Is Church Membership Biblical?

To learn more about the things discussed in this podcast, consider listening to the following sermons exposited from the Word of God by Dr. Richard Caldwell:

Description:

This week on the Straight Truth Podcast, the subject discussed by Dr. Richard Caldwell and host Dr. Josh Philpot regards church membership. Searching for the words church membership in the New Testament of the Bible will not yield an answer, much like searching for the word Trinity. So though the New Testament does not explicitly use the words: church membership, the concept is very much implied. For evidence of church government and leadership, there is more than just the concept. There are specific texts that speak of these things. Dr. Caldwell believes that there is much evidence for both church membership and church government. He will take us to the New Testament Scriptures to present some of this evidence.

Dr. Caldwell tells us that the processes for joining a church in the days of the New Testament may not exactly match what we do today in terms of becoming a member of a local church. Conceptually, however, you do find all the same things you find in church membership today. He shares some examples from 1 Corinthians 16, the letter written to the Philippian church, and one from 3rd John. These congregations, and others like them that received these letters, were made up of individual believers. These examples speak of church congregations that gather, that are known to themselves, and known to others; they can be identified. These congregations have individual people identified who are trustworthy to carry out ministry. They have those identified in leadership who are called elders/overseers and deacons. There is also a church membership identifiable enough to be able to identify those who are put out of the fellowship or congregation. Dr. Caldwell reminds us as well of Matthew 18, which speaks of the process of church discipline. He tells us that the church would not be able to carry out discipline if the members are not identifiable. If you don’t know who is in and who is out, how would discipline be done?

So the concepts that belong to the membership processes that we practice today are all found in the New Testament. Yet how each local church goes about the membership process will be slightly different. For example, how someone becomes a member of Founders Baptist Church where Dr. Caldwell serves will not be identical to becoming a member of a Presbyterian church, or even of another Baptist church for that matter. To better help us understand this, Dr. Caldwell gives a brief explanation of what church membership looks like for anyone who expresses interest in joining the congregation at Founders.

Dr. Caldwell shares that someone does not have to be a member of Founders Baptist Church to participate in communion (the Lord’s Supper) with them. He tells us that Founders practices an open communion (the Lord’s Supper). Open communion is available to those who have professed faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, have been scripturally baptized, and are not out of fellowship with their local congregation. These individuals are invited to participate in communion with our congregation. So at Founders, you do not have to be a member to participate, but you do need to be a Christian to do so.

Individuals professing Christ as Savior and Lord ought to be able to identify with a particular body of believers and be identified by that body. Followers of Christ should be in a church where they are submitted to biblical church leadership, accountable to that local body of believers where church discipline can be, and is, practiced for our good and for God’s glory. Not walking according to these standards is living contrary to the pattern and teaching of the New Testament.

[TheRealMonnie]

some thoughts while listening...

You don't need to be a member of a specific church to know who is faithful. I can tell you things about friends and family and neighbors because I spend time with them. Nowhere do I have a roster of the people I interact with. No MEMBERSHIP of friends, but I can write a letter to tell you who is faithful. Putting somebody "out of the congregation" doesn't have to mean anything about a building or membership. I can tell somebody to leave my house without them being a member of my house. And the word "congregation" doesn't mean members of a church. It just means a group of people.

You are 100% adding your pre-conceived ideas into what the bible says based on Catholic principles, not new testament principles. The structure, the building, the authority, all made up by Catholics, and protestants kept those man-made ideas with them as they broke away. Pre-Catholicism, first century Christians, gave us an example of what "church" should look like. It's in 1 Corinthians 14:26. Everybody participates, not just the "pastor" and some "lay readers". Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. How will a congregation of even 50 meet that standard? You'd be there all week listening to everybody.

You're automatically part of GOD'S church as soon as you repent and believe. You ARE the church - WE are the church. No building. No "membership". Focus is on unity and love towards each other. That's what Jesus said will distinguish us from others.

[pecanslim]

But Paul didn't take an offering for himself. When it comes to biblical models why do pastors get paid? Jesus didn't, Paul, Peter, none of them did.

[joningram]

This dude is reading a few words of a few sentences, taking them out of context and using conjecture to create something that's not necessarily there! It's a far stretch at best!

[PrisonPreacher]

Is there evidence for a church to abide by IRS rules, such as the requirements keeping a 501(c)3 status?

[mrsteve.keepfit]

Only God knows what is going on in any one person. Signing a membership book will not garentee anything about someone. Just like someone who says they are saved through grace, through faith in Christ alone (only God can know this). What about the feeing of division membership can cause in the Chruch (a them and us situation). What about the feeling of exclusion one might feel and then feel 'pressured' (by themselves) into becoming a member. To me (at the moment) it seems like its can have and thoes that cant have (becuase of a signiture in a book and for some, having to stand up in church and confess their loyalty, also it might having to comit to taking lessions and them to feel pressured to give a certain amount of money (weekly or annually). It all seems very ligalistic.

