- member=68, church-membership=18
check out: Romans 3:1-18, and Hebrews 6:1-8

Dr. John Gill - Exposition on the Entire Bible 1690-1771

4,200,000 words {focus on Hebrew & Greek meanings} -- member=164, membership=3

Adam Clarke - Commentary on the whole Bible 6 v. - 1715-1832

4,800,000 words over 40 years -- member=84, membership=0

Albert Barnes - Notes on New and Old Testaments - 1798-1870

547,460+ words -- member=170, membership=6

John Nelson Darby - Synopsis of the Books of the Bible 5v.{D.L. Moody’s inspiration} 1800-1882
780,000 words -member=12, membership=1
See notes on: 1Cor 12:1-31 "In the New Testament there is no other membership than that of Christ, except that they are
members of each other, as forming the entire body, but never members of a church; the idea is different. The word
speaks of the members of a body, like that of man as a figure, never of the members of an assembly in the modern sense
of the word. We are members of Christ, and consequently of the body of Christ; so were the Corinthians, as far as that
body was manifested at Corinth."
 “Church” “membership” or “Fellowship”
from a Biblical and Theological standpoint
from theopedia.com

Membership requires both discipleship and love (cf. John 13:8). Church membership affiliates an individual believer
with a specific local congregation. It is often a formalized public declaration of commitment to the church (e.g. baptism,
profession of faith, personal testimony, church rolls), in a manner that varies depending on the customs of the
congregation. Many modern, independent churches reject the idea of membership, believing it to be an unnecessary and
human addition to belonging to the body the Christ and to the "invisible church".

Church membership viewed biblically is an obligation of discipleship and love that derives from being united
with Christ by grace through faith, and from the discipline that the Lord, Jesus the Christ, has committed to the church, to
preserve its orderliness, purity and peace.

Membership, in this sense, is assumed throughout the New Testament, and taught explicitly. For example, Paul teaches
that Christians are members of one another as well of Christ, and that this unity is visible and practical in the church. He
likens the visible church to a physical body of which the Christ is the head, to which believers are joined and held together
by love.

... we, though many, are one body through the Christ, and individually members one of another. - (Romans 12:5)' ...
speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into the Christ, from whom the
whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly,
makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. - (Ephesians 4:15, 16) For the purpose of caring for and
strengthening this body, and for the cooperative action of all of its members, the grace of the Christ provides leaders:

... he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of
ministry, for building up the body of the Christ. - (Ephesians 4:11) This discipline is not optional to the Christian life, but
is enjoined by the command of the word of God: Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over
your souls. (Hebrews 13:17)

The apostle likens those outside of this government to children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by
every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. (Ephesians 4:14)

These duties and privileges of love in the visible church, which constitute the orderliness and ministry of the church that is
incumbent upon every member of Christ, might be represented in modern churches by customary conventions such as
membership rolls, public profession, baptismal records, membership vows, congregational meetings, the privilege of
voting, church courts, judicial procedures, and the like. It is easy to be misled by such human, mundane institutional and
courtroom language, about the divine character and spiritual nature of church membership.

History

The history of church membership in Evangelical churches begins with the Catholic Church, which implements its
discipline over all the baptized, through a traditional sacramental system, governing the progressions of life from cradle to
grave. Essentially, in this way the church presses the insistence upon every baptized child that he is "in" unless he insisted
on being "out", and the sacramental system was designed to strengthen his piety through which he might hope
for salvation.

For a beginning contrast, the Reformers only acknowledged two sacraments: Baptism and the Lord's table, and placed a
much stronger emphasis on faith as the only instrument by which the grace of God is effectual for salvation. Furthermore,
the Radical Reformation, and the Baptist movement later, asserted that baptism is only valid if voluntary ("believer's
baptism"). These two departures from Catholic practice immediately produced a variety of approaches to membership in
Protestant churches. National churches adopted some version of a parish system. In these cases geography was significant
of jurisdiction, as in the Roman Catholic Church, so that it was not exceptional for members of the parish, though
baptized, never to profess Christian faith. Furthermore, it is under these assumptions of geographical jurisdiction that
dissenting groups were subject to church censures and civil persecution. But the core principles of the Reformation
naturally gave weight to conversion, to conscience, and thus to voluntarism which is most radically expressed by
the Anabaptists and the Baptists (in which the discipline of membership can only be entered into pursuant to the
expressed will of those who profess faith, and can be dissolved in the same way).

