Our Community of Faith April 21st, 2024
God of Word and Wisdom, send us your Holy Spirit as we listen to the witness of your people in the Scriptures. May we claim the story of your redeeming love again, and praise you with our lives through Christ, our Lord and Guide. Amen.
We’re blessed again this week with another special service in the life of our church family as we welcome Emerson Dempster as a member.
So, let’s talk about becoming a member of the church. Joining the church offers a sense of community and belonging, providing support and fellowship with like-minded individuals. It allows for personal growth through spiritual guidance and opportunities to serve others, enriching one's faith journey.
Becoming a member of a church is a significant step in a person's spiritual journey. It's a commitment to a community of faith and a declaration of a desire to grow in that faith. Church membership is not just about adding your name to a roster; it's about weaving your life into the fabric of a community that supports and uplifts each other in times of joy and sorrow. It's a pledge to participate actively in the church's mission, to serve, to give, to learn, and to worship together.
As a church member, you are saying 'yes' to being part of a larger family. You are accepting the responsibility to share your gifts and talents with the congregation, and to receive the gifts and talents of others with gratitude. It's a mutual exchange of support, love, and encouragement. Membership is a way to live out the commandment to love your neighbour, to be a committed part of the body of Christ, worshipping together to honour God, working together to make a difference in our communities and in the world, and worshipping together to support and help one another.
In joining a church, you are not just attending services; you are committing to a relationship with God and with other believers. This relationship is nurtured through regular worship, participation in church activities, and involvement in ministry teams. It's about growing spiritually through the study of scripture, prayer, and fellowship. It's about being accountable to one another in love, challenging and being challenged to live a life that reflects the teachings of Jesus.
It’s important that a person joins a church because church membership is part of God’s plan for a Christian life. For example, consider how the Apostle Luke describes the growth of the early church in the book of Acts. Describing the amazing growth of the church on the day of Pentecost, Luke writes, “And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:41) In other words, Luke demonstrates in this verse that more and more people were joined to the existing early church membership as members of Christ’s church.
The Apostle Paul also teaches us about the importance of membership in his first letter to the Corinthian believers. While writing about the value of unity among believers, Paul clearly indicates that Christians ought to be members of a visible church. In fact, Paul writes that believers “Are the body of Christ and individually members of it.” (1 Corinth.12:27) Thus, the Scriptures first and foremost teach us that church membership is an absolute necessity for believers as it is part of God’s plan for his family.
Membership in a church is also the key to personal growth in Christ. Each member contributes to the growth of every other member. We need one another if we are to mature and develop in our Christian lives because the Christian faith cannot successfully be lived in isolation. Our church family helps us grow in our faith just as we help them. Together we are better, helping and supporting each other.
Church membership is a formal declaration of your commitment to a local body of believers. Living Faith, published by the Presbyterian Church in Canada, tells us, “The church is the family of God. Here all should be valued for themselves. We are one body in Christ: together rejoicing when things go well, supporting one another in sorrow, celebrating the goodness of God and the wonder of our redemption.
The Bible also teaches us that a believer must become a member of a church to have fellowship within the church. Again, Luke, in the book of Acts, tells us about the believers’ life within the early church, he writes, “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people.” (Acts 2:42-47)
From this passage we see that the believers in the early church lived together as members of a community. In other words, believers were deeply committed to the early church and, as such, lived life together as members of the church. As well, we learn that the believers’ lives were marked with intentional fellowship and genuine love for one another.
So, as we gather here today, let us open our hearts and arms to Emerson, who is joining our church family. Welcoming new members into our fold is not just a duty, but a joyous occasion that reaffirms our commitment to the teachings of Christ and the nurturing of our community. Remember, church membership is not the end goal; it's the beginning of a deeper, more committed walk with God and with your fellow travelers on the path of faith.
Heavenly Father, we gather together in your name, embracing the joy of fellowship and unity within our church family. As we welcome a new member today, we ask for your blessing to be upon him, that he may find love, support, and guidance within this congregation. May he walk in faith, grow in your grace, and serve in your ministry. In your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.