What does it mean to be a member of a church?

[ampersat]

My wife was "very disappointed" with me when I asked this question. She would like it very much if I were to become a member of her family's church. While I'm certainly not opposed to the idea, I'm just curious as to what is involved. To her, it sounds like "what's in it for me?" but it's really not. I have had very little background with churches in general so to me it's a perfectly valid question.

Any guidance or information would be appreciated.

[fishnwHim]

I think it really depends on the church , some have requirements and expectations and some don't. I think in a lot of cases it's an attempt to get you to agree with what they agree with. I would ask your pastor what it means at your church to become a member, that's the only way you could make an informed decision. I declined membership in one church I attended because I felt as though I was being manipulated. I try to be led by the spirit not so much by the church. Well that's probably more than you wanted to hear. Just ask and I'm sure they will tell you,then you can pray about it. Good Luck !! :wave: :wave: I forgot to mention that the church I am attending now , doesn't have membership, we have no expectations of anyone, except to love one another . :angel:

[happybrew]

That means different things for different churches. In general, it would mean that you agree with the doctrine being taught by that church, and that you participate in whatever rites are entailed, if any, and that you intend to live a life in conformance with the doctrine and practices of that church. It is not a thing to be entered into lightly.

From my own personal experience, a spouse is not necessarily the best person to discuss these matters with. A spouse is too close to the issue to be objective. I know this from the experience of others, and my own. My wife joined my church (Catholic) just last year after 12 years of marriage.

Because the answer to your question depends upon what church you and/or your wife are currently attending, my advice to you would be to contact the pastor or a male member (no, not sexist, just best to be the same sex as you) whom you trust and discuss your questions and concerns. There shouldn't be any pressure involved, just answers. If you are feeling pressured, just ask someone else. Sometimes people get a bit anxious when they hear "potential convert". Depending upon your church, there may be a class that meets, or something like that. If it is a larger denomination, look for their website, which might have some answers for you.

happybrew

[Fish-n-Fever]

Every organized religion I know of has a doctrine that explains the beliefs of that particular group. Church doctrines are very easy to google search.
It might actually surprise some members of churches to read their own doctrine.
Just mentioning this in case you wanted to look any of them up.
God did not make religious affiliations man did, man did this so like minded people could congregate together.

Ron

[FM2]

ampersat,that is a tough question to answer and I would recommend visiting the church to see if your expectations are met. God has blessed you with a wonderful wife and maybe it's not a bad idea to check out the church with her. This doesn't mean it's for you but God didn't bring her into your life to just let you fish :cool: Ask yourself what you are seeking in a church but first pray to ask Jesus into your life and to help you find where you belong. Church is not a social club but a place to learn about God and to grow and learn to serve others.

Blessings

[Tagster]

Good to see you back, FM2...missed you over here.

Tag

[Keeper]

If I remember correctly from my class (25yrs ago) it means that you will help support the church and all it believes in.

The church of my youth (evangelical) had vows that you took, see if your wife's church does this and ask to see a copy of them.

You didn't state what religion but quite a few churches "require" tithes of 10% of your income from members. I have even heard rumors that some churches send a bill!

I do not like churches nor do I attend. I found church to be full of cliques, full of people who were full of themselves, people that were Sunday only christians and ministers that get wrapped up in the power.

I believe in God, I believe in the power of daily prayer but does it make you any less of a christian in the Lord's eyes because you are not a member of a church?

[CATCH AND EAT]

I belong to a church that has membership and membership training. However I am not a "registered Member" because I did not bother with training and classes. I have my own ideas regarding membership in that I am a Christian and I belong to the body of Christ. In that I am a member to the fullest and will not be constrained by idealists and so on.

[Salmon Stryker]

Keeper,

It absolutely does not make you less of a christian to not be a member of a church. I'm actually a little concerned that church as we know it today is not really what Christ had in mind. I've been studying and praying about a lot of this lately because it is a confusing to me and many churches seem to have some baggage that goes a long with the mostly good stuff.

I think the purest form of "church" is a small group of believers gathering to support each other, pray for each other, lift each other up, and encourage one another so that individuals can stay strong in their faith and stand up to the trials and battles that we all face. So that we can be bold and strong and connected and help bring the good news to our lost world.

Church is not about giving money, it is not about gathering in large numbers to hear a sermon, or to be made to feel guilty, or to sing some songs and get a warm fuzzy feeling, or to put on a smile and pretend your life is perfect for a couple hours each Sunday.

Now don't mis-understand me. I'm not saying that church is bad. I do attend church. I attend a very large church. I enjoy hearing our pastors messages and get a warm feeling during and really enjoy corporate worship. But to me that is not church...at least not the entire church experience.

Church to me is our group of 5-6 men who get together each week around a meal or some snacks and talk about life. We share our struggles and frustrations, talk about our dreams, pray for our families and eachother...lift each other up and encourage one another in battle. No sermon, no passing of the plate, no singing just a group of guys being real with each other. I can't help but think that this is what God meant when he meant church.

So what I'm trying to say I guess is that if you can find a church that meets your spiritual needs in that kind of way than sign up. If not, maybe you should keep looking. And don't be quick to judge, pray about it. I would have never discovered this small group that I'm in if I wouldn't have gotten involved in our large church on a deeper level than just showing up on Sunday morning and going through the motions.

[Grantspastor]

Ampersat...I appreciate your question, and the obvious sincere interest in things spiritual. In the Bible Jesus talked about building His Church. This is referring to the body of believers worldwide, most of whom will not meet or interact with one another until they get to Heaven. When Scripture refers to the church it is typically talking about a local assembly of believers (such as the Church at Ephesus, or the Church in Jerusalem). These people interract strongly with one another, and are intended to be closely related to one another in worship, and in serving the Lord. This relationship is intended by God to provide a sense of belonging, identity, and mission. Biblically, it is not required for local churches to have an official membership roll. (It is not contra-indicated either). The most important thing is to have your name written in something the Bible calls the "Lamb's Book of Life". The way this happens is in salvation by grace through faith in the atoning work of Jesus on the cross. It cannot be earned, and must be received sincerely as a gift from God. A person is automatically a member of God's great Church when he/she becomes a believer. Membership in a local Church then becomes the vehicle for encouragement, worship, participation, and service with other like-minded Christians whether or not that Church has a written membership roll. As has been stated, usually membership in a local Church simply means you agree with the particulars of doctrine, (many of them disputable), as taught by a particular Church or denomination. As you may have perceived, they do not all agree on every point of doctrine, but in general agree on the really important points, or irreducible minimums of Christan faith. The truth is, we're all going to have our doctrine adjusted somewhat by the return of Jesus. I have thought over the matter of a written membership in my Church, and have decided it is not necessary. True membership is accomplished initially by God Himself, then as a matter of committment from individual beleivers who see the necessity of identifying with a local assembly as a practical outworking of their faith.

The Greek word for Church is ecclesia. The Hebrew sense of this word is something like "God's people gathered together to listen to or act for God". I hope this helps. The bottom line is: Relationship with God through His Son Jesus is what has eternal value. Having your name on a Church roster without that relationship is meaningless.