Thread: 6 Reasons to Be a Faithful Member of a Local Church
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6 Reasons to Be a Faithful Member of a Local Church
Posted : 21 Sep, 2011 04:07 PM
6 Reasons to Be a Faithful Member of a Local Church
September 19, 2011 by Paul Tautges | 7 Comments
It is our conviction that every Christian should be an active member of a Bible-teaching local church. As believers in Christ, we are members of His body and must discipline ourselves to be actively involved in ministry as a way of life. Here are some specific reasons why you should be a committed member of a solid, Bible-teaching local church.
1. You follow the pattern set forth in the New Testament. Although the word �membership� itself is not used the principle is present in the New Testament. For example, most of our NT books are letters that were written to specific groups of people who had chosen to identify themselves with Christ and each other. The word �church� is almost always used to refer to a specific group of people who in some way had committed themselves to serving the Lord and one another in the same ministry location. Numbers were known (Acts 1:15, 2:41, 4:4), rolls were kept (1 Tim. 5:9), servants were selected (Acts 6:2-5), discipline was practiced (1 Cor. 5:12-13), worship was corporate (1 Cor 14:23), and shepherds knew for whom they were responsible (Heb. 13:17). If you are a part of the body of Christ by virtue of repentant faith in Jesus Christ then you should want to make that association visibly known through church membership.
2. You have a greater opportunity to use your spiritual gifts. At the moment of your conversion the Holy Spirit came to live inside of your body (1 Cor 6:19). When He did this, He brought along the spiritual gift(s) that He sovereignly chose for you to possess for the blessing of the church (1 Cor 12:7, 11). As we use our gifts, we are being good stewards of the manifold grace of God (1 Peter 4:10). Can you use your spiritual gift without joining a church? Yes, but in most churches many ministry opportunities are limited to church members only. This is as it should be. Unity in doctrine, purity of life, and submissive accountability to one another and leaders are necessary for a healthy Christian life. The process of becoming a member also gives the existing leadership the opportunity to discern one�s agreement in doctrine, ministry purpose, and goals; thus enabling them to know where best you may serve.
3. You become a more committed part of a spiritual family. Joining a local church demonstrates a certain level of commitment. It shows that you want to be more than a bystander, that you want to be involved in ministry in a more significant way. Joining a local church is like entering into a covenant relationship with other believers in order to love them as an active part of a spiritual family (1 Jn 4:7). We also need the spiritual oversight and soul care of faithful shepherds (Heb 13:17).
4. You ensure a balanced Christian life. By nature we all have the tendency to gravitate toward extremes. God�s design for the church�as a multi-faceted body whose members are interrelated and interdependent�provides the ideal atmosphere for balanced Christian growth. As we sharpen each other, our continual contact with other believers promotes balance. In his book, Spiritual Disciplines within the Church: Participating fully in the body of Christ, Donald Whitney writes, �No one develops the proper spiritual symmetry just by listening to Christian radio, watching Christian television, or reading Christian books. You can�t get this kind of maturity merely by participating in a group Bible study. Unless you�re an active part of a local church, your Christian life and ministry will be imbalanced.�
5. You avail yourself of the wisdom of a multitude of counselors. God never intended for us to live our lives independent of others, or above them. He desires for us to develop relationships of accountability with other Christians. According to Proverbs 11:14, in the abundance of counselors there is victory. The local church is a great place to find wise counsel and direction from spiritual leadership and older, more mature believers (Titus 2:1-8). These relationships will help guide you in the many decisions that you face in life so that you may discern God�s good and perfect will.
6. You experience the joy of serving others. God has re-created us in Christ Jesus for the purpose of bringing glory to Him by bearing fruit (Eph 2:10; John 15:2). The fruit of the Spirit is primarily manifested in our relationships with others (Gal 5:22-23). Believers are to follow the example of Christ the Master Servant (Jn 13:15). By joining a local church, you are agreeing with God that one of the ways to bear fruit in the Christian life is by serving others.
For a fuller study of the subject of church membership download a free PDF study guide.
Another helpful resource for your personal study or small group is Life in the Father�s House by Wayne Mack and Dave Swavely.
6 Reasons to Be a Faithful Member of a Local Church
Posted : 21 Sep, 2011 04:34 PM
:applause:...A most Excellant post James...Sound Dirrection for Those that Believe Going to or Belonging to a Church Body Isn't Necessary to thier Spiritual Growth...we were not Created to be Lone Christian Soldiers/Sheep...thanxs for sharing this...GOD Bless...xo
6 Reasons to Be a Faithful Member of a Local Church
Posted : 21 Sep, 2011 07:25 PM
When you put yourself under the authority of a preacher you are accepting his interpretations of scripture, his theology. This acceptance is what has led to the leavening of the Gospel of Christ in the last 150 years or so.
"And again he said, Whereunto shall I liken the kingdom of God?
21. It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened." Luke 13: 20-21
The leavening went on for a period of time, gradually changing the Protestant interpretations of the New Testament until the falling away of II Thessalonians 2: 3 can be said to have happened.
Repetition of false doctrine conditions people in the churches to gradually accept it, so that the outcome is that they are under the strong delusion of II Thessalonians 2: 10-11. As far as I know, the churches don't teach II Thessalonians 2: 10-11, especially not in churches which are dispensationalist, or follow some other false theology.
