Why Membership?

Why Membership?

Why do we have membership here at The City Church?

Before we explore what it means to be a member, it’s important to start with this question, and there are 4 main reasons why.

1. It’s an outworking of a Biblical principle

“And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved” - Acts 2:47

In the example of the early church we see that when people are saved into Christ, they are also added into Christ’s body through the local church.

The message of the gospel isn’t just that we are saved from sin, death and judgement, but we are also saved into relationship with God, eternal life and the community of God - and membership is our way of expressing this exciting reality of being part of a local church.

2. It proclaims the Gospel

“By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for another.” - John 13:35

Membership models that we have become family. That through Jesus, we have been adopted into the family of God, and so we have God as our Father, and we have one another as brothers and sisters.

To be a member of a local church is to be committed to one another. In an age of hyper-individualism, membership to a local church and commitment to one another communicates a counter-vision of community. Instead of everything being about ‘me’ and ‘I’, the gospel makes us think about ‘we’ and ‘us’.

3. We grow

“From whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” - Ephesians 4:16

The common analogy that the New Testament uses to refer to God’s people is a body - and as this verse explains, in order to grow the body parts need to be joined and held together.

We will grow as disciples as we get involved, give our time, energy, money and gifts into the plans and purposes of God.

We will grow in holiness as we share our lives, inviting accountability about how we live.

4. Allows for faithful shepherding

“Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.” - Hebrews 13:17

The eldership of the church will be held accountable to God for how they have kept watch over the souls of the congregation. Membership is a way of showing that we want to be submitted to the care of elders, to come under the authority that God has given them as under-shepherds to the chief-shepherd.