PP0435 DATE
FOUR CHURCH MEMBERS WE NEED!
Acts 2:41
Ac 2:41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. (KJV)
INTRODUCTION: Every Baptist Church seeks for new members. It is through the incoming of new members that a Baptist church grows. If a church is not receiving new members into its membership then that church will eventually grow stagnant and will decline in membership, even to the point of extinction.
We will discuss four types or kinds of members that this church must have to continue to grow. If we do not seek these four kinds of members then we may as well close the door and sell this property to some other church.
I. WE MUST HAVE SAVED CHURCH MEMBERS
Some might state, “I didn’t know there was any other kind”. We know what they mean but a good many of every Baptist church membership is unsaved.
A. The First Requirement For Membership Into A Baptist Church Is Salvation.
Our text says that those that received Peter’s word were baptized. They were saved by believing and then they were baptized. They were added to the church membership by baptism, and after they got saved.
Many who join a Baptist Church by letter from a previous Baptist Church do so unsaved. The majority of the salvation decisions in this church has been church member decisions.
B. Being A Member Of A Baptist Church Does Not Provide Salvation.
They were saved before they became church members.
We have all heard people make reference to a certain friend or family member joining a church as being that of salvation. That is not true. Salvation can come only when a person places his faith and trusts in the finished work of Jesus Christ. I have asked hundreds of people if they were a Christian and their reply was, “I joined the church when I was twelve.” Salvation through another means is not salvation, but rather false hope.
It is scary to think how many members of Baptist churches will go to hell thinking they were acceptable into heaven because they were members of that particular church.
It is even more scary to think how many preachers lead their membership to accept this kind of theology. I have known preachers and pastors whose total salvation plea was to come and shake the preacher’s hand and be saved. I have nothing against anyone shaking the preacher’s hand, but to do that with the thinking that the person would be saved and going to heaven afterwards is spiritually criminal on the preachers part and eternally lost on the members part.
Billy Graham said once that he feared that as many as 75% of Baptist church members were lost. If that is true then it is truly a scary thought to think how many in this church has been duped into thinking they are saved when actually they are lost.
A lot of that has been done by people out soul winning. They have applied pressure to the person at the screen door and talked them into praying a prayer and then telling them they were saved. Praying a prayer saves no one. Trusting Jesus Christ as Saviour will save who ever does so. I have seen hundreds baptized into a Baptist church that had not trusted Jesus Christ as Savior. They had only prayed a prayer.
In the 1950’s “Easy Believism” was introduced to churches and became a way of life for many in the Soulwinning efforts. That method omits repentance and is one of the culprits why so many people join a Baptist church unsaved. That one doctrine alone will send thousands of church members to Hell.
We want new members in this church but we want them to be saved members.
II. WE MUST HAVE SEPARATED CHURCH MEMBERS
A. Separation Defined.
1. Separated church members means that they do not involve themselves in the things of the world, nor seek pleasure after the rudiments of the world, and the church stands against worldliness. Col 2:20 Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,
21 (Touch not; taste not; handle not;
22 Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? (KJV)
The word “rudiments” in Vs. 20 means the principles or elements of the world.
2. Separated church members means that they despise the things of the world. Anything that would hinder them in their devotion and dedication to the Lord and His work they will not partake of it.
3. Separation from the worldly persuasion and influence and unto Christ. When my walk with Christ is so intimate that I seek only His will then I am separated. For too many, separation is about the things they have forsaken and turned away from than is the matter of my pleasing the Lord Jesus Christ. If I quit doing something so I may appear to others to be holy then I am a hypocrite and not separated at all.
When I got engaged to my wife I separated myself from any and all other girl friends (if I had any) and unto the one of which I was engaged to. I didn’t do that because I was engaged, but because of my love for the one I was engaged to. Had my purpose been only that I was an engaged man wouldn’t have restrained rather the love for the one I would eventually marry.
If your only purpose for separation is because you are a Christian may not restrain you. It must be because of love for the One that saved you. The reason separation is such an issue in most Baptist churches is that it is classified as a responsibility of the believer than a by-product of love for the Lord. I grant you this: if you love the Lord as the Bible dictates we do, separation will not be an issue for any believer.
B. Separation Mis-practiced. Many separated Baptists have not only separated themselves but have also isolated themselves from any and all who do not walk just as they walk, and in doing so have eliminated many possibilities for evangelizing the lost.
I had rather have a saved church member that did not understand what separation was than to have one who was so separated he could not drink at the same water fountain with everyone else. A person who is truly saved is teachable and we can teach them what true separation is, but those who isolate themselves from society is harming the church and leave the wrong testimony of what true separation is.
Jesus said that we are to be in the world, but not of the world. Some have become so heavenly minded that they are no earthly good.