Between these two opposite directions, the Independents of England (the Congregationalists) were a middle ground. They
adopted a view similar to the Anabaptists, that the covenantal relation between the church and its members is literally a
contract between two consenting parties. However, unlike the Anabaptists, Congregationalists practice infant baptism,
which is not voluntary. The basic dilemma which faces Congregationalism's contractual view of the church is, how to
regard the status of those who have been baptized but have not made a credible profession of faith in the Lord Jesus the
Christ. And what was to be done with those who, like Roger Williams), thought the church was in error and demanded
separation?

Especially in America, this became a delicate issue, because the Independent Puritans had tied civil privileges to church
membership, much as did the national churches that resulted from the Reformation. And, because the history of
the Presbyterian church is identical to that of the Congregationalists in the early history of the colonies in America, these
churches inherited some of the political reasoning, as well as some of the problems, of the Congregationalists' contractual
conception of the church. Some of these issues are encountered by all Evangelical churches in a Free church tradition or
situation (not a national church), as in the United States.

The Puritan dilemma can be illustrated by the early history of the Congregationalists/Presbyterians in America. The Half-
Way Covenant, adopted by the synods of 1657 and 1662, had made baptism alone the condition to the civil privileges of
church membership, but not of participation in the sacrament of the Lord's Supper. Solomon Stoddard, had been even
more liberal, holding that the Supper was a converting ordinance and that baptism was a sufficient title to all the privileges
of the church.^[1]^ Jonathan Edwards had argued that admittance to the Lord's Supper required an identifiable personal
crisis of conversion. Added to this problem and its unique history in the Presbyterian church, there is also the enormous
cultural influence of the Baptists, which strongly emphasizes the individual and the voluntary aspects of membership in a
church. Children in Baptist churches are members of Christian families, but not members of the Church until they profess
faith and are baptized. The Baptist view of the church easily adapted to, and instigated the perfection of, complete
separation of church membership from civic privilege and obligation.

In this environment, a strong current of voluntarism swept through churches of all traditions, especially in the 19th
century (the "Second Great Awakening"). This broad cultural movement even more completely frustrated any view of
church membership and discipline beyond the local congregation, and in practice the individual's decision to join or to
depart from the church is completely determinative of his standing in the church - the very idea of "status of membership"
became descriptive only of whether the believer chooses to associate himself, or not.

This does not necessarily result in a lax view of membership, however, in the context of the local congregation.
Membership in the local congregation, whether viewed as a mystical bond (as in Shepherding churches), or as essentially a
legal contract between the individual and the body (the Congregationalist theory) is sometimes taken with extreme
seriousness. However, the actions of one congregation do not bind another, except at the discretion of the other
congregation. Regardless of the polity of the denomination, this presumption of the radical prerogatives of the individual
prevails in American churches by sheer force of cultural momentum.

In reaction to the general collapse of the idea of church membership, some churches associated with the Reformed
movement have attempted to implement a very restrictive version of the contractual conception of the church. Gary North
succinctly described this legal view of membership, when he wrote, "There are only three lawful ways out of a local
congregation: by death, by letter of transfer, and by excommunication." This has produced a controversy in some circles,
especially where congregations move from a position in which membership is seen as essentially voluntary to a belief that
church membership is a contract that cannot be voluntarily dissolved. Particularly, where infant baptism is practiced, the
result has been a re-discovery in a fresh context of the Puritan dilemma, of centuries ago. This is especially problematic
where the submission of the members is not balanced by a leadership that is itself subject to discipline. With the
proliferation of paedocommunion in some quarters, a new element is added to that dilemma. ^[2]^ This debate over the
status of membership underscores a more meaningful debate about the connection between formal Church membership
and conversion.^[3]^

