Biblical Church Biblical Church MembershipMembership

Biblical Church Biblical Church MembershipMembership

Lesson 3 – Lesson 3 – PurposePurpose

-achieving the goals -achieving the goals of church of church

membership-membership-

Biblical Church Biblical Church MembershipMembership

Outlining the Outlining the goals of goals of

membershipmembership

The Glory of the LordThe Glory of the Lord

Matthew 5:16 Matthew 5:16 Let your light Let your light shine before men in such a way shine before men in such a way that they may see your good that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.who is in heaven.

1 Peter 2:121 Peter 2:12 Keep your Keep your behavior excellent among the behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.the day of visitation.

Ephesians 3:10-11 Ephesians 3:10-11 …so that …so that the manifold wisdom of God the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known might now be made known through the church to the through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places. This was in heavenly places. This was in accordance with the eternal accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord….Christ Jesus our Lord….

The Edification of the The Edification of the BodyBody

Ephesians 4:15-16 Ephesians 4:15-16 …but …but speaking the truth in love, we speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held body, being fitted and held together by what every joint together by what every joint supplies, according to the supplies, according to the proper working of each proper working of each individual part, causes the individual part, causes the growth of the body for the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.building up of itself in love.

I Corinthians 12:7 But to each I Corinthians 12:7 But to each one is given the manifestation one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common of the Spirit for the common good….good….

The Clarification of the The Clarification of the TruthTruth

If the historic Christian church If the historic Christian church has always rejected a particular has always rejected a particular understanding of a Bible verse understanding of a Bible verse

or passage or a particular or passage or a particular theological nuance or view, theological nuance or view, then it is a safe assumption then it is a safe assumption

that that understanding, that that understanding, nuance or view is wrong.nuance or view is wrong.

1 Timothy 3:15 1 Timothy 3:15 I write so I write so that you will know how one that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.pillar and support of the truth.

Titus 1:9 Titus 1:9 …holding fast the …holding fast the faithful word which is in faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.refute those who contradict.

The The SpecificatioSpecification of the n of the ChurchChurch

Without a working Without a working (biblical) understanding of (biblical) understanding of church membership, church membership, there is no specification of there is no specification of who can and who cannot who can and who cannot be a part of the decision-be a part of the decision-making and direction of making and direction of the church as a whole. the church as a whole.

Titus 1:10-11 Titus 1:10-11 For there are For there are many rebellious men, empty many rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers, talkers and deceivers, especially those of the especially those of the circumcision, who must be circumcision, who must be silenced because they are silenced because they are upsetting whole families, upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teaching things they should not teach for the sake of sordid teach for the sake of sordid gain.gain.

1 Timothy 5:22 1 Timothy 5:22 Do not lay Do not lay hands upon anyone too hastily hands upon anyone too hastily and thereby share and thereby share responsibility for the sins of responsibility for the sins of others….others….

““Inactive members shall be Inactive members shall be those who habitually absent those who habitually absent themselves from the services themselves from the services of the church when well and of the church when well and able to attend, and/or able to attend, and/or otherwise fail to fulfill their otherwise fail to fulfill their Christian obligations to God Christian obligations to God and this church.” and this church.” (from Article V, Section 4, (from Article V, Section 4,

Subheading C of the Subheading C of the Fontaine Baptist Church Constitution and By-Fontaine Baptist Church Constitution and By-lawslaws))

The The EvangelizatiEvangelization of the on of the WorldWorld

Matthew 28:18-20 Matthew 28:18-20 "All "All authority has been given to Me authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to I am with you always, even to the end of the age."the end of the age."

Acts 13:1-4 Acts 13:1-4 While they were While they were ministering to the Lord and ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for Me Barnabas and "Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I Saul for the work to which I have called them." Then, when have called them." Then, when they had fasted and prayed they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. they sent them away.

The Assurance of the The Assurance of the SaintsSaints

Hebrews 10:25 Hebrews 10:25 …not …not forsaking our own assembling forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near. you see the day drawing near.

Biblical Church Biblical Church MembershipMembership

Achieving the Achieving the goals of goals of

membershipmembership

Glorifying GodGlorifying God-By taking membership By taking membership seriouslyseriously-By fulfilling the terms of the By fulfilling the terms of the church covenantchurch covenant-By deliberately seeing the By deliberately seeing the church as the body and bride of church as the body and bride of ChristChrist-By deliberately seeing other By deliberately seeing other members as those for whom members as those for whom Christ died, for his gloryChrist died, for his glory

Edifying the BodyEdifying the Body-By discovering one’s particular By discovering one’s particular giftings and practicing them in giftings and practicing them in the churchthe church-By encouraging others in the By encouraging others in the practice of their giftspractice of their gifts-By seeking out ways to By seeking out ways to demonstrate love to one demonstrate love to one anotheranother

Clarifying the TruthClarifying the Truth-By not despising the -By not despising the importance of doctrine and importance of doctrine and doctrinal statementsdoctrinal statements-By working to understand the -By working to understand the Bible as well as possibleBible as well as possible-By having ongoing discussion -By having ongoing discussion with other believerswith other believers-By respecting the thoughts of -By respecting the thoughts of those who give themselves to those who give themselves to such studysuch study

Specifying the Specifying the Boundaries of the Boundaries of the

ChurchChurch-By not being quick to admit -By not being quick to admit people to membershippeople to membership-By following the provisions of -By following the provisions of the constitution and by-lawsthe constitution and by-laws-By caring more about the -By caring more about the integrity of the church than the integrity of the church than the imaginedimagined feelings of individuals feelings of individuals

Evangelizing the WorldEvangelizing the World-By loving the Gospel, loving -By loving the Gospel, loving the lost and telling people the lost and telling people about Jesusabout Jesus-By praying for the evangelistic -By praying for the evangelistic ministries of the churchministries of the church-By giving financially, both to -By giving financially, both to the church and personally, to the church and personally, to missionsmissions-By advocating for the lost -By advocating for the lost locally and globallylocally and globally

Assuring the SaintsAssuring the Saints

-By seeking the counsel of -By seeking the counsel of others regarding our own others regarding our own spiritual growthspiritual growth-By participating in the -By participating in the sacraments of the churchsacraments of the church-By sitting under the preaching -By sitting under the preaching of the churchof the church

We must assure our own We must assure our own hearts.hearts.

Assuring the SaintsAssuring the Saints

-By speaking the truth in love-By speaking the truth in love-By encouraging and exhorting-By encouraging and exhorting-By rebuking sin in one another-By rebuking sin in one another-By helping one another -By helping one another become more like Christbecome more like Christ

We must assure the hearts of We must assure the hearts of others.others.

Biblical Church Biblical Church MembershipMembership