C. Separation Is Seated In The Heart.
No one is separated just because his hair is cut a certain way and he dresses a certain fashion. Or that he doesn’t have a large screen TV in his home. I am for short hair on men and godly dress on both sexes, but the practice of those two issues does not make one separated. A dope peddling, child molester could portray those same traits and would he be separated unto God? Of course not.
Separation is a matter of the heart.
Separation is in place when the person is a thousand miles from home and when no one sees what he/she does in private, yet they do what is right.
Separation is living a certain way because the Bible says to.
Separation is not me placing myself above another because the other person does not practice the same things I do.
Separation is a positional choice arrived at by love for Jesus Christ.
Back in the 1970’s the men’s clothes fashion was to dress in solid, dark colored shirts. Some preachers said that another preacher was worldly because the other preacher wore a dark red shirt. Nonsense. Separation is not the color of shirts or certain fashions, but in the heart. It is not what goes in but what comes out that destroys a person.
Neither would I be separated because I didn’t have ear rings in my ears or necklace around my neck, nor tattoos on my arms or neck. I don’t believe that any male person regardless of age should participate in any of these. I believe it labels them as worldly and far away from God. You see, God forbids the marking and cutting of the body, which includes piercing of ears, nose and tongue. But just because a Christian may not have any of that on his body does not declare him as being separated.
On the other side of the coin a worldly person classifies a separated Christian as being legalistic. That is a poor analogy of what separation is. Legalistic is a word pertaining to the keeping of the Jewish law for salvation and has nothing to do with separation. If I went across the street and preached in either that church or the High school - against these same things they would call me a legalistic, hard-nosed, shallow, out of touch, un-loving fanatic. Because the unseparated crowd doesn’t want to be reminded that they are supposed to be separated.
We expect our membership to live holy lives.
III. WE MUST HAVE SPIRIT-FILLED CHURCH MEMBERS
There is a difference in Spirit filled and Spirit dwelt. Every saved person is Spirit dwelt, but every saved person is not Spirit filled.
A. Being Spirit Filled Enables The Person To Accomplish Great Work For The Lord.
Zec 4:6 Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. (KJV)
No one can accomplish anything for God without being filled with the Spirit of God. A person can go through the motions, but little success will be seen.
Perhaps there are some churches that has no spirit filled members. How sad and dull that must be. To hold services under such conditions would be nothing but flesh controlling and that will spell disaster.
The reason this church (BHBC) is not on fire for the Lord is we have too many members that are not Spirit filled.
B. In Most Churches The Membership Does Not Know What Being Spirit Filled Means.
Eph 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; (KJV)
It is not a Charismatic experience.
It is not some warm feeling of goodness and happiness that comes over one.
It is not a feeling of a “Tiger in your tank.”
Being filled with the Spirit of God occurs when the Christian empties himself of all sin and presents himself to be filled for the glory of God.
A spirit filled person is one that is devoting himself/herself to the cause and purpose of Jesus Christ.
A person can be spirit filled and be in a worldly church.
A person can be spirit filled and not sing in the choir.
A person can be spirit filled and not teach a S/S class.
But a person cannot be spirit filled and retain known sin.
Eph 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
Lu 11:13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? (KJV)
Our deacons must be spirit filled.
Our S/S teachers must be spirit filled.
Our staff must be spirit filled.
Our choir members must be spirit filled.
When a Christian is spirit filled he/she is serving under the power of the Spirit of God and is controlled by the Spirit of God. There is no other position allocated in the Bible for a Christian to be. Scripture expects every Christian to be a spirit filled Christian.
IV. WE MUST HAVE SERVING CHURCH MEMBERS
“Attitude Of Servitude”.
The lack of serving members may well be the reason that a church does not grow. God blesses those who are eager and full of energy in doing His work.
If this church becomes a serving church it will be because the members get a hold of the challenge “ATTITUDE OF SERVITUDE.”
We will leave the banner hanging on the wall above the baptistery all this year, however, just because it hangs there in open display will not dictate that we are a serving church.
We will be a serving church when you, the members get a burden and begin serving God by serving others. For four or five members to participate in this endeavor will not classify us being a serving church. It will take the majority of our members doing so.
What it means is this: Take a blank piece of paper and write across the top of the paper “Areas in which I am willing to serve God”. Then turn the page over and sign it at the bottom.
If we are servants of God we must do it by serving people. We can’t transport ourselves into heaven and the presence of God and get Him a cold glass of water as an act of service. We serve Him by serving others. When we serve saved people it is designed to make the lost folks jealous of the saved and then cause them to want to be saved. That’s why we do not really do much in helping those who are outside of the church.
Are you a servant? Will you be a servant by this year’s end?
INVITATION
BETH HAVEN BAPTIST CHURCH
PO BOX 891523
OKC OK 73189-1523
405-691-8701
icasteel1@cox.net
www.bhbc.net