Reformed church Membership {contractual}

The typical Free church view of Membership is seen in the Reformed denominations, in the United States. Conversion
experiences of various stages and kinds are expected, but these are not the pre-requisite of Membership. A public
profession of faith is required however, before taking communion or participating in the government of the church.
Membership normally includes voluntary submission to leadership, usually attested by vows. However, these vows are not
usually interpreted in a strictly legal sense, and therefore these churches sometimes explicitly provide an expedient for
dealing with cases in which the Member is no longer willing to be subject to the discipline of the church. Some procedures
mention "renunciation of jurisdiction", which means that the Member rejects the authority of this particular church at this
point in time. In any case the grant or revocation of Membership is an act of the church, and is not a strictly voluntary
matter.
OPC

In the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, membership can only be granted or terminated by the decision of the session, which
will take into account but not be determined by the individual's desires. In their view good order assumes the voluntary
submission of the member to the government of the church, through faith in Christ (as indicated by their vows); but if this
is lacking the session has the "option of discretion", and may dissolve membership if the session believes that it is in the
spiritual interest of the member. This may be done as an alternative to other forms of discipline over a member who has
indicated a desire to renounce membership in a disorderly way, in which case the OPC sees erasure as a form of discipline,
"tantamount to excommunication" ^ [4]^. This allows the session to terminate other forms of discipline even in cases
where a judicial form of discipline has already been initiated. ^[5]^ The right of appeal is provided for every final judicial
action, which includes erasure. ^[6]^

Typical of Reformed churches, members are received one of 4 ways^[7]^:

1. Through transfer (from a church of like faith and practice approved by the session, including OPC churches)

2. Through reaffirmation of faith (previously confessed his faith and united with a church other than a church of
like faith and practice)

3. Confession of faith (not previously been a communicant member of the church)

4. By baptism:

o Noncommunicant unbaptized children whose parent(s) are members of the church shall be received by
baptism.

o Noncommunicant baptized members may be received with their parent(s).

Membership can only be terminated by the session, in cases of:^[8]^

1. Transfer out (II.B.3.a,b)

2. Erasure:

1. Leaving without permission of the session (variety of circumstances: II.B.3.d.1,3,5)

2. A desire to no longer be in fellowship with the session (II.B.3.d.2)

3. After being missing for 2 years

3. By ordination as a teaching elder

4. Excommunication

5. Death

PCA

In the Presbyterian Church in America, all baptized persons (including non-communicant members) are entitled to the
watchful care, instruction and government of the church, even though they are adults and have made no profession of
their faith in Christ. (6-3) Thus All baptized persons, being members of the Church are subject to its discipline and
entitled to the benefits thereof (27-2) Communing members are those who have made a profession of faith in Christ,
have been baptized, and have been admitted by the Session to the Lord's Table.^ [9]^

A member has a positive obligation to transfer his membership upon moving geographically outside the bounds of the
congregation. (46-1)

1. A member may transfer out (38-3a)

2. Affiliating with another church which is failing to maintain the Word and Sacraments in their fundamental
integrity then they are erased (38-3b)

3. Being absent for one year (38-4), (46-2)

PC(USA)

The Presbyterian Church (USA) recognizes an obligation on the part of the congregation to allow persons to join in
membership ^[10]^ Also, Does not teach that Scripture is inerrant, and allows for the ordination of both men and women,
including non-celibate homosexuals.

Any persons may enter into active church membership in the following ways: by profession of faith, reaffirmation of faith
in Jesus the Christ, or transfer of certificate from some other church. They divide their membership into 4 classes Baptized
(baptized but no profession of faith), Active (made a profession of faith), Inactive (member that does not participate),
Affiliate (an active member of another church attending). Members, church officers, elders and ministers have the right to
renounce jurisdiction at any time.

