Creating a Conscious Community
What is the purpose of church membership? Does the Bible have anything to say about it? And does it affect my spiritual growth in any meaningful way? Ephesians 4:11-12 says, Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up…
In these verses we see three parts of every local church: (1) pastors and teachers; (2) individual Christians; and (3) the collective body. Not only do these three parts exist, but they each have a particular relationship to one another. As Ephesians 4:16 summarizes, “From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” Each has distinct roles to play, but did you notice the purpose? So that the body of Christ may be built up.
By God’s design, membership and participation in a healthy church is vital for spiritual growth. The reason we practice church membership at Forestdale Church is simple: we do this in obedience to God’s word, and we do it with joy since we believe it displays God’s glory and is for our good.
Our model of church membership comes from the examples we see from churches in the New Testament, and it is expressed through our Church Covenant. The members of Forestdale Church aid in the governing of the church as they help the church uphold our Church Constitution, our Statement of Faith, and our Member Covenant. To become a member of Forestdale Church, one must meet with a pastor, attend the membership classes, and be able to affirm the Church Covenant we make to one another.