How can we persuade someone that church membership is important?

How should we respond to professing Christians who think church membership is irrelevant? From one of our live Ask Ligonier events, Sinclair Ferguson considers Scripture’s teaching about belonging to the church.

[whoathatsanicememe]

I want to be part of a church body but im finding it very difficult to find one in my very left leaning area that hasn't started doing things like flying the lgbt flag or allowing women preachers. I don't have a car and would have to walk, which I don't mind, its just I haven't found one that is walking distance that I can in good conscience, attend. So what are my options??

[dangarnett]

In my 43 years in the Lord, the "church" has changed dramatically. It has attached itself to human government and has become a business (Inc.). So I have to become a member of an incorporation to "join". That "business model" carries over in to the "church covenant", which is nothing more than a legally binding contract (back under law?) to protect the "church" when they exercise church discipline. Pastor/elders have positioned themselves as the "church" and they discipline a person with the body of Christ having little to do with it. I saw that problem in pastoral students, years ago in college.
believer

[esanchez]

We every individual True Believer/ Christian are the Church we do not belong in any one Building or denomination and Be Called Members of Said Building and not Members of the True Body of Christ. When we carry the Power of His Holy Spirit we come Together with Other True Believer/Christian throughout our World 🌎 not in one Place but all Places. Glory to God Hallelujah 🙏🔥🙌❤️👑 Thank You Jesus for Freedom from Religion and Eternal Life ❤️‍🔥👑

[johnmchugh]

The church/Ekklesia means called out one's.
The question is now where are the called out ones from?
The called out ones were the Jewish old covenant people who were called out from following false gods while they were still under the old covenant into the new covenant before the temple was destroyed in the destruction of Jerusalem in AD70.. These were called the lost sheep of the house of Israel in Matt 10-6 and Matt 15-24.. (lost because they were following false gods)
The old covenant ended in AD7O; this is what is called; Jesus called this; "The end will come" in Matt 24-14.. and pastors, preachers and theologians misunderstand what Jesus said; and by their weird imaginations they cancelled history and moved it 2000yrs into our present time; calling it the last days.
After AD7O there was no place that exists where people could be called out from.. therefore the church that Jesus established had an expiry date which was AD7O.
Church leaders have replaced the kingdom of God with made man philosophies of a man made church.
Jesus never preach church.. He preached and taught the kingdom of God.
Jesus never said the gates of hell will not prevail against the church..
He said the GATES OF HADES will not prevail against the church..
Hades is not the Greek word for hell.
Hades was the Greek god that judges everyone in Tartarus. (Tartarus is only used once in the bible in 2 Pet 2-4)
Hades and Tartarus are euphemisms that was used for the temple in Jerusalem that was advocating false gods under the high priest Caiaphas.. who had Jesus crucified..
And Hades will not prevail against the church.. which means that Hades/the temple in Jerusalem, will not prevail /succeed in preventing the called out ones from leaving the wickedness and evil of the temple following false gods; to join the kingdom of God..

**** This is a correct Exegesis of the scriptures ****
Pastors, preachers and theologians are using Esegesis; which means they are imposing their own opinions into the scriptures.

[kindredsoul]

What scriptures teach and reinforce manmade rituals or criteria to be checked off to be included in an earthly book of membership? This ideology goes back to the temple rules of membership where individuals can be blotted out of the book if the leaders chose to do so for various reasons. The veil was rent for this reason and the money changers power over people’s justification, sanctification and glorification were made very clear that it’s in God’s hands and not men’s hands.
When Paul was instructing for people to be cast out of the church, there was no mention of removing their name from a book or list. It’s a spiritual body that we belong and are tied to others, who believe and follow the truth in the Word.

[biii]

People hate being told they are wrong. The idea of a "Rambo Christian" is foreign to the Bible.

[e.t.h.]

this video is for you @Bill Baehr,
😅

[denisbotha]

It saddens me that the little village where I live has no bible fearing churches and preach contrary theology so I am forced to watch teaching and preaching at home with two or three other souls, we watch John Mac, Alistair Begg, Sinclair Ferguson, often recorded stuff by RC, and then once a week we do a Zoom prayer session with the closest Baptist church which is 2 hrs drive away, I do pray that a God fearing minister who will preach Christ crucified would come plant a church here 🙏

[maxaplin]

Church membership is important, but I think it is also good to make this a formal thing in each individual congregation. Without formal membership, church discipline is much harder to enforce.

[ruthvitale]

Study them see there beliefs before you committ

[jessyjonas]

More important to know where they are at spiritually
A saint of God needs no convincing following the teachings of Christ

[shannonsundby]

Not everyone who is not at a church building, doesn't love Christ and His Church. I was a very active member of a church for 29 years. I never thought I'd leave the church. I have searched for another church but I can't find one and the hurt and grief is overwhelming. I don't know how to trust another church or put myself under church leadership again. Many churches have changed. There is also abuse of power going on in churches. Just because I'm having a hard time going to and committing to another church does not mean I don't want fellowship, a church family and it doesn't mean I don't think Christ's church is important. Churches need to ask and listen and seek understanding from people who have been deeply hurt by the church. It is a very difficult process that I would not have understood until I walked through it.

[ruthvitale]

By stopping to be entangled with the goverment&world. We must obey them for now but Jesus said be no oartoftbis world

[jessyjonas]

Remind them that the gift/ gifts given to them of the Holy Spirit
Is to be used for the furtherance of the gospel and the building up of the body of Christ . Ephesians 4

[maxaplin]

Yes, the Bible knows nothing of Christians going it alone.
And Sinclair Ferguson makes a good point that our gifts are in large part for the benefit of other Christians, so if we keep away from them, we are not using our gifts as we should.

[migjosh]

Today's problem within the church is that people's that converts wants to be pastored only at the moment of worship when they are gathered at the building called church.

The church effect in an individual person or either in a group of people, it's only caused by the Word of God revealed within the hearts of the believers by the guide of The Holy Spirit.

Look at the first converted. They only have Jesus. No pastor at that time. But The Word of God made flesh.

Same should be nowadays, the administration or the so called ministers should be teaching differently. Not a membership based kind of a club ...but respectful of the Word of God.

[DukeNukeEm]

Is every Christian made a member of the body by God upon salvation, or does a person become a member when declared so by a pastor?

[joymahiko]

Church membership is never commanded in the New Testament. When the disciples protested to Jesus of a man who REFUSED to join the disciples, He told them not to condemn him because " he that is not against Me is for Me". We cannot go by rationalizations or tradition. "Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeded from the mouth of God". Many other bible characters did not belong to organized groups, , such as, John the Baptist, the prophets, Abraham...

[Starrboy]

We are literally teaching over membership, what it looks like biblically and what it means practically, this month at my local church. God’s timing is never an accident and it always catches me off guard!

[johnstewart]

Thus saith the Lord, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.