Is Church Membership Biblical?

Executive Producer:
Lee & Vivian Eagan, Erna Draper, Bob & Larue Miller, Ruth Lunderville, Bobby Keicher.

Rob Vanhoff
Rob teaches courses on 2nd Temple Period, Rabbinic Literature, Judaism, Koine Greek, and Aramaic. He has delivered papers at conferences for both Evangelical Theological Society and the Society of Biblical Literature. He serves at Heart of Messiah Ministries in Spokane Valley. Rob holds two degrees from the University of Washington: MA, Comparative Religion (2005) and BA, Near Eastern Languages & Civilization, with a minor in Music (2003).

Caleb Hegg
is the co-founder of Growing in Messiah, a ministry gives parents resources to help raise godly families. Caleb has lectured at various conferences around the world, and written multiple published articles, most notably, several articles in "Celebrate the Feast" (TorahResource, 2019). Caleb Hegg received a two-year certificate from TR-Institute. Caleb is currently enrolled at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in an M.Div program.

[bethelshiloh]

I left the building around 2010 over lack of leadership. What elders? What leadership? What “covering?” I was part of the prayer and worship teams and the didn’t know jack about me or my life. This after having been a faithful member of churchianity for 40 years. I gropped and foraged for a few years bc I believe in being in fellowship with The Body. That is Scriptural. I even tried 13 other buildings over the following 5 years. Finally I found a home-group end of 2015 that is my “family” then the past year I have additionally joined a weekly Bible study. It took a while to find my tribe, but they fit. They know me and I know them and it was a totally Spirit led union that brought me to them. There is very little leadership out there to be found.

[Bowdon]

No. Most Churches have become organised social clubs. If you want to socialise with like minded people then I can understand. But this isn't necessary.

[joshamaya]

I'm not sure I entirely agree with your take, solely because someone can and will leave or simply not submit to the authority set within the church, "member" or not. I personally don't like the whole membership idea, and think that like in the book of acts, the Lord will add as He sees fit to the congregation. If you don't want to submit yourself to authority, then simply, leave, or the person should be asked to leave.

[JonathanGrandt]

Define “member”. See, because once you honestly define “member” we will be able to see if you use it the way Paul does.

Member as Paul uses it: [archaic] a piece of a Body. A limb. An organ.

Now define “body”.

Body as Paul uses it: The structure of a person.

Member as pastors use it: a person joined to an organization.

Body as pastors use it: A group of people in a locality.

Member the way Paul uses it is entirely different than the way pastors use it. Your idea of local church membership is like saying you are a person that is formally joined to a social club.

Use MEMBER the way Paul does. Do you have a limbership class? Perhaps you have a special organship program?

Let us also remember that there is only ONE Body. And a body or mass that exists inside another body is either a growing infant or a tumor. There is only one Body. In the Body of Christ there are no unbelievers. In your local “church bodies” there are many unbelievers and many of them stand behind the pulpit.

[Lj-mdng]

What if there is an abuse of spiritual authority?

[gregorydotson]

Apostle Paul wrote and he touched on those things when he said That The Church isn't made of the things which do appear. and The Church it isn't built with men's hands either. but also it is written that Christians should 'not forget to assemble themselves Together. but just because people assemble themselves together does not necessarily makes them a Christian ? Because even Jesus Christ said many come eating and drinking and did rise up to play. and also Jesus Christ said that many come together and shall draw nigh unto Him with there mouth, and shall Honoureth Me with there Lips, But There Hearts are far from Me. but they do Worship Me in Vain.

[tstjohn]

Church membership is legalistic. I also believe the word authority is misconstrued. The authority is based on scripture. It is the responsibility of leadership to teach what the scripture teaches. It simple to exercise that authority to people who don't conform to biblical truth or sin. A true believer responds to the word of God. If they don't. Their sin will find them out, as the word says. God either disciplines or chastens a believer.
The word of God in Philp.2 12 Therefore, my beloved,  as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence,  work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
I can give you clear teachings on obedience and discipline and no teachings on " Church Membership.
So let's stop with " Infering" things into the word of God.
I encourage everyone to read the context of those verses on Church leadership and who the Apostkes were speaking to.
The church leadership needs to stop running things like a corporation and allow the word of God to so its work and let leadership just teach. If heretics come in, deal with them. It's pretty simple.
Today's church doesn't even act like a family. It acts like clicks in high school.
To much of the world and its system has crept in the Church because of poor teaching like. Church membership.

[tstjohn]

The two following passages clarify the issue on, church membership being of man and not God.
1 Cor. 1: 11 For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household,  that there are contentions among you. 12 Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am of Paul, ” or “I am of Apollos, ” or “I am of Cephas, ” or “I am of Christ.” 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

1 Cor. 12: For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.

[xinyorixahumba]

Isn't the whole membership thing just a matter of administration? After all how do you keep track of the population of your church polity without a membership mechanism?

[UnashamedofJesus]

not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:25

[brittneykrystal]

What about churches calling membership a covenant?

[thekriskokid]

Glad you addressed this. Good video. But here's a question how does a lone wolf take away anything from church discipline ? If this one needs discipline and won't submit and decides to leave, it's the same result as the on in Matthew 18. They're out of the congregation and treated as a sinner. Done deal. The man in 1 Corinthians 5, might not have ever been heard from if the church at Corinth had dealt with him. He either would have submitted or left and the sin would have been purged. They did nothing so Paul had to get involved. I'm sure you didn't mean it this way, but your statement comes across to me as almost vindictive. "We can't have people just leaving before we have a chance to shame.them and call them out". Not only that, but an official church membership doesn't chain them to the church building. They can still leave at any time. I seem to be missing your point.

[oscarcat]

I really don’t want or intend to be a member of the church I go to. Don’t feel good about it.

[slowburn]

Without two or three witnesses from the word, this is only established from a man’s opinion.

No denomination in heaven lol