Sermons on Loving Locally:

Is Official, Or Formal Church Membership In A Local Church According To Scripture? – Part 1 Series

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on May 2, 2025

This begins a 4 part study of local church membership in the New Testament. Is a formal church membership biblically required in our churches? Was it required in the first century churches? We will examine scriptures and practices for those answers.

IS OFFICIAL, OR FORMAL CHURCH MEMBERSHIP IN A LOCAL CHURCH ACCORDING TO SCRIPTURE? – PART 1 What is church membership? What does the New Testament teach about church membership? Is this a requirement for us in local churches or must we submit ourselves to a practice of man and denominational ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:12-14, Ephesians 5:29-30, Acts 2:47, Acts 2:44, Romans 12:4-6, 1 Corinthians 1:2, Philippians 1:1, Ephesians 1:1, Colossians 1:2  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Love Of Things Series

Contributed by Vernon L Caruthers on Apr 1, 2006

This sermon will end our study of the Ten Commandments. The 10th Commandment commands us: "Thou Shalt Not Covet.."

Sermon #10 of The Ten Commandments: The Loving Desire of THINGS: Exodus 20:17 "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor thy neighbor’s manservant, nor thy neighbor’s maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbor’s." I Timothy ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:17

Love The Brethren Series

Contributed by Dennis Davidson on Oct 29, 2012

The Christian way of life or walking in the light involves not only fellowship with God & with the brethren (1:5-7), consciousness & confession of sin (1:8-10), obedience by imitation of Christ (2:1-6). Walking in the light also requires love of the breth

1 JOHN 2: 7-11 [LIFE, LIGHT & LOVE SERIES] LOVE THE BRETHREN [Romans 13:8-10] "I just love that hat!" "Man, I really love the old-fashioned kind of baked beans!" “But, Mom, don’t you realize that Tim and I love each other?" Words, like coins, can be in circulation for such a long ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 2:7-11

Denomination: Baptist

Is Official/Formal Church Membership In A Local Church According To Scripture? – Part 4 Series

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on May 7, 2025

This is the final part and we look at a numbers of issues here as well as two statements from Internet sites on why membership is important. Over and over I am opposing this notion that commitment is connected with official membership. It is judgemental and untrue. I hope this is of some value.

IS OFFICIAL/FORMAL CHURCH MEMBERSHIP IN A LOCAL CHURCH ACCORDING TO SCRIPTURE? – PART 4 We have been looking at some passages of scripture from Paul’s writings and in vain, do we look for even the slightest suggestion that a church has official membership that discriminates among the Christians ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 5:29-30, Philippians 4:1-3, 3 John 1:9, 1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 2 Corinthians 2:6, Hebrews 13:7  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

"Unselfish Love"

Contributed by Gary Smith on Jul 27, 2002

Unselfish love drives one to live as Christ would live and to deny the works of the flesh.

Last week I stopped somewhere along in here. Tonight I want to go back for just a few minutes and pick up on the subject of Obedience. We we truly have an unselfish love, we will then be obedient in all things no matter what. No matter what the circumstances, good or bad. No matter the out look ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:3-8

Denomination: Church Of God

Loving The Brotherhood Series

Contributed by Pastor Jeff Hughes on Feb 16, 2014

The Seventh message in the Kindred United series, this message follows the principle that God is first, Family is second and the brethren are third. This message is based predominently upon 1 John 3.

Kindred United: Love The Brotherhood So far in the Kindred United series, we have studied how God must come first, then family and now we study how church family comes third. Next week, we will begin studying how we need to love others, with a special emphasis on one particular group that is, by ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 3:4-17

Denomination: Bible Church

Brotherly Love

Contributed by Doug Sanders on Feb 16, 2002

I personally don’t believe the world will believe us when we say that we love them, because they see how we love and treat each other.

Brother Love 1 Peter 1:22-2:3 I titled my sermon this morning from a word that I got out of verse 22. Philadelphia it means "brotherly love." When I became a teenager I really started to understand what was being taught in Sunday School , from the pulpit about how God loved the church , and that ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:22-23

Denomination: Baptist

A Fathers Love

Contributed by John Harvey on Jun 18, 2007

The love of God refelcted in teh Prodigal Son Parable.

