6 Reasons to Be a Faithful Member of a Local Church

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by Paul Tauges
It is ourconviction that every Christian should be an active member of a Bible-teachinglocal church. As believers in Christ, we are members of His body and mustdiscipline ourselves to be actively involved in ministry as a way of life. Hereare some specific reasons why you should be a committed member of a solid,Bible-teaching local church.
1. You followthe pattern set forth in the New Testament. Although the word “membership”itself is not used the principle is present in the New Testament. For example,most of our NT books are letters that were written to specific groups of peoplewho had chosen to identify themselves with Christ and each other. The word“church” is almost always used to refer to a specific group of people who insome way had committed themselves to serving the Lord and one another in thesame ministry location. Numbers were known (At this time Peter stood up in themidst of the brethren (agathering of about one hundred and twenty persons was there together)...Sothen, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there wereadded about three thousand souls...But many of those who had heard the messagebelieved; and the number of themen came to be about five thousand. – Acts 1:15, 2:41, 4:4), rolls were kept (A widow isto be put on the list only if sheis not less than sixty years old, having been the wife of one man. – 1 Timothy5:9), servants were selected(Sothe twelve summoned the congregation of the disciplesand said, “It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order toserve tables. Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of goodreputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in chargeof this task.  But we will devoteourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”  The statementfound approval with the whole congregation; and they chose Stephen, aman full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip,Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicolas, a proselytefrom Antioch. –  Acts6:2-5), discipline waspracticed (For what have I to do withjudging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within thechurch? But those who are outside,God judges. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves. – 1 Corinthians5:12-13), worship wascorporate (Therefore if the whole church assembles together andall speak in tongues, and ungiftedmen or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are mad? – 1 Corinthians14:23), and shepherds knewfor whom they were responsible (Obey your leaders and submit tothem, for they keep watchover your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not withgrief, for this would be unprofitable for you. – Hebrews 13:17). If you are a part of the body ofChrist by virtue of repentant faith in Jesus Christ then you should want tomake that association visibly known through church membership.
2. You have agreater opportunity to use your spiritual gifts. At the moment of yourconversion the Holy Spirit came to live inside of your body (Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the HolySpirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? – 1 Corinthians6:19). When He did this, He brought alongthe spiritual gift(s) that He sovereignly chose for you to possess for theblessing of the church (But to each one is given the manifestation of theSpirit for the common good. – 1Corinthians 12:7, 11). As weuse our gifts, we are being good stewards of the manifold grace of God (As each onehas received a special gift, employ it in serving one anotheras good stewards of the manifoldgrace of God. – 1 Peter 4:10).Can you use your spiritual gift without joining a church? Yes, but in mostchurches many ministry opportunities are limited to church members only. Thisis as it should be. Unity in doctrine, purity of life, and submissiveaccountability to one another and leaders are necessary for a healthy Christianlife. The process of becoming a member also gives the existing leadership theopportunity to discern one’s agreement in doctrine, ministry purpose, andgoals; thus enabling them to know where best you may serve.
3. You becomea more committed part of a spiritual family. Joining a local churchdemonstrates a certain level of commitment. It shows that you want to be morethan a bystander, that you want to be involved in ministry in a moresignificant way. Joining a local church is like entering into a covenantrelationship with other believers in order to love them as an active part of aspiritual family (Beloved, let us love one another, for love is fromGod; and everyone who loves is bornof God and knows God. – 1John 4:7). We also need thespiritual oversight and soul care of faithful shepherds (Obeyyour leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls asthose who will give an account.  Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would beunprofitable for you. – Hebrews 13:17).
4. You ensurea balanced Christian life. By nature we all have the tendency to gravitatetoward extremes. God’s design for the church—as a multi-faceted body whosemembers are interrelated and interdependent—provides the ideal atmosphere forbalanced Christian growth. As we sharpen each other, our continual contact withother believers promotes balance. In his book, Spiritual Disciplines within theChurch: Participating fully in the body of Christ, Donald Whitney writes, “Noone develops the proper spiritual symmetry just by listening to Christianradio, watching Christian television, or reading Christian books.  You can’t get this kind of maturity merely byparticipating in a group Bible study. Unless you’re an active part of a localchurch, your Christian life and ministry will be imbalanced.”
5. You availyourself of the wisdom of a multitude of counselors. God never intended for usto live our lives independent of others, or “above” them. He desires for us todevelop relationships of accountability with other Christians. According toProverbs 11:14, in the abundance of counselors there is victory. The localchurch is a great place to find wise counsel and direction from spiritualleadership and older, more mature believers (Butas for you, speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine. Older men are tobe temperate, dignified, sensible, sound in faith, inlove, in perseverance.  Older women likewise are to be reverent intheir behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslavedto much wine, teaching what is good, so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to lovetheir children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not bedishonored. Likewise urge theyoung men to be sensible; in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, withpurity in doctrine, dignified, sound in speechwhich is beyond reproach, so thatthe opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us. – Titus2:1-8). These relationshipswill help guide you in the many decisions that you face in life so that you maydiscern God’s good and perfect will.
6. Youexperience the joy of serving others. God has re-created us in Christ Jesus forthe purpose of bringing glory to Him by bearing fruit (Forwe are His workmanship, createdin Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them – Ephesians 2:10.  Everybranch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear morefruit. – John 15:2).  The fruit of the Spirit is primarilymanifested in our relationships with others (But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control;against such things there is nolaw. – Galatians 5:22-23).Believers are to follow the example of Christ the Master Servant (ForI gave you an example that youalso should do as I did to you. – John 3:15). By joining a local church, you are agreeing with Godthat one of the ways to bear fruit in the Christian life is by serving others.