EPC

The Evangelical Presbyterian Church recognizes:^[11]^

• Confirmed Members: Those who have been baptized and who have made a public profession of their faith and
been admitted to active membership by the Church Session

• Baptized Members: Baptized children of members

• Affiliate Members: Persons separated geographically from their home church

• Inactive Members: These are members who have not attended within the last year yet have not yet gone
another year and been erased.

They see membership as a right, The Church Session may not deny membership for any reason not related to profession
of faith and obedience. (BOG9-2A) The EPC also provides a formal process which requires the session to accept any
member's renunciation of jurisdiction, either in writing or verbal. ^[12]^

CRCNA

The CRCNA is restrictive in terms of allowing persons to consider themselves no longer a member ^[13]^

Rules for Lapsing of Nonattending and Nonsupporting Members Synod decided that with respect to a baptized or
confessing member who, for a period of at least two years, has not moved but fails to attend and support the congregation
that holds the person’s membership, the consistory may declare that person’s membership has lapsed. This may be done
when all the following conditions are present:

a. The person claims to be still committed to the Christian faith. b. The person claims to be worshiping elsewhere. c. The
consistory is not aware of any public sin requiring discipline. They believe that this provision has become necessary
because of the increasing trend on the part of many churches and fellowships to ignore or reject the significance of
membership in the visible church.... This will assist consistories, who at present face the alternative of taking no effective
action with such a member or proceeding to erase or excommunicate such a member from the body of Christ, by
providing a way of removing the person from the membership rolls without being required to pass judgment on that
person’s relationship to the church universal.

NAPARC

NAPARC is not a denomination itself but rather a group of churches which have entered into fraternal relations. In
attempting to reduce friction between member churches ^[14]^ they have created a set of 4 rules that in effect create
involuntary church membership.

1. Members have the right to transfer out of a congregation which grants them permission

2. That churches may not receive members until the church they are leaving is satisfied.

3. That the church a member is attempting to leave from may bring against the receiving church of the interchurch
relations committees

4. That similar rules are observed for congregations wishing to leave denominations

This agreement has been adopted by the 16th PCA [6] and by the OPC [7].
Catholic Church

The Catholic Church has always held that the bible gives for 3 criteria for membership.^[15]^

1. Profess the true Faith, and have received the Sacrament of Baptism.

2. Acknowledge the authority of the Church and of her appointed rulers.

3. Not be excommunicated as a result of sin.

Most Catholic literature about people who leave the faith assumes one is joining a heretical or schismatic church and thus
the heresy or schism in itself constitutes an excommunication. However it is possible to leave the church voluntarily
without specifically joining another (which would be the closest equivalent of erasure or "renouncement of jurisdiction").
The process here requires an assertion of understanding, that is, they have required that a person must:

1. Perform an act to indicate they wish to separate (mere thought is not enough).

2. The act must be persistent that is it must take place over a long period of time, in particular it can't be a single
event.

3. The person must be contumacious that is they must be firm in their conviction and not express hesitation.

4. They must be aware that their acts can lead to excommunication. In particular, they must be aware of what they
are requesting.

5. Finally, they must actually be a Member. The church cannot expel non-members (the pope is exempted from
this).

References

↑ w:Jonathan_Edwards#Later_years GFDL. ↑

Below is a list of references to the debate: The Christian Mafia Church Membership issues Doug Phillips (see August 10th
entry) - William Hill's response: Part 1 Part 2

Doug Wilson ↑ The Church's Reality and Mission by Daniel Reuter presents the 2nd generation's struggles with this issue
and the variety of opinions.

↑ Unbiblical Erasures ↑ http://www.opc.org/qa.html?question_id=106 ↑ Book of Discipline VII ↑Book of Discipline

II.B.2 [1] ↑ Book of Discipline II.B.3 [2] ↑ The statement is from BCO:6-2 [3], details of the profession are from BCO:
57 [4] ↑ G-5.0103 Inclusiveness The congregation shall welcome all persons who respond in trust and obedience to God's
grace in Jesus the Christ and desire to become part of the membership and ministry of his Church. No persons shall be
denied membership because of race, ethnic origin, worldly condition, or any other reason not related to profession of faith.
Each member must seek the grace of openness in extending the fellowship of Christ to all persons. (G-9.0104) Failure to
do so constitutes a rejection of Christ himself and causes a scandal to the Gospel.