“A Fathers Love” June 17, 2007 Me: My father turned 80 this week. Whenever he introduces us, no matter how old we are he says, “This is my boy.” He gets so excited whenever we go and visit. That’s the way parents are. John and Charles Wesley’s mother was asked which child she loved the most. ...read more

Scripture: Luke 15:11-31

Denomination: Baptist

Love Connects Series

Contributed by Brad Bailey on Jun 21, 2021

Love Connects Series: When Love Comes December 13, 2020 – Brad Bailey

Love Connects Series: When Love Comes December 13, 2020 – Brad Bailey Note: This is the second message in this series. Intro Good morning to each of you...and welcome to those engaging at a later time. Last week... I invited us to begin focusing on the wonder that we call Christmas. I know that ...read more

Scripture: John 1:14, Isaiah 9:6-7

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

And The Greatest Of These Is Love

Contributed by Bruce Ball on Feb 15, 2009

A 5-point sermon dealing with different types of love, including the love God has for us and the love we are to have for His church.

As humans, our emotions can vary widely throughout a whole range of subjects. And while this is certainly true, since Valentines day was yesterday, I want to focus on love. We are capable of feelings several types of love, too, and each type has its own focus of intensity. There is an old ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 3:18

Denomination: *other

Is Official/Formal Church Membership In A Local Church According To Scripture? – Part 3 Series

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on May 7, 2025

Regarding this matter of formal church membership, it is examined alongside mainly Ephesian verses. The subject is opened up to understand the New Testament practice of being members of one another and the equality in the Body of Christ. Membership of Christ’s Body covers it all.

IS OFFICIAL/FORMAL CHURCH MEMBERSHIP IN A LOCAL CHURCH ACCORDING TO SCRIPTURE? – PART 3 Part 3 (there are 4 parts) continues to look at various scriptures in this study of formal church membership over and above the one membership that unites all believers into one Body, and makes them all ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:26-28, Ephesians 2:13-16, Ephesians 2:19-22, Ephesians 3:5-6, Ephesians 4:3-7, Ephesians 4:11-14  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Is Official Or Formal Church Membership In A Local Church According To Scripture – Part 2 Series

Contributed by Ron Ferguson on May 3, 2025

Formal church membership that involves special membership and voting rights is contentious. In this Part 2, I open up the matter to show how out of sync the matter is with the membership of the one Body of Christ, and the discrimination. We delve into some scriptures to bring this out.

IS OFFICIAL OR FORMAL CHURCH MEMBERSHIP IN A LOCAL CHURCH ACCORDING TO SCRIPTURE – PART 2 In Part 1 we looked at the practice some churches have of there being an official local church membership that divides “members”, adherents and attendees into “MEMBERS” and “NON-MEMBERS” depending if one has ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:10, Romans 16:17, 1 Corinthians 6:15, 1 Corinthians 12:12-14, 1 Corinthians 12:18-20, 1 Corinthians 12:24-25  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Love Is A Verb

Contributed by Howard Strickland on Feb 15, 2009

Love is willing to undergo or endure long. It’s compassionate and generous, it’s humble, open, gentle, thinks good of others, rejoices in righteousness, open, simple child like faith, believes in the success of others, doesn’t give up, love is a survivor

Love is a Verb I Corinthians 13:4-8a Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Denomination: Pentecostal

Circle Of Love

Contributed by Jason Jones on Aug 12, 2013

Exposition of John

Text: John 15:12-17, Title: Circle of Love, Date/Place: NRBC, 8/11/13, AM A. Opening illustration: B. Background to passage: You know it, but I probably should repeat it by now. Jesus, again repeating himself, saying that he loves them, and they should love each other like that. He told them ...read more

Scripture: John 15:12-17

Denomination: Baptist

God Is Love Series

Contributed by Victor Yap on Apr 19, 2006

God of Wonders, Pt. 6

GOD IS LOVE (JOHN 3:16) What is love? It’s been said: “Money can build a charming house BUT Love can furnish it with the feeling of home. Duty can pack an adequate sack lunch BUT Love would decide to tuck a little love note inside. Money can buy a television set BUT Love controls how much it ...read more

Scripture: John 3:16-17

Denomination: Independent/Bible