On Membership Part Two Series

In doing some serious study on membership and what that looks like in the Church at a local level one encounters a potential problem. It just isn’t there. That’s not to say it is bad, wrong, or sinful to have formal membership rolls, as having such is very practical and quite helpful to local pastors and leaders, but despite what is taught in the seminaries and what best-selling Christian authors like to claim, the practice isn’t found in Scripture.

What follows is an outline in which we systematically look at all the arguments made by the pro local church membership teachers, and an examination of Scripture to see if their claims are valid.

I. Pro local church membership teachers claim: “The Bible uses metaphors to describe local churches, such as ‘flock’, ‘temple’, ‘household’ and those are used specifically of local churches (See Acts 20:17-38, Ephesians 2, 1 Cor. 12, and 1 Timothy 3).

A. These examples may or may not be speaking of local churches, but they are not talking about who is a formal member of a local congregation. They are simply saying that a local congregation exists. The passage in 1 Cor. is talking about the entire Church as a whole (not a local congregation), 1 Timothy 3 is talking about the qualifications of elders and deacons, but nothing about local membership is mentioned.

II. In 1 Corinthians 14:23, where it states that if “The Whole Church” is assembled, they argue how will leaders know if the “WHOLE” church is assembled if there was no formal membership?

A. Paul was speaking figuratively. He is not saying that a leader should or should not know if the “WHOLE” church has assembled. He is saying “What if it did… What if the Whole church assembled and everyone was speaking in tongues, how would an unbeliever know what was going on?”

a. So again, nothing really about membership here, or how to know if the whole church did assemble. It could also be that Paul had in mind the ENTIRE Body of Christ, rather than a local congregation.

III. It is argued that pastoral oversight and spiritual leadership requires a formal membership (See Acts 20:28, 1 Timothy 3, Phil. 1:1, Titus 1:5-9, Hebrews 13:17)

a. Acts 20:28 says, “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to ALL THE FLOCK, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the Church of God, which He obtained with His Own blood.”

i. This is directed to pastors and it is teaching that a pastor is to pay attention to themselves, and to ALL THE FLOCK, in which the Holy Spirit has made them an overseer. In order to care for the Church of God, which He obtained with His Own blood. This verse is clearly referring to ALL THE CHURCH, as Jesus did not die for only a local congregation, but all true Christians, in congregations all over the world – thus ALL THE CHURCH Meaning that the Holy Spirit has appointed pastors, and those pastors are to serve in that role throughout the WHOLE CHURCH. So yes in a specific, local congregation, but also as they travel, or move to other churches. If a local congregation was truly in mind here, then the pastor would stay with that local congregation from the time he was called to the role of pastor, until he died.

b. 1 Timothy 3 says absolutely nothing about individual membership, but rather is giving qualifications for pastors and deacons.

c. Philippians 1:1 says, “Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons.”

i. This is a greeting to the Christians and elders located in Philippi. It is directed to All the saints, and to those who have been appointed as pastors and deacons, who reside in Philippi – but it says nothing about a formal membership roll. Just that the Christians in the area gathered as the church in the area.

1. In Biblical times there was one gathering of believers (the Church) in each city. They didn’t have denominations or 3 Baptist Churches, and 3 Methodist Churches, and 2 Presbyterian Churches in a single town. The Christians in a community all gathered together in one place.

ii. There is no doubt that the Christian in Philippi were members of the Body of Christ, but we know nothing about them being on a membership roll for the local church in Philippi.

d. Titus 1:5-9 says, “This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you – if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination. For an overseer, as God’s steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick tempered, or a drunkard, or violent, or greedy for grain, but hospitable, a love of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. He must hold firm to the trustworthy Word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.”