Bible Question: What, if anything, does God say about church membership? My family has been going to a church for two years, but have not become members. We attend every service, are extremely active in several ministries there, tithe faithfully, and are always willing to help out in ANY way we can. Our pastor asked my husband yesterday when we planned on joining the church. My husband said, as nicely as he could, that he did not feel led of the Lord to join just now. Our pastor got angry and said that everything that we do for God meant nothing without being a member of a church, and that we would not receive any eternal blessings for any of it? WHAT? We just want to see lost people find Jesus, that would be our greatest reward. Does anyone know where he is getting that from? |
Bible Answer: Dear Beingstill, I agree with Brother Tim that you should talk to your pastor how you feel about his comment for clarification. Furthermore, I like what C.S. Lewis said in his Mere Christianity, which I think pretty relevant to your question and concern about church membership. "It is more like a hall out of which doors open into several rooms. If I can bring anyone into that hall I shall have done what I atempted. But it is in the rooms, not in the hall, that there are fires and chairs and meals. The hall is a place to wait in, a place from which to try the various doors, not a place to live in. For that purpose the worst of the rooms (whichever that may be) is, I think, preferable. It is true that some people may find they have to wait in the hall for a considerable time, while others feel certain almost at once which door they must knock at. I do not know why there is this difference, but I am sure God keeps no one waiting unless He sees that it is good for him to wait. When you do get into your room you will find that the long wait has done you some kind of good which you would not have had otherwise. But you must regard it as waiting, not as camping. You must keep on praying for light: and, of course, even in the hall, you must begin trying to obey the rules which are common to the whole house. And above all you must be asking which door is the true one; not which pleases you best by its paint and panelling. In plain language, the question should never be : 'Do I like that kind of service?' but 'Are these doctrines true: Is holiness here? Does my conscience move me towards this? Is my reluctance to knock at this door due to my pride, or my mere taste, or my personal dislike of this particular door-keeper?'" --- C.S. Lewis I would also recommend you the below link for your further study concerning church membership issues. http://marks.9marks.org/Mark6/LessonC/Slide1of2 Shalom Azure |