Just a few thoughts on church membership:

Membership is an act of commitment. There are numerous benefits to membership.

1. It identifies a person as a genuine believer (Eph. 2:19; Rom. 12:5)

2. It provides a spiritual family to support and encourage a believer in their walk with Christ (Gal. 6:1-2; Heb. 10:24-25)

3. It gives a believer a place to discover and use their gifts in ministry (I Cor. 12:4-27)

4. It places a believer under the spiritual protection of godly leaders (Heb. 13:17; Acts 20:28-29)

5. It gives a believer the accountability they need to grow (Eph. 5:21)

A Christian disconnected from a Church is like a football player without a team, a soldier without a platoon, a tuba player without an orchestra, a sheep without a flock. but the most understandable (and Biblical) picture is that of a child without a family. First Timothy 3:15 (NCV) refers to the Church as "...the family of God." God does not want His children growing up in isolation from each other, so He created a spiritual family on earth for us. Paul reminded us in Ephesians 2:19 (LB) "You are members of God's very own family, ...and you belong to God's household with every other Christian." A Christian without a Church is an orphan.


Wes

When I survey the wondrous cross on which the Prince of Glory died, my richest gain I count but loss and pour contempt on all my pride. - Isaac Watts