[WaynoGur]

One church that I went to denied me communion because I was not a member. Others have open communion. Guess what church I went to?

[itlupe]

"...conceptually..."
ie man-made

[Provision]

Hebrews 13:17 says, ““Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.” We see three things in this passage that supports church membership : 1. The passage assumes that every Christian is expected to be in submission to church leaders. 2. The passage assumes that every leader is going to give (to God) an account for how they watched over the souls of the people under him. 3. There is a mutual understanding as to know who are the leaders any given Christian is to submit to and who are the sheep that church leaders are going to have to give an account for.

Thus, with these three assumptions, we can infer that there needs to be at minimum a conversation between church leaders and potential members. That discussion must answer two questions: 1. Who are the leaders going to be who will give this account to God? 2. Who are the sheep that are going to submit to their leaders? Membership classes are designed to settle those matters. In other words every Christian should be under leaders…who are those leaders going to be? Every leaders needs to have sheep to account for…who are those sheep going to be.

[micahmiller]

Open communion yet closed membership...fascinating!

[selwynlawrence]

Membership to a church is a religious spirit. As kingdom people we are citizens of the most high God s kingdom. Membership is to denominations are at times cultic in their behavior

[trevino]

He just contradicted said there are the doctrines of what qualifies you to be a Christian but there are also other doctrines that qualifies you to be a member of his church, However, if his church was the only church around and I refused to believe the 5 points of Calvanism, then I cant be a member of his chuch. Iif I am not a member of my local body, , then I am not what contradiction is that???? So it is more important that you believe all their doctrine verse being left out of their fellowship because we are not in agreement....This whole conversation is ridiculous

[stevesaunders]

This is just Eisegesis to the highest degree. You cannot deduce or Exegete formal church membership from the text. 1 cor 12 speaks of a spiritual membership one to another, thats why if one member suffers all suffer. The eye cannot say to the foot I have no need of thee. Membership is between eachother spiritually, not to the church . Identifying with the local church is simply by the converted life and professing commitment to a local church You must tell the truth in the text . Formal church membership is so the church can be an institution and have a relationship to the government so they can do these 4 things.
1. Purchase land or a church building
2 employ staff
3. Become an entity for insurance
purposes for both the staff and the church.
4 . An easier and formal way to enact church discipline in a public church.

The human heart is very, very deceptive so let's not kid ourselves of what is the true intentions of formal church membership .
Blessings
Steve from Australia

[trevino]

he said " all of the concepts today are identifiable in the New Testament" but then only mentions the elders and how is name of elder and deacon considered all of the concepts of today's church in the New testament? He is very loss with words and things that simply because they had elders and deacons, all else was the same we have today...Ridiculous!!!

[trevino]

There as no one in the new testament required to submit themselves to the leadership of a church as we have today. you are highly confused and speaking loosely with words. You have proven nothing with scripture other than elders and deacons and their qualifications. Where is the ALL other things in scripture that we have today? you only mention the leadership. where is the rest? There is none

[joleensandahl]

What if someone is born again, biblically baptized by immersion, but not a formal member of any local church, however they attend church regularly. Could they partake in the Lord's supper?

[searchingfortruth]

When we become Christians we automatically become members of God's Church.
The membership in particular local church helps us as a supportive tool to keep us staying in God's Church

[JonathanGrandt]

“Is there evidence in the Bible for church membership”. This is the wrong question. Any instruction from a place of presumed authority over believers must use a command from scripture, not “evidence” that suggests or excuses it.

Your evidence is circumstantial at best.

Pay close attention to the way a pastor uses the two different definitions of “member” interchangeably.

He is suggesting, rather insisting that because the translations take the Greek EKLESSIA and render it “churcheS” that there are definable congregations in Galatia that Paul is referring to. Even if this were the case it does not justify forms church covenants and legal documents that people are forced to sign in order to properly experience the fellowship. And let’s be clear, that’s what a pastor is really talking about when he talks of church membership.

Paul himself is writing letters of recommendation for the men selected to carry the gift. He is writing the letters for Jerusalem. Then this pastor makes up a whole idea of “letters of character”. That’s nonsense. He is reading his worldview into the text.

In 3rd John there was a man who was not receiving JOHN. John was not a member of their congregation! For all we know diatrophes WAS the local pastor 😂



“If you don’t know who’s IN and who’s OUT.”

Open your eyes, pastor. You are a servant. Open your eyes. Are there people in front of you? Serve them. Care for them. Protect them. You protect yourself with legal documents that bind people to serving you and giving to you. The Shepherd is coming and He will save His people from the wicked shepherds. Just as He saved Noah from the flood which destroyed all of the enemies of God.

[athenaparish]

Should you not be allowed church membership if you work at a casino? But spend eighty percent of your time in ministry. I do attend church have since 2005.

[micahmiller]

One question: If a church member agrees with "open membership" (in the same view as John Piper) would you see this as a problem with their membership?