PC(USA) book of order online ↑ EPC book of order ↑ D3-5 Jurisdiction in judicial cases ends upon receipt of written
notice of renunciation.... In the event an individual orally renounces jurisdiction, this fact shall be confirmed by letter from
the court acknowledging that renunciation. The letter shall be delivered in person or by form of mail requiring a written
receipt. If the court receives no written response within ten days, the acknowledgment of renunciation of jurisdiction shall
be deemed final. ... A “Renunciation of Jurisdiction” shall have the effect of terminating membership in the church and
shall immediately dissolve the relationship of Ruling Elder, Deacon, or Minister.

↑CRCNA book of order Supplement 67 ↑ The introduction to the NAPARC agreement reads, Recognizing that the ... thus
creating tension between the churches

[5] ↑Catholic Encyclopedia, The Church See "IX. Membership"

 Fellowship – New Testament Style
Strong’s & Thayer’s numbering …

G2842 - κοινωνία - koinōnia - koy-nohn-ee'-ah - Total KJV occurrences: 20 - Part of Speech: noun feminine
From G2844; partnership, that is, (literally) participation, or (social) intercourse, or (pecuniary) benefaction: - (to) communicate (-
ation), communion, (contri-), distribution, fellowship.
1) fellowship, association, community, communion, joint participation, intercourse
1a) the share which one has in anything, participation
1b) intercourse, fellowship, intimacy
1b1) the right hand as a sign and pledge of fellowship (in fulfilling the apostolic office)
1c) a gift jointly contributed, a collection, a contribution, as exhibiting an embodiment and proof of fellowship

G2844 - κοινωνός - koinōnos - koy-no-nos' - Total KJV occurrences: 10 - Part of Speech: noun masculine
From G2839; a sharer, that is, associate: - companion, X fellowship, partaker, partner.
1) a partner, associate, comrade, companion
2) a partner, sharer, in anything
2a) of the altar in Jerusalem on which the sacrifices are offered
2a1) sharing in the worship of the Jews
2b) partakers of (or with) demons
2b1) brought into fellowship with them, because they are the authors of heathen worship

G2839 - κοινός – koinos - koy-nos' - Total KJV occurrences: 12 - Part of Speech: adjective
Probably from G4862; common, that is, (literally) shared by all or several, or (ceremonially) profane: - common, defiled, unclean,
unholy.
1) common
2) common, i.e. ordinary, belonging to generality
2a) by the Jews, unhallowed, profane, Levitically unclean

G4862 σύν – sun - soon - Total KJV occurrences: 125 - Part of Speech: preposition
A primary preposition denoting union; with or together (but much closer than G3326 or G3844), that is, by association,
companionship, process, resemblance, possession, instrumentality, addition, etc.: - beside, with. In compounds it has similar
applications, including completeness.
1) with

G3352 – μετοχή - metochē - met-okh-ay' - Total KJV occurrences: 1 - Part of Speech: noun feminine
From G3348; participation, that is, intercourse: - fellowship.
1) a sharing, communion, fellowship

G3348 -μετέχω - metechō - met-ekh'-o - Total KJV occurrences: 8 - Part of Speech: verb
From G3326 and G2192; to share or participate; by implication belong to, eat (or drink): - be partaker, pertain, take part, use.
1) to be or become partaker
2) to partake

G4790 – συγκοινωνέω - sugkoinōneō - soong-koy-no-neh'-o - Total KJV occurrences: 3 - Part of Speech: verb
From G4862 and G2841; to share in company with, that is, co-participate in: - communicate (have fellowship) with, be partaker of.
1) to become a partaker together with others, or to have fellowship with a thing