And Calvinism can be so far off from New Testament scripture that it too is a false doctrine. I know there have been Calvinists who are real men of God, like Richard Sibbes (1577-1635). I thought Francis Schaeffer (1912-1984) was a real man of God. But then he belonged to a small Reformed denomination, an Evangelical Synod, which was generally not amillennialist. I read many of Schaeffer's books and do not remember him talking about five point Calvinism. He wasn't a dispensationalist, but didn't talk much about any form of end time prophecy.
"Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;" II Thessalonians 2: 3
6 Reasons to Be a Faithful Member of a Local Church
Posted : 21 Sep, 2011 10:45 PM
Good point James!:glow::applause:
George, you and Halfback need to get a grip and not denying why you guys are not assembling together in a building designated for the total praise and worship of the Lord Jesus Christ in the Spirit of oneness with other believers.
Georgre, you have got it all wrong when you say there is no such thing as a church in the New Testament... learn to read with understanding... so waht was the gathering of the people in throughout the book of Acts, even Cornilus buold a temple for the people to gather to worship God... why did Paul start tchurches throughout his ministry, and they all gathered in one place to worship and prase God, and in the synagagues and temple. We are even told that Jesus and Paul had a custom of preaching and teaching in the synagagues... church were evn in people's houses becasue they could not afford any other building to gathereher is no where in scriptures.
So where do you get the notioon that there is no such thing in the Bille as a church where people gather to hear the gospel preached and taught to them but the apostles...
Try reading the book of Scts, and Romasn, and Corinthians, and Glatians, and Ephesians, and Philippians, etc.... well, reading all of Paul's writing wouldn;t be too bad of a goo place for you and Halfback to start. And stop your foolishness and come to your senses as to why you DO NOT attend church... get over your anger at whoever the pastor is, becasue you are going to have to give in account of all of this at judgment.
Its a sad commentary when a person who say he/she is a Christian and tries to minister God's word to people, yet they don't attend NOBODY"S church nor have a place to call a church home for your funeral, and mist have a grave side funeral when you die... akes your witness very weak, and this is why you don't have a good spiritual understanding of the word you try to teach, becasue you have your own thoughts and opinions insated of God's word rooted and gorunded in your spirit and mind and soul... it ain't working... And you both need to surrender totlayy sold out to the Lord and get rid of your pride because God ain't going for it!
This is why you're not growing or going to the next level of spiritual knowledge into the word fo God and keep posting the same old foolishness about the same old subjects, cause you don't understand deep things of God in His word and what He has to say! God placed pastor in the church for the perfecting/prepartion fo the siants for the works of the minsitry, so that you would not be driven like the wind with every whim of doctrine, and you will better come into an understanding of God's word of truth... so are you denying what the word of God says? If you think you got the gospel of Jesus and know so much why aren;t you both teaching in the churches telling the people the truth you THINK you know? ... you're nothing but spiritual phinies and hypocrites!
GET YOUR BEHNIDNS IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD. If there were not such a place as a church building set aside and dedicated for worship and praise of the Lord, why would Jesus say His house shall be called the HOUSE OF PRAYER! when He chased the money changers out... so what was He calling the House of Prayer?... Martha, back room where they held church:excited:...please! you both need to spiritually GROW-UP!!!!:rolleyes:
6 Reasons to Be a Faithful Member of a Local Church
Posted : 22 Sep, 2011 03:16 AM
In Acts 7: 47-48 Stephen, who was soon to be stoned to death by the Jews for this sermon, said " But Solomon built him an house.
48. Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet,"
Everyone who claims to be a Christian must put himself under the authority of the false prophets running the churches, because the church Christians cannot have Christians running around in the spiritual wilderness where Christ is now.
6 Reasons to Be a Faithful Member of a Local Church
Posted : 22 Sep, 2011 08:02 AM
When you put yourself under the authority of a preacher you are accepting his interpretations of scripture, his theology. This acceptance is what has led to the leavening of the Gospel of Christ in the last 150 years or so.
*** That Depends on Who the Preacher is and What the Preacher is Teaching...If He aint Teaching Straight Out of the Full Bible (WORD of GOD) then Runnnnnn...
A person has to Seek in order to Find a Church that Teachs the Full Bible...they are out there...I attend MANY Full Bible Teaching Churches of All Denominations...And I put my Self Under the Authority of GOD All Mighty...not man...
The Preacher man is Only GOD's Vessal to get the "Word" out so those that are presant May Receive it...and Receive it...and Receive it...So they Attendin may Get the "Word" out to those that DON'T Attend or Go to Church...
Ima gettin Real tired of some people Putin Down those that Attend Church speakin For ALL Churches when they don't even Attens one...can't be Speakin Truth when ya Aint gota Clue about ALL Churches...granted there are many a Church I will not Attend...They don't teach the WORD of GOD...but found out by checkin em out...So I can Speak a Truth here...Anywho...thats my 2 bits...Yall hava a GOD HolySpirit Fiiled day...Luv Yall...xo
6 Reasons to Be a Faithful Member of a Local Church
Posted : 22 Sep, 2011 09:10 AM
You could just do it the bile way and pray and the head of the church will lead you to the perfect church, and you will find that Jesus will not go in what a lot of people call church.
