Responsibility of Church Membership
What are the responsibilities?
You are uniting with a church, the body of Christ and the object of his love. You are also uniting with it because there is something you wish to give and to do. Christ’s work is unfinished. This unfinished work is for us to do. You are uniting with a church then, because you wish to accept a responsibility, a sacred responsibility to do your part for your Lord and for your fellow man . You wish to affiliate yourself, with that inspired Army of men and women of past ages who have felt this same holy responsibility, joined the church, forwarded its work, and made it possible for you in the 21st century to hear the gospel and know Christ.
What are the ways in which you may co-operate with Jesus and thus forward his kingdom through the church which you are joining?
As a church member, you are responsible for:
1. SERVING
First of all, there is the responsibility to serve. The church caries on its, work very largely because there are men and ,women, young people and children, who are willing to give without remuneration their time and talent in places of service. The pastor’s work is indispensable to the life of the church, but he would be relatively helpless without the consistent and unselfish help of Christians who teach Sunday church school classes, visit the sick, do visitation evangelism, lead youth groups, work with children’s organizations, lead men’s or, women’s fellowships, sing in the choir, or work on the various committees.
Somewhere in the church you are joining, there is a place of service awaiting you. It may not appear to you now what it can possibly be, but it is there. Whatever it is and wherever it is, hold yourself ready to serve, for this is a part of your responsibility.
Nugget: Service is the rent we pay for the space we occupy. (Anonymous)
Mathew 25:21, ”Well done good and faithful servant! for have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your Master’s happiness!”
2. LEARNING
It is not enough to be willing to serve; one must also be willing to learn how to serve to the best of one’s ability. Of course, it is true that one learns by doing and that if one waited to serve until he was perfectly prepared, he would never serve. There is an obligation to learn.
You will want to form the habit of daily Bible study. “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, Paul Advised, “a workman who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” I Timothy 2:15.
Do not try to read for distance. Try to read for profit. Set aside for yourself a “quiet hour” of study, prayer, and meditation. One has the responsibility to learn through a Christian Education ministry. This opportunity is provided not only in the Sunday church school, but also in pastor’s classes and courses in leadership education. Avail yourself of every opportunity to learn, in order that you may be better able to serve. The returns are many and infinitely worthwhile.
3. GIVING
You also have the responsibility to give of your means . You should give to the best of your ability, for giving is a scared means provided by the church whereby you may have part in the
preaching of the gospel in your own community and promoting mission work.
Your church depends for its existence and service on the giving of its members. You will be _ _ expected to do your part. You should sign such a pledge card upon becoming a member of the church, and consider contributing as your church suggests.
A Christian should give freely and cheerfully · A gift of money made grudgingly and unwillingly is not acceptable to God. “Each one must do as he has made up his mind, “Paul counseled, “not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” 2 Corinthians 9: 5.
You should first give yourself before making your gift. I telling the Corinthians of the liberality of the Macedonian Christians, Paul Said: “First they gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will o f God.” 2 Corinthians 8:5
Giving should be systematic and proportionate. What basis shall I use to determine my fair share? These are natural questions and deserve an answer.
One Christian group, in seeking such an answer, adopted the following program of action:
1)We shall try to grow spiritually each day by having some so1t of private devotion.
2)We shall strive to win someone else to Christ within the year.
3)We shall give one-tenth, the tithe, of our income to the work of Christ.
4)We shall be loyal to all the services of our church and support them with our presence unless it is utterly impossible for us to do so.
At the heart of these actions is tithing, the giving of one-tenth of one’s income to the work of the church. “But,” someone objects, “I give what I can spare. That is all I can do.” That is not systematic giving, and giving that is not systematic usually ends up as less than what one spends for movies during the week. giving, to be adequate, must be systematic and proportionate. Another states, “I tithe, but I divide it among the social and , welfare agencies of the community, and my lodge dues also come out of it.” Again, that is not tithing, for in scriptural tithing the tithe is brought to the Lord’s house and is placed upon the altar for the Lord’s work.
Question: Do we give according to our means or according to our meanness?
4. WITNESSING
Then there is that sacred obligation to be a witness for Jesus Christ. The point is, you learned of Jesus because someone else cared enough to witness for him. Remember: Christ is depending on you to do His, work today. •
Many churches today employ a plan called Home Visitation Evangelism. This method has resulted in thousands being won to Jesus Christ and active church membership. It is a way whereby members of the church are trained to do personal work in a friendly effective, way right in the homes of their prospects.
“Every day they continued to meet together … “ Acts 2:46-47
5. PRAYING
You also have a responsibility to pray. (Read) Luke 18: 1. James declared: “You do not have, because you do not ask. you ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.” James 4:2-3
“The highest and deepest benefit that one can receive from prayer is strength and courage to live triumphantly each day.” When we pray, there is a time to speak and there is a time to be still. You must be still if you are to know the will of God for yourself with any certainty. Prayer is communion in its deepest sense.
Thought: If you are swept off your feet, it’s time to get on your knees. (Fred Beck)
6. WORSHIPPING
You have a responsibility to worship. Worship keeps the soul of your church alive. Worship keeps the fires of inspiration burning.
For that reason, view with suspicion every excuse however reasonable it may seem, that occurs to you for evading the responsibility of worship.
The first hint of any dissatisfaction with the Christian life or with the church you have joined appears when you begin to miss its worship service. So as long as you attend with regularity, you will continue to grow as a Christian.
“Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.” 1 Chronicles 16:29
7. CONTINUING
You have a responsibility to continue in your loyalty to your church and to your Lord. Many church members who moved their belongings from one community to another failed to move their church to a church in the community where they took up their new abode. As a result, they have become lost to the churches, to themselves, and to their Lord.
Give your loyalty, devotion, service, and •support to the church in the place, where you are now living.
Become a part of its life. Unite with it and serve God in it. If our churches are to continue to witness as they should for Christ, you should see to it that your church membership does not lapse or become inactive.
Vow: We moreover engage that, When we remove from this place … ”
Possible Option: To continue virtually, or as soon as possible to unite with some other church where you can can)’ out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God’s Word.
? “Why not make New Hope your